ACCOUNTANT I

                                                                                                                                                   02300

(Competitive)

 

 

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

 

This is entry level professional work in maintaining accounting records, preparing reports and assisting in the establishment of new accounting systems.  Under general supervision, an employee in this class maintains the accounting records of a governmental agency according to established account classifications, including cash-books, subsidiary journals and general ledgers.  Employees also assist an administrative superior or higher level professional accountant in changing or establishing new accounting procedures, interfacing with computerized accounting systems, and in some instances, independently establishing less complex systems or procedures.  The work requires independent judgment on technical accounting problems and is reviewed upon completion for overall standard performance.  Work is also subject to periodic audit.  Supervision may be exercised over a small number of clerical employees.  Incumbents may be required to successfully pass a background check.  Does related work as required.

 

 

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES

         Maintains a varied and complex set of accounting records, posts entries to these books from   supporting records, makes adjustment entries; prepares financial statements from accounting records.

         Verifies unencumbered balances on the books.

         Assists a higher level accountant or independently establishes new accounting systems and      procedures.

         May supervise a number of clerical personnel in the account clerical and general clerical series          engaged in maintaining fiscal records.

         Analyzes cost data of a department or institution according to labor, material and overhead costs to          compute unit costs; records data for use by management; controls expenditures.

         Assists in preparing a department budget.

         Performs internal audits on accounts, payrolls, invoices and expenditures to prove mathematical          correctness.

 

        WHEN ASSIGNED TO THE ONONDAGA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

        Participates in public health preparedness activities as trained and assigned

 

 

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

 

         Good knowledge of accounting principles and procedures and ability to apply such knowledge to          accounting transactions.

         Working knowledge of office methods and procedures and familiarity with the use of standard office          equipment.

         Working knowledge of the general principles of public finances administrations including budgeting   and financial reporting.

         Ability to prepare complete and accurate accounting reports and statements of some complexity.

         Ability to perform detailed work including written or numeric data and to make arithmetic       calculations rapidly and accurately.

         Ability to supervise a number of account clerical and general clerical workers.

         Ability to follow complex oral and written instructions.

        

 

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

 

Promotion:

One (1) year of permanent competitive class status in the title of Account Clerk III.

 

 

Open-Competitive:

A.     Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, finance education, business administration or a baccalaureate degree including or supplemented by 24 semester credit hours, or its equivalent, in accounting, finance, finance education, business administration; or,

 

B.      Four (4) years of accounting, financial auditing, or full charge bookkeeping experience, or its part time equivalent, which is defined as experience which must have involved the                    accumulation of financial and statistical data into general and subsidiary ledgers and journals and the compilation of this material into financial reports* and studies.

 

 

*Financial reporting is defined by the preparation of reports such as: estimated income; profit/loss statements; bank reconciliation; income determination; asset and-equity valuation; financial statement analysis; or computing and filing tax forms such as withholding tax, quarterly deposit tax, estimated income tax or business tax.

 

 

02/2026 Revised

09/2016 Revised