GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CLASS

The ACCOUNTANT 1 employs generally accepted accounting principles to record, classify and interpret revenue, expenditure, and other business data within a central or departmental office of a university. An employee in this class works with interrelated accounts in an accounting system, allocating changes to funds and accounts, reconciling accounts, analyzing accounting transactions, preparing reports, and maintaining accounting controls.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This is the first level of a two level series. This class is distinguished from the higher level by the absence of responsibility for coordinating agency accounting between internal institution accounting programs or with accounting programs outside the agency, and for analyzing accounting system and developing procedures and controls to ensure compliance with accounting standards or in response to special accounting problems. Employees in this class work with interrelated accounts and must have an overall knowledge of account relationships in order to allocate charges, reconcile accounts, prepare financial statements, and maintain accounting controls.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties below are not inclusive but characteristic of the type of work associated with the class. Individual positions may do all or some combination of the duties listed below as well as other related duties.

1. Accounting. Applies relevant general accounting methods and controls to one or more functional areas such as budgets, grants, projects, funds, accounts receivable, accounts payable, or payroll to achieve timely and accurate processing and reporting of business data; resolves normal accounting problems by applying an overall understanding of account relationships within the agency system; classifies revenues and expenditures to appropriate funds and accounts; prepares individual or consolidated balance sheets; conforms with accounting system controls as mandated by institution policies, State statutes, or audit stipulations; posts, balances and closes accounts; reconciles accounts to general or control ledgers and prepares adjusting entries as required; prepares journal vouchers; enters payable invoices and travel reimbursements into the accounting system; identifies out of balance conditions, tracks errors through accounting system, and makes appropriate reversals or correcting entries; some employees in this class review the work of other employees.
2. Budgeting. Provides current and historical budget data such as expenditure and receipt recaps; compares current account balances with budget limits and prepares variance reports and statistical studies; makes adjustments to budget accounts as needed; prepares special budget analysis reports as requested by supervisors; employees in this class may participate in budget preparation by providing agency managers with financial data, fiscal projections, or statistical analysis and tracking the subsequent internal allotment of funds.
3. Report Preparation. Uses accounting records and supporting documentation to compile financial statements, budget recaps, statements of receipts, statements of distribution, and/or special reports. Employees in this class may be involved in all or part of preparing annual reports such as those submitted to granting institutions or other agencies.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

Employees in this class are in daily contact with department and university staff to discuss such topics as account balances and reconciliations, report items, payment authorizations, fund transfers, collections, expenditures, budget balances, payroll accounting or accounting policy, and procedure questions. As needed, contact is made with vendors to discuss purchase orders, shipping documents, or payments.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Employees in this class receive general supervision from accounting or unit managers or other administrative superiors. Supervision is provided regarding interpretation and application of agency policies and procedures, applicable State or Federal regulations, special project requirements, and advanced accounting procedures or theory. Work is usually performed independently and reviewed by supervisors as needed to ensure accuracy, completeness and compliance with generally accepted accounting practices and regulatory standards. Employees in this class follow policies and guidelines as outlined in institution and departmental procedures manuals and directives, State accounting manuals, audit recommendations or Federal regulations regarding areas such as grant accounting and reporting.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Positions are found in central and outlying departments throughout OUS institutions. Most positions in this class use computer accounting systems, although occasional positions may continue to use manual records.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree with CPA or PA certificate; OR
• Bachelor's degree with 30 quarter (20 semester) hours of college-level Accounting, OR
• 30 quarter (20 semester) hours of Accounting courses and three years of Accounting experience.*

*Accounting experience must include at least 3 of the following:

• Preparing transactions to be recorded in records of original entry;
• Preparing journal entries, posting from journals to general ledger, or preparing original general ledger entries;
• Summarizing data from a ledger to a trial balance;
• Closing accounts at the end of an accounting period;
• Applying PC spreadsheet, database, and word processing software;
• Processing data using a computer.

Revised 9-01-03