Accountant at City of Tumwater – Tumwater, Washington

Why Tumwater?
Tumwater is more than just a city, it’s a vibrant community rooted in history and filled with opportunity. Located at the southern gateway to the Seattle-Tacoma metro area, Tumwater offers the perfect blend of small-town charm and big-picture vision.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Puget Sound, prairie landscapes, rivers, and evergreen forests, we’re just over an hour from ocean beaches, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Rainier. Whether you’re into hiking, kayaking, brewery-hopping, or live music, you’ll find easy access to it all.

Here in Tumwater, we’re building a future that’s highly livable, connected, and inclusive. With safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a deep sense of civic pride, it’s not just a great place to live, it’s a great place to grow your career.

The Opportunity

Join the City of Tumwater’s Finance Department and play a key role in maintaining the City’s fiscal integrity and operational excellence. As an Accountant, you’ll perform a variety of moderate to advanced technical and analytical accounting duties that support financial reporting, asset management, and day-to-day operations. Working under limited supervision, this position requires both accuracy and initiative, with opportunities to improve processes and contribute to the City’s financial success.

This position offers two distinct focus areas that bring variety to your work:

1. Treasury and Cash Management: banking, bank reconciliations, daily balancing, prepare and process quarterly and monthly excise tax returns, assisting with grant reimbursements, debt payments, and investment tracking.
2. Fixed Assets and Project Accounting: manage, monitor, and audit all fixed assets and small and attractive assets including acquisitions, retirements, depreciation, billing for special charges and fuel, assist with updating the Equipment Rental Rate (ERR) model for asset analysis, budgeting, and projections.

This is an excellent opportunity for a detail-oriented, analytical professional who enjoys variety, problem-solving, and supporting the essential financial functions that keep Tumwater moving forward.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties and responsibilities required of the job. Other duties may be assigned and/or performed. The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:

1. Assists with the preparation and analyses of the annual financial report.
2. Assists in the preparation of the budget by analyzing financial data and statistical information.
3. Review accounting transactions for completeness and accuracy
4. Interpret detailed contract agreements and rules, and apply to specific transactions.
5. Reconcile multiple general ledger accounts to ensure proper use, coding, and makes necessary corrections.
6. Conduct a variety of special projects such as management reports, and financial analysis as directed.
7. Maintains accounting journals, financial ledgers and other complex financial records.
8. Regularly takes initiative in recommending changes in work methods, policies, and procedures to improve levels of service delivery and overall operating efficiencies.
9. Works overtime as necessary to achieve departmental goals and as authorized by supervisor.
10. May also assist in other areas of Finance such as payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, business licensing and taxation, violations, and related duties and responsibilities as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

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

1. Basic knowledge of rules and City codes as they relate to the position; knowledge of the State of Washington Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS); and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
2. Knowledge of federal and state accounting and auditing regulations, including a strong understanding of internal control standards.
3. Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of governmental accounting and budgetary requirements.
4. Knowledge of office professionalism standards relating to behavior, appearance, and performance.
5. Ability to use and understand financial management software and other automated systems.
6. Ability to perform financial, statistical, and budgetary analysis, including the ability to make mathematical calculations quickly and accurately.
7. Ability to work independently from general instructions and broad work expectations.
8. Ability to prepare clear, concise and comprehensive financial, statistical, and narrative reports.
9. Ability to communicate detailed accounting information clearly and concisely; ability to deal effectively with management, peers, and the public.
10. Ability to modify workload to assist with an emergent problem, assignment, or project.
11. Ability to work independently and demonstrate good time management, as well as work as a team and provide assistance.

***Please submit a letter of interest and current resume in order for your application to be considered.***

Minimum Qualifications:

1. High school diploma or GED and five (5) years of increasingly responsible accounting or finance experience;
2. OR associate degree in accounting, finance or a related field and three (3) years of experience as listed above;
3. OR bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or a related field and one (1) year of experience as listed above;
4. OR a combination of experience, certification, education and training that demonstrates expertise in the related areas.

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a closely related field; and five years professional experience in municipal accounting which includes:

1. Experience working with automated systems, general ledger, analysis, and reconciliations; and
2. Considerable experience in the use of Microsoft Office software to include complex features of Excel and Word, as well as Adobe Professional Products.
3. Professional certification such as CPA, CFE, CPFO, CGFM preferred.

Training/Licenses/Certifications: Possession of a valid Washington State Driver’s License and an insurable driving record may be required. Must pass a background check. Must be bondable.

Contacts:

Contacts are primarily with City employees and the public in relating technical information in response to questions or to verify information. Some positions may require contact with individuals under stressful conditions, requiring the ability to explain the City's procedures and requirements in a calm, concise, and courteous manner. May also have contact with vendors of various goods and services.

Supervision:

Receives general direction and supervision by an Accounting Manager. This position does not supervise, but coaching, training, and mentoring of other employees may be required.

Accountability:

The Accountant is responsible for highly detailed, accurate, and timely completion of tasks. Work is performed according to detailed standard operating procedures requiring the use of analysis and judgment in the application of procedures to specific cases.

Working Conditions:

Positions in this class perform work predominately under normal office working conditions; extensive time working at a computer station is a regular part of the job. No heavy lifting without assistance is required.

Physical requirements:

Work is often performed in an office setting. Specific physical requirements and typical working conditions for this position are on file in the Administrative Services Department.

The City of Tumwater is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

The City of Tumwater is committed to wellness, safety, the environment and racial equity.