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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance Specialist Mar. 2026Finance Specialist – January 2025 City of Port Townsend Job Description Finance Specialist Classification title: Financial Specialist Working title: Finance Specialist Department: Finance Union: Teamsters FLSA status: Non-exempt Wage Classification: 19 Hours: 40 Effective date: May 2019; Oct. 2023; Jan. 2025; Mar. 2026 Reports to: Finance Director Civil Service: No JOB SUMMARY This is a skilled position that performs a variety of moderate to complex finance-related tasks and acts as direct support for Finance management. Work requires a large degree of independent responsibility and a high level of professional performance. Prepares and analyzes financial information and delivers quality work, maintains accurate records and may perform department duties including planning, reviewing, coordinating and undertaking a variety of complex financial tasks. The Finance Specialist classification is distinguished from the Finance Technician classification by the assignment of a full range of journey-level duties and responsibilities. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Employee shall meet all skill requirements of group A and group B of the Core Competencies, and the tasks described in these select competencies are considered part of the essential functions for Finance Specialist. • With minimal supervision, prioritizes, organizes and accomplishes assigned projects and tasks within established deadlines as assigned. • Provides customers and City staff with information regarding their financial accounts, calculates and assesses appropriate fees; responds to inquiries concerning taxes, accounts payable, utility accounts, or business licenses at the counter, over the phone or email; and performs frequent customer service work internally and externally. • Responds to requests from other City departments and/or customers for information within scope of responsibility. • Takes initiative to recommend changes in work methods, policies, and procedures to improve service delivery and create operating efficiencies. • Develops written procedures and compliance monitoring within scope of job responsibilities. Reviews and updates as necessary. • Assists in providing intermediate level of information regarding department budgets. • Logs information and other submittals into computerized financial database and routes to applicable department staff for review and approval. • Provides general administrative support to the Finance Manager and the Finance and Technology Services Department Director. • Delivers training and responds to technical questions regarding purchasing procedures. Finance Specialist – January 2025 • General finance support as assigned, including but not limited to utility billing, general front counter and phone support, and assisting other finance staff during peak work periods or when absent from office, etc. • Communicates effectively verbally and in writing. Regularly communicates about assigned tasks with the Finance & Technology Services Director. CORE COMPETENCIES. To show competency for these skills, the employee must have worked in an equivalent position for another agency or worked for the City for a minimum of one year demonstrating the skills for this position. The groups below provide a list of competencies for career path development. Group A Competencies • Administers the City’s Community Development Block Grant Loan program. • Provides general finance support as assigned, including but not limited to Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable. • Administers and provides guidance on the City’s travel & training policies, procedures & reimbursements. • Prepares journal entries within scope of responsibilities. • Performs centralized purchasing functions for all City departments to include researching state contracts, obtaining quotes for the lowest price, reviewing and monitoring use of group purchasing agreements, and assisting departments with purchase options that promote cost savings. • Assists with encumbrance and City purchase requisitions; monitors payments to ensure compliance with the terms of the purchase order and budget appropriations. Proactively works with departments when there is a risk of noncompliance. • Assists in the City department budget tracking by sending out monthly general ledger reports and answering technical questions related to monthly transactions. • Ability to research, analyze & present financial data with recommended proposals as applicable. • Interprets municipal code, ordinances and policies related to position responsibilities and monitors compliance. • Distributes necessary information for posting to the general ledger and/or cash receipts systems. • With moderate supervision, organizes and accomplishes various assigned financial projects and tasks within established deadlines. • Administers the City’s surplus process to include coordinating declaration of surplus, posting and monitoring auctions, disposal, collection of payments, and records management according to City policy and state surplus requirements. Administers the City’s small & attractive assets program and provide guidance to City directors and managers on policies, procedures and inventory accountability. • Administers the City’s purchasing card program under the supervision of Finance Manager or designee. • Assists Finance & Technology Services Director in performing complex financial analysis applying intermediate to advanced Excel skills with financial analysis, report preparation, and database management. Group B Competencies • Monthly tax reconciliation and reporting, including but not limited to Leasehold Excise Finance Specialist – January 2025 Tax and Business and Occupation Tax, and assists managers with Lodging Tax reporting. • Performs month-end finance duties to include general ledger journal entries, account reconciliations, review of budget to actual expenditures, financial analysis, and financial report preparation. • In collaboration with the Finance team, educates and assists the public in obtaining required City licenses for business operations and understanding City business tax laws and regulations. Maintain tax and license customer databases; ensures businesses are operating with a valid business license; coordinates with Finance team members to ensure all tax payments are properly posted in a timely manner; monitors and resolves outstanding payment issues. Issues assessments, collection statements and other correspondence as it relates to position responsibilities. • Assists Finance management with gathering information and statistics for annual budget, cost allocations, annual report, annual audit, and other financial reporting within scope of job responsibilities. • Assists with grant tracking in other departments including reconciling as needed for direct reporting to grant agencies and preparation of schedules of the annual report. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES • Knowledge of basic bookkeeping practices and records management. • Knowledge of municipal codes, as it pertains to the duties and responsibilities of the position. • Knowledge of City and/or state procurement policies and procedures or the ability to learn the same within relatively short period of time, as it pertains to the duties and responsibilities of the position. • Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, including create a basic worksheet by formatting cells, columns, and rows and the ability to group & manipulate data; knowing basic functions & formulas; using sort and filter tools, and the ability to develop and manipulate tables, charts and graphs. • Communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact with diverse groups of people. • Flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances, such as shifting priorities, unexpected challenges, or variations in the workload, while maintaining composure and effectiveness. • Ability to maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with co-workers, peers, management, elected officials, and customers. • Ability to use standard office equipment such as computer, ten-key adding machine, copier, multi-line phone system, cash register, etc. • Ability to use spreadsheet, database and financial software programs. • Ability to effectively and efficiently communicate with team members, managers, the general public, and other departments, both verbally and in writing, using tact, patience and courtesy to convey instructions, provide feedback, receive feedback, and resolve issues. • Ability to manage conflict and communicate effectively verbally and in writing. • Ability to perform simple to intermediate math calculations. • Ability to utilize sound judgment when making decisions. Appropriately uses resources, applicable laws, ordinances, policies and procedures to support decisions. • Ability to work independently within established guidelines and procedures with general Finance Specialist – January 2025 supervision. • Ability to prioritize own workflow and meet established deadlines. • Ability to interpret, explain and maintain compliance with local, state and federal financial regulations governing direct work responsibilities. • Ability to research, analyze & present financial data with recommended proposals as applicable. • Ability to coordinate interdepartmental projects and organize and track related records. • Knowledge of State Budget Accounting and Reporting System (BARS). QUALIFICATIONS Required • High School Diploma or equivalent and minimum two-years of college level courses in finance, business or related field. • Five years of progressive experience in a finance-related field. • Any combination of finance or business experience and education equivalent to five or more years of professional level work related to finance, business, accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. • Demonstrated proficiency in computer operating systems and use of Microsoft Office Suite products, including Excel. • Perform with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. • Must be bondable. Preferred • Graduation from an accredited college or university with bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or closely related field. • Government accounting and budgeting experience. WORKING CONDITIONS Duties are performed primarily in an open office environment while sitting for long periods of time, utilizing standard office equipment and personal computer. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet. May be required to deal with upset customers. This position typically requires movement around the office, reaching, pushing, grasping, finger dexterity, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions. Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. 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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The City of Port Townsend is an equal employment opportunity employer. The City employs, retains, promotes, disciplines and otherwise treats all employees and job applicants strictly on the basis of job-related qualifications and competence. These policies and all employment practices shall be applied without regard to any individual's sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation (including gender identity), pregnancy, age, marital status, Finance Specialist – January 2025 military status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties to be performed. The employee occupying the position will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisors. All employees must comply with all City policies and procedures relevant to their position as a condition of City employment. This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the city and the employee and is subject to change as the needs of the city and requirements of the job change.