Position Type: South East Education Cooperative/Payroll SpecialistDate Posted: 7/24/2024Location: SEEC - FargoDate Available: ImmediateDistrict: South East Education Cooperative - websiteJob Title: Accounting Specialist Accountable to: Director of Accounting Department: Business Services Salary: $21-24 hr starting depending on experience
Hours: 2 options: 30 hours a week (hourly position)- 6 hours a day (eligible for benefits) OR 40 hours a week (eligible for benefits). Standard office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm and other times to reach agency goals or job duties. Position Overview The South East Education Cooperative is one of six Regional Education Associations (REA) in ND with a mission of enhancing education in ND through quality services and visionary leadership. This position works with SEEC's Business Services team to process accurate and systematic payroll services. Overall work includes processing accounts payable and receivable and maintaining associated vendor, customer and invoice files. Position Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Essential Functions A critical part of every position is achieving the goals set for the position while delivering high levels of satisfaction to internal and external customers. This is realized by building positive internal individual and team relationships, positive relationships with external partners and exhibiting behaviors that contribute to the success of short and long-term goals of the agency. These behaviors include a focus on timely completion and high quality of work (with or without supervision) while following all legal, compliance, departmental, documentation, safety, timelines, program and other standards per company policies and procedures. Position requires close collaboration with Accounting Director, Clients, Stakeholders, and other SEEC employees in addition to Community and Funding Agencies. Performance is equally a function of goal attainment; timely and accurate completion of assignments; building positive internal and external relationships; planning, communicating and coordinating work to avoid last minute confusion; and adherence legal/compliance guidelines and policies/procedures. Significant Job Duties 60% Program Management: Accounting
- Provides timely and correct recording, tracking, reconciliation, and records maintenance of financial transactions for the agency according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). This includes, but is not limited to, general ledger entries, accounts payable management, accounts receivable management, maintaining on-going account balances by project/funding sources.
- Assists with collecting appropriate data and preparing necessary reports for monthly, quarterly and year-end financial statements and tax returns.
- Aids in development and coordination of the overall agency budget and tracks variances that occur.
- Input accounts payable, accounts receivable and purchase orders into the agency accounting software accurately and in a timely manner.
- Maintain files and documentation for all invoices and purchase orders.
- Update vendor and customer information within the agency software.
- Supports assigned program(s) in a business-like and disciplined manner that includes administration and evaluation consistent with best practices and Cognia standards.
40% Program Management: Payroll
- Collaborate with staff members to ensure accurate preparation, verification, distribution, and timely payment of payroll and reimbursement requests.
- Perform end of month, quarter, calendar year and fiscal year processing following agency procedures and Software Unlimited checklists.
- Monitor benefit deductions to ensure accurate withholding and payment of employee and employer funds.
- Monitor employee leave balances for accuracy and proper usage of leave.
- Assist with onboarding of new employees
- Maintain current knowledge of payroll rules and regulations to ensure compliance.
- Critically review and analyze current payroll, benefits, and tax procedures in order to recommend and implement changes leading to best-practice operations.
5% Stakeholder Relationships
- Responsible for creating a positive impression of all who contact the SEEC office either in person, on the phone or by electronic means.
- Expected to be knowledgeable of the programs and offerings of the agency in order to answer basic questions posed by those contacting the agency and to be able to connect clients to correct resources within the agency.
5% Professional Development
- Build and extend own knowledge through a variety of professional development activities including but not limited to webinars, training classes, special certifications and by engaging in other professional development activities.
Essential Skills, Experience and Expertise:
- Education: Associate degree in Accounting. Preference given to bachelor's degree or higher in Accounting.
- Experience: One to three years' experience in an office with preference given to previous experience in Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable or Payroll.
- Action oriented, entrepreneurial, and innovative approach to service delivery.
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Requires excellent customer service and interpersonal communication skills. Able to effectively collaborate with diverse groups and develop high performing teams; yet smoothly manages individual and group conflicts. Handles last minute pressure and keeps calm when faced with competing demands and priorities.
- Attention to Detail / Organization and Short/Long Range Planning: Excellent skills required.
- Confidentiality: Requires proper protection, handling, storage, and disposal of confidential and personally identifiable information (PII).
- Math Skills: Adept at addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, fractions, and basic descriptive statistics.
- Financial Management and Analysis: Able to develop, track, analyze and explain expenses and variances.
- Presentations / Speaking skills: Can develop and deliver effective small and large group presentations to a variety of clients and stakeholders.
- Reading and Writing Skills: College Level: Requires analysis, synthesis and evaluation skills in a variety of areas per Bloom's taxonomy.
- Driver's License: Required.
- Use of software and office equipment: Ability to use smart phones and tablets, cloud based and internet apps, standard office equipment (copier, fax etc), computers, Office 365, other specialized software, and the internet. Working knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to create and alter documentations, forms, presentations, and graphs. Able to retrieve / store documents on computer (desktop/laptop), shared site or on cloud-based service.
Special Position Requirements
- Travel: Limited travel is anticipated. Any potential travel would be within North Dakota.
- Clothing: Professional attire that creates positive impression on staff, clients, stakeholders, Board Members and funding or partner organizations.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
- Interaction levels with others: Requires high levels of interaction with others internal and external to the agency.
- Position requires occasional travel to fulfill job goals. If not travelling, the work location is in Fargo at the SEEC office.
- Ability to work under pressure and deadlines while maintaining professional demeanor.
- Alternative schedules are infrequent.
- Sit / Stand / Walk / Stoop: Up to 8-10 hours a day for each activity individually or combined.
- Use of Phone/ Computer /Software / Office Equipment: Up to 8-10 hours a day for each activity individually or combined.
- Climb / Pull / Lift: Up to 8-10 hours a day for each activity individually or combined. Move and lift up to 25 pounds.
- Temperatures ranges for work environment: Mostly a typical office environment with temperatures of 60-85F but can experience temperatures from -40 F to 110F when performing tasks outside of office.
- Noise: Noise levels reflect typical office environment and may require hearing protection when using certain equipment or entering certain areas.
- Hazardous Conditions or Chemicals Exposure: Exposure to small quantities of hazardous chemicals found in office supplies such as toner, glues, etc.