Accounting and Audit Analyst

Summary

This position serves as a critical support function in the finance operations of the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD). The incumbent is responsible for routine and specialized accounting tasks that ensure financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency to include processing of capital funds, bank reconciliations, assisting with financial audits/reviews, providing functional and analytical support to employees and departments regarding payroll deductions processing to ensure timely, accurate administering of payroll information, assisting employees and departments and work with technical support to resolve issues, performing duties in the areas of General Ledger maintenance, tenant accounts receivable, and/or accounts payable to ensure compliance with departmental, institutional, local, state and federal agency guidelines.

All activities must support The Housing Authority of the Birmingham District’s (“HABD”) mission, strategic goals, and objectives. . When more than one Accounting Specialist is employed, the duties may be assigned by the Finance Manager in a manner that is best for the business needs of the HABD.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The position duties and responsibilities listed below describe the general nature and scope of work. Other responsibilities, duties, and skills may be required and assigned, as needed.

1. Accounting Operations:

• Process capital fund transactions to support housing projects and capital improvements.
• Perform monthly reconciliations of bank accounts and accounts to ensure financial statements accurately reflect financial position.
• Maintain and update the General Ledger, ensuring entries are posted accurate and timely.

2. Audit & Compliance Support:

• Assist with internal and external financial audits and reviews.
• Ensure financial procedures align with institutional, local, state, and federal guidelines.
• Reconciles various bank accounts. Prepares standard journal entries.
• Posts, processes, codes, and reconciles invoices or invoice payments.
• Responsible for grant accounting, monitoring, and working with audit of grants (FSS, ROSS, ACP, Youth-build). Process grants, draws and support workpapers for different federal monitoring portals systems (PMS and LOCCS).
• Reconciles ledger in connection with annual audit. Prepare auditor requested information and schedules.
• Maintains the integrity of the general ledger including the preparation, verification, and input of journal entries. Prepares analysis of accounts as requested.

3. Payroll Support:

• Exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to managing payroll deductions and associated duties.
• Provide functional and analytical assistance on payroll deductions and related processing.
• Work with departments and employees to resolve payroll-related issues.
• Liaise with technical support for troubleshooting payroll software problems.
• Serve as back up for payroll processing.
• Coordinates with HR and insurance brokers to handle discrepancies. Prepares and maintains retirement data to be submitted for each employee.
• Posts payroll and payroll deductions to the general ledger. Posts journal entries to the general ledger system.
• Maintain federal funds based on payroll cost center to post accurate payroll data to the general ledger.
• Codes heath insurance billing based on employee federal cost center.
• Processes retirement for 401a and 457 plans. Processes stipends that are outside of payroll processing.

4. Accounts Management:

• Manage posting of non-tenant accounts receivable, ensuring timely and accurate recording of payments and outstanding balances.
• Assist in accounts payable processing, ensuring timely payments to vendors and service providers.
• Maintain Fixed Asset Depreciation Schedule.

5. Other Duties:

• Provides customer service to residents and refers issues to appropriate staff as required.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Behavioral Competencies

This position requires the incumbent to exhibit the following behavioral skills:

Job Knowledge : Exhibits requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the position effectively. Demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, goals, objectives, operational entities, requirements, and activities as they apply to the assigned organizational entity of the HABD. Uses appropriate judgment & decision making in accordance with level of responsibility.

Commitment : Sets high standards of performance; pursues aggressive goals and works hard/smart to achieve them; strives for results and success; conveys a sense of urgency and brings issues to closure; persists despite obstacles and opposition.

Customer Service : Meets/exceeds the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; identifies, understands, monitors and measures the needs of both internal and external customers; talks and acts with customers in mind. Recognizes work colleagues as customers.

Effective Communication : Ensures important information is passed to those who need to know; conveys necessary information clearly and effectively orally or in writing. Demonstrates attention to, and conveys understanding of, the comments and questions of others; listens effectively.

Initiative : Proactively seeks solutions to resolve unexpected challenges. Actively assists others without formal/informal direction. Possesses the capacity to learn and actively seeks developmental feedback. Applies feedback for continued growth by mastering concepts needed to perform work.

Responsiveness and Accountability : Demonstrates a high level of conscientiousness; holds oneself personally responsible for one's own work; does fair share of work.

Teamwork : Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

Job Competencies

• Knowledge of HUD, federal/state/local laws and regulations and HABD policies and procedures related to the position.
• Knowledge of account balancing and reconciliation practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of audits, budgets and capital funds.
• Knowledge of general accounting principles and practices and HABD programs and financial requirements.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, local laws, policies, and procedures that pertain to assigned area.
• Knowledge of internal control procedures.
• Knowledge of payroll processing.
• Knowledge of office practices, procedures, and equipment.
• Knowledge of computer data entry procedures.
• Skills in utilizing spreadsheets and general ledger accounting software.
• Skills in accurately entering data into a computer and operating a 10-key pad.
• Ability to maintain organized files.
• Ability to make arithmetic calculations and tabulations rapidly and accurately.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, vendors, consultants, contractors, residents, HUD, and local, state, and federal officials. Ability to communicate with people from a broad range of socio-economic backgrounds.

Requirements

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field. Minimum of two (2) years of relevant accounting experience required. Three (3) to five (5) years preferred. Prior experience or familiarity in a PHA (Public Housing Authority) environment is highly desirable. An equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience may be considered.

Some positions may require possession of a valid driver’s license and the ability to be insurable under the HABD’s automobile insurance plan at the standard rate.

Technical Skills

To perform this job successfully, the employee should have strong computer skills (e.g. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Must have the ability to learn other computer software programs as required by assigned tasks.

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.

Office environment. The noise level in the work environment is moderate.