Financial Analyst I

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following)

•    Plan, direct and participate in the analysis and preparation of financial statements, budget documents and a variety of financial and grant reports.
•    Compile and prepare the City’s annual budget; prepare cash flow and expenditure projections; provide personnel costs from salary projections. Prepare statistical financial projections; prepare necessary work papers for annual budget.
•    Coordinate the collections and refinement of the City budget, special funds and grants; produce various budget related forecasts and reports.
•    Serve as financial resource to City departments; act as liaison between the division of assignment and grantors; provide information regarding a variety of accounts, revenues and expenditures.
•    Recommend secure and liquid investments for the City’s various funds and accounts; examine, reconcile and document bank trust statements against City books; analyze cash flow and disbursement to  recommend the buying or selling of an investment.
•    Analyze, account for and audit grant monies and special revenues received by the City; process requests for funds and obtained authorized signature of approval.
•    Provide technical assistance and training to City staff in matters related to financial accounting and budget administration.
•    Monitor various accounts verifying availability of funds and classification of expenditures; research and analyze transactions to resolve problems.
•    Develop and implement strategies designed to improve program effectiveness and efficiency. Examine emerging technologies for application to existing processes and procedures; recommend changes and assist in implementation of changes.
•    Develop and administer budgets for special programs or projects; respond to inquiries relative to area of assignment; monitor funding requirements for special projects.
•    Assist with bond issues and other debt issuances.
•    Provide functional and technical supervision related to accounting or budget development.
•    Review and analyze processes, systems, procedures, records, forms, reports and controls for compliance with accepted accounting, budget and resource management standards.
•    Attend and participate in committees and professional group meetings; stay current with new trends, best practices and innovations in matters relating to assigned duties and projects.
•    Conduct training and provide meeting facilitation for focus groups on budget development and management, and process improvement issues.
•    Supervises staff engaged in performing complex technical, financial and statistical analyses associated with a variety of significant City-wide programs and initiatives, ranging from development, approval and implementation of the operating and capital budgets to development of long range financial forecasts and analysis of capital development and financing alternatives.
•    Perform special assignments as requested, to include researching and preparing reports and projects, developing and implementing programs, administering state and federal grants, and presenting technical data to management, elected officials and others.
•    Lead, plan, train and review the work of staff responsible for financial analysis, budget analysis, investments, grant administration and accounting.
•    Provide information, advice, feedback or assistance to others within the division to refine work outputs or resolve problems.
•    Confer with upper management to keep them informed on key issues and progress toward objectives and to gain their support and approval; makes recommendations to assist management in making needed improvements.
•    Communicate with others outside their work areas to coordinate efforts and maintain cooperative and efficient relations.
•    Attend and participate in staff meetings; complete required forms and paperwork; prepare work program and report work progress periodically.
•    Performs related duties as assigned.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT USED:

General Office Equipment        Personal Computer
Calculator
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Education and Experience: 

Bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, accounting, economics, finance or closely related field; and, 
Two years increasingly responsible professional experience in accounting, auditing or budgeting depending upon area assigned.  Experience in a public agency setting, programmatic or project lead experience and implementation of computer software packages are desirable.
Equivalency:  Six years of increasingly responsible professional experience in accounting, auditing or budgeting depending upon area assigned may be substituted for the education and experience listed above.  Experience in a public agency setting, programmatic or project lead experience and implementation of computer software packages are desirable.

Licenses and Certifications:

Must possess a valid state driver's license and maintain satisfactory motor vehicle record with the ability to obtain appropriate Nevada state driver’s license within required time frame.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

•    Advanced technical knowledge of fund accounting and governmental budgetary procedures.
•    Advanced principles of mathematics as they relate to budgeting, accounting, auditing.
•    Rules, regulations, policies, and procedures applicable to the area of work.
•    Principles, practices, and procedures for modern financial record keeping and reporting.
•    Financial research and report preparation methods and techniques.
•    Applicable, federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
•    Working knowledge of current payroll laws and regulations.
•    Standard office practices and procedures, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment.  
•    Correct business English, including spelling, grammar and punctuation. 
•    The use of specified computer applications including Oracle, Excel, word processing; the design and management of databases and spreadsheet files; and the development of special report formats.
•    Advanced professional budgetary practices and terminology.
•    Advanced professional practices of reviewing financial documents for completeness and accuracy.
•    Analytical abilities necessary to make sound, logical interpretations of codes and regulations that must be made quickly.
•    Exercise sound judgment required to act in best interest of jurisdiction.
•    Organizing and prioritizing tasks.
•    Skills necessary to perform numerical calculations to obtain totals, balances and verify information from complex forms and transfer to computers or manual reports.
•    Performing technical, specialized, complex or difficult financial office work.
•    Reading and explaining rules, policies and procedures; analyzing and resolving varied financial office administrative problems.
•    Organizing, researching and maintaining financial files.
•    Imputing budget information into a standard budget document format;
•    Reviewing financial documents for completeness and accuracy.
•    Reviewing, posting, balancing and reconciling financial records.
•    Maintaining accurate financial records and preparing accurate and timely reports.
•    Using independent judgment on issues which are complex, interpretive and evaluative in nature.
•    Organizing own work, setting priorities and meeting critical deadlines.
•    Using advance features of financial computer software, Excel spreadsheets, and Oracle payroll and accounting systems.
•    Interpersonal skills necessary to effectively interact with internal staff, citizens, contractors, and/or government agencies in such areas as supervising project work, responding to citizens' questions, and consulting with others.

Physical and Mental Abilities:
•    Work produces mental and visual fatigue due to sustained periods of concentration, working under pressure of deadlines and continual interruptions in concentration.
•    Ability to communicate both orally and in written communications.
•    Ability to use general office procedures, practices, English, spelling, punctuation, grammar and proficiency on computer and other office equipment.
•    Ability to concentrate and pay close attention to detail with breaks in concentration associated with answering phones or speaking in person to citizens requiring assistance.
•    While performing the essential functions of this job the employee is regularly required to work in a typical office environment, use standard office equipment, read printed material and a computer terminal/screen, and communicate in person and over the telephone and is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, climb or balance, talk and hear, and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. 

Working Conditions:

Works in a normal office environment where there are little or no physical discomforts associated with changes in weather or discomforts associated with noise, dust, dirt and the like.

Regular and timely attendance is required.

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive.  It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this job.  The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification.  Any essential function or requirement of this class will be evaluated as necessary should an incumbent/applicant be unable to perform the function or requirement due to a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Reasonable accommodation for the specific disability will be made for the incumbent/applicant when possible.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING:
Candidates for this position are subject to a Pre-employment screening. Pre-employment screening includes but is not limited to: Local & State Criminal History Check; Federal Criminal History Check via submission of fingerprints; Drug screening.

Selection Process: 
Qualification Assessment: Oral Interview 100%
Passing Score: 70%