Grants & Contracts Accountant- Finance Department

The City of Port St. Lucie is an equal opportunity employer.

This position requires the applicant to successfully pass a drug screening. 

The starting salary range for this position is $32.31 - $37.16, depending on qualifications 

The focus of this position is mid-level, professional accounting work covering certain phases of finance, accounting, administrative management, control, and analysis while exercising discretion and independent judgment. Performs specialized work supporting the development of the grant management system, including data entry, supporting departments in the management of their grant award, monitoring, reporting, and tracking grants throughout the City. Supports effective grant management and accurate data entry and reporting. Facilitates the development of public trust and confidence in the City.

This position is an Essential classification and will be required to report to duty before, during, and immediately after a civil emergency.

The following duties are illustrative for this position.  The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification.  Other duties may be required and assigned.  

• Keeps the mission, vision and values of the City of Port St. Lucie at the forefront of decision making and action; builds strategic and collaborative relationships and interacts with others in a way that builds confidence and trust; provides excellent customer service by taking action to accomplish objectives, maintains high levels of work and productivity by generating innovative solutions to work situations.
• Develop procedures to govern how transactions are processed in coordination with the Grants Administrator and other Grant teams.
• Enters and tracks programmatic and financial data. Performs monthly reconciliation of complex accounting transactions.
• Proactively identifies, tracks, and reviews grants monthly and drafts progress reports as needed to ensure grant award requirements are met.
• Clarifies and resolves technical and contractual issues and problems with grants, and guides department staff on grant regulations and use of grant funding.
• Track actual expenditures and corresponding backup for accuracy.  Verify progression towards planned outcomes and goals.
• Review invoices and payment documentation for accuracy and proper coding; processes invoices for payment; answers questions from vendors and contractors regarding invoice and payment status; processes purchase orders and requisitions for supplies and services.
• Perform complex, specialized grant accounting functions; prepares and complies periodic financial reporting and submission at the state and federal levels; and complies with reimbursement submittal requirements.
• Prepares, maintains, analyzes, balances, and reconciles a variety of financial reports/statements utilizing data from treasury, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• Prepares and reviews journal entries, wire transfers, and ACH transactions.
• Composes and types a variety of documents including correspondence, technical specifications, agendas, contract documents, minutes of meetings, memoranda, lists, schedules, manuals and other written materials or documentation.
• Responsible for researching, auditing, and analyzing accounting data. Conduct statistical comparisons of information as needed.
• Assists Deputy Director and/or designee with the Munis Grants Module and the processing and review of grant billings as it relates to projects, ensuring departments are billing according to grant/contract guidelines prior to submission to the granting agency.
• Responsible for general billing invoicing as it relates to grants, through the City’s ERP software. Manage accounts receivable as it relates to general billing for departments’ grants/projects.
• Provides financial support to include project ledger review, grant review, and various internal/external reporting. 
• Ensures compliance adherence to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) through monitoring the Project Ledger module in MUNIS in correlation with the general ledger.
• Assists in gathering, analyzing, reviewing and development of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA), including state awards.
• Assists with gathering and preparing information for external auditors as needed.
• Research and reconciles the projects and grant expenditures to both the Project Ledger module and the Grant Management module as required. May involve entering journal entries to update.  Follow up with City staff as necessary.
• As assigned by the Deputy Director and/or designee, performs a variety of special work assignments which may include taking on projects or assisting other areas as needed.
• Monitors revenues and expenditures during the fiscal year to ensure budget compliance.
• Assists in researching and reviewing departmental financial records and reports.
• Serve as a liaison in assisting all departments with the Project Ledger Module through providing training and support and enters and tracks key grant awards in the Module.
• May serve as back-up in other locations of the department to cover staff shortages
• Evaluates, recommends, and establishes policies and procedures to continuously improve operations, decrease turn-around times and streamline processes to provide quality customer service.
• Other duties as may be assigned.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree of Accounting, Public or Business Administration, or a related field required. Two (2) years of experience in accounting, preferably. Two (2) years of experience in the government sector, required. Two (2) years of experience in grant financial management is required. 

A comparable amount of training, education or experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES 

• Knowledge of City rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles.
• Knowledge and understanding of grant applications and processes.
• Knowledge of governmental budgeting and accounting principles.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills to include VLOOKUP, PIVOTS, conditional formatting, advanced formulas, and working with downloads from ERP.
• Ability to prepare and present information clearly to City employees, Council and the public.
• Ability to access, input and retrieve information from a computer.
• Ability to implement grant and budget procedures.
• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively both in writing and verbally.
• Ability to focus on the positive in every situation.
• Ability to model respect for individuals, teams, and the organization.
• Ability to stay centered when challenged.
• Ability to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of the department and public. 
• Ability to follow through with assigned tasks.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, hear and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.The office environment is fast paced.

Salary : $64,002