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Job Title:  

Accountant 2

Job Requisition ID:

JR0000001547

Number of Openings:

1

Shift:

Not Applicable (United States of America)

Compensation Details:

$50,000 - $60,000

Job Description:

Under the general supervision of the Accounting Manager, performs professional accounting duties in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards, State of Georgia requirements, applicable federal guidelines, and GTEA fiscal policies and procedures. The position’s primary responsibility is the preparation, review, documentation, and recording of journal entries and the maintenance of general ledger integrity. The position provides secondary support for accounts receivable and revenue activities and tertiary support for cash management and bank reconciliation. The Accountant 2 also supports month-end and year-end close, account analysis, audit readiness, internal controls, and continuous improvement of accounting processes.
 

Job Responsibilities & Performance Standards:
1.  Journal Entries and General Ledger Accounting - Primary Responsibility

• Prepares, reviews, and records recurring and non-recurring journal entries, including accruals, deferrals, allocations, reclassifications, correcting entries, interfund or interagency activity, revenue entries, cash-related entries, grant and project entries, and closing entries.

• Examines source documentation and verifies that each journal entry is accurate, complete, mathematically correct, properly approved, supported by a clear business purpose, and recorded in the correct accounting period.

• Applies the State of Georgia chart of accounts and GA@WORK (Workday Financials) work tags to ensure transactions are assigned to the appropriate fund, account, cost center, program, grant, project, funding source, and other applicable accounting dimensions.

• Maintains a complete journal entry log and organized supporting documentation that provides a clear audit trail from source records through the general ledger.

• Reviews journal entries prepared by others, as assigned, for accuracy, reasonableness, compliance, and consistency with established accounting procedures.

• Research rejected, unposted, duplicate, unusual, or incorrectly classified transactions; coordinates with appropriate staff; and prepares timely corrections or recommendations.

• Maintains recurring-entry schedules, templates, checklists, and supporting workpapers and recommends improvements that increase consistency, timeliness, and control.

2.  Month-End and Year-End Close and General Ledger Reconciliation

• Completes assigned close activities in accordance with the Accounting Manager close calendar, including journal entries, accruals, adjustments, account reviews, reconciliations, and supporting schedules.

• Reviews assigned general ledger accounts, trial balance activity, and financial transactions to determine whether balances are reasonable, properly classified, and supported.

• Prepares general ledger account reconciliations and analyses; identifies outstanding items, aging differences, unsupported balances, or unusual trends; and resolves or escalates issues promptly.

•  Coordinates with program, budget, grants, procurement, accounts payable, and other staff to obtain information, resolve open items, and meet monthly and annual reporting deadlines.

• Assists with year-end close, financial statement schedules, audit requests, and other documentation required for State reporting and external review.

3.  Accounts Receivable and Revenue Support - Secondary Responsibility

• Supports preparation and issuance of invoices and other billing documents for intergovernmental agreements, services, reimbursements, cost-sharing arrangements, grants, contracts, and other GTEA receivables.

• Records receivables, revenue, cash receipts, credit adjustments, refunds, and related journal entries in accordance with applicable accounting and revenue recognition requirements.

• Applies customer payments accurately and timely, research unidentified or misapplied receipts, and maintains complete customer account records and supporting documentation.

• Reviews accounts receivable aging and outstanding balances; conducts professional follow-up with customers and internal departments; and escalates delinquent, disputed, or unusual items to management.

• Reconciles accounts receivable activity and applicable subledger balances to the general ledger and prepares correcting entries or supporting schedules as needed.

• Responds to inquiries regarding invoices, payments, balances, credits, and

4.  Cash Management and Bank Reconciliation - Tertiary Responsibility

• Reviews daily bank and cash activity, including deposits, automated clearing house transactions, wires, checks, returned items, bank fees, interest, and other account activity, to identify items requiring recording or follow-up.

• Prepares timely bank reconciliations by comparing bank statements and transaction detail to the general ledger, identifying outstanding checks and deposits in transit, and researching differences to resolution.

• Prepares cash-related journal entries and corrections arising from bank reconciliations and maintains complete documentation supporting each reconciling item.

• Assists with daily cash position reporting, authorized cash transfers, bank account maintenance, positive-pay or fraud-prevention processes, bank confirmations, and other treasury activities while maintaining appropriate segregation of duties and approvals.

• Monitors accounts for exceptions, unusual activity, stale-dated items, duplicate transactions, or potential control concerns and promptly communicates issues to management.

• Coordinates with financial institutions, internal staff, and external partners to resolve cash or banking discrepancies and maintain accurate bank records.

5.  Internal Controls, Compliance, and Audit Support

• Performs assigned work in accordance with US GAAP, Governmental Accounting Standards Board requirements, State Accounting Office policies, State of Georgia fiscal requirements, applicable federal requirements, and GTEA policies and procedures.

•  Follows internal control and segregation-of-duties requirements to safeguard public funds, ensure transaction accuracy, and reduce financial and compliance risk.

• Maintains clear, complete, and readily accessible records for journal entries, reconciliations, accounts receivable, cash activity, and other accounting transactions in accordance with record-retention requirements.

• Prepares schedules, workpapers, samples, confirmations, and supporting documents for audits, financial reviews, and management requests and responds promptly to follow-up questions.

• Identifies documentation gaps, recurring errors, control concerns, or noncompliant transactions and communicates recommended corrective action to management.

6.  Financial Reporting, Analysis, and Stakeholder Support

• Compiles and prepares standard and ad hoc accounting reports, schedules, account analyses, receivable aging reports, cash reports, and journal entry status information for management review.

• Analyzes account activity, trends, variances, and supporting data to explain results, identify inconsistencies, and support accurate financial reporting.

• Responds professionally and timely to accounting inquiries from internal departments, auditors, customers, vendors, financial institutions, governmental entities, and other external parties.

• Provides clear explanations of accounting procedures, documentation requirements, transaction status, and needed corrective actions while protecting confidential or sensitive information.

7.  Process Improvement, Technology, and Professional Development

• Assists with developing and updating accounting procedures, desk guides, close calendars, journal entry templates, reconciliation formats, checklists, and other process documentation.

• Uses GA@WORK (Workday Financials), Microsoft Excel, reporting tools, workflow automation, and other approved technologies to improve accuracy, reduce manual effort, strengthen controls, and streamline accounting processes.

• Uses approved artificial intelligence and data-analysis tools, when appropriate, in accordance with GTEA information-security, confidentiality, records-management, and human-review requirements.

• Maintains knowledge of current accounting standards, governmental accounting requirements, State policies, agency procedures, and relevant financial-system practices through training and professional development.

• Shares knowledge with team members and supports a collaborative, service-oriented, and continuous-improvement culture.

8.  Other Duties

• Performs other accounting, finance, and administrative duties as assigned by management.

Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in accounting from an accredited college or university and one year of professional accounting experience; or one year of experience at the lower-level Accountant 1 (FIP020) or position equivalent. Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience may be considered only as permitted by applicable State of Georgia classification requirements.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of US GAAP, Governmental Accounting Standards, State of Georgia accounting requirements, internal controls, and governmental fund-accounting concepts.

• Demonstrated ability to prepare, review, document, and post journal entries and to analyze general ledger accounts and transaction detail.

• Knowledge of month-end and year-end close processes, account reconciliations, audit documentation, and financial reporting support.

• Working knowledge of accounts receivable, billing, cash receipts, revenue recognition, cash management, and bank reconciliation processes.

• Proficiency with GA@WORK (Workday Financials) or a comparable enterprise resource planning system and the ability to learn agency-specific financial systems and workflows.

• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, lookups, pivot tables, data validation, and analysis of large data sets.

• Ability to research discrepancies, exercise sound judgment, identify root causes, and develop accurate and timely corrective actions.

• Strong attention to detail, organization, documentation discipline, time management, and ability to meet recurring close and reporting deadlines.

• Ability to communicate professionally and effectively with internal staff, customers, auditors, vendors, banks, governmental entities, and other stakeholders.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality, protect public funds and financial information, work independently, and collaborate effectively as part of a team.
   

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two or more years of professional accounting experience, including substantial responsibility for journal entries and general ledger close activities.

• Experience with governmental accounting, public-sector fund accounting, grant or project accounting, or financial operations within a State of Georgia entity.

• Experience with accounts receivable, cash receipts, revenue reconciliation, cash management, and monthly bank reconciliations.

• Experience using GA@WORK (Workday Financials), Workday reporting, or other State of Georgia financial systems.

• Advanced Microsoft Excel experience, including pivot tables, XLOOKUP or comparable lookup functions, SUMIFS, Power Query, and reconciliation of large data sets.

• Experience in transportation, transit, federal grant, or Federal Transit Administration-funded financial operations.

• Certified Public Accountant, Certified Government Financial Manager, or active candidate for a relevant professional certification.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited college or university and one (1) year of professional accounting job-related experience; or one (1) year of experience at the lower level Accountant 1 (FIP020) or position equivalent.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The State of Georgia does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected categories in employment or the provision of services.
Qualified applicants may request reasonable accommodation when needed during the application and/or screening process by contacting the appropriate agency Human Resources department.