General Accounting Manager - City of Alexandria VA

General Accounting Manager

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work.  About one-quarter of the City’s square miles have been designated as a national or local historic district.  We proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead.   If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for the General Accounting Manager position. 

An Overview

The City of Alexandria’s Finance Department is looking for a detail oriented, experienced, and collaborative General Accounting Manager to join our team. As a member of the Accounting Division, the General Accounting Manager directly supervises and manages our General Accounting team, which is responsible for the development of accounting procedures and processes that comply with all Federal, State and City regulations and policies and the daily accounting operations of the City. The General Accounting team is also responsible for the City’s fixed assets inventory, weekly check runs, month-end and year-end account reconciliations, bank reconciliations, and the research and resolution of discrepancies. A significant aspect of this work involves use of the City’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, Munis. In general, the General Accounting Manager is an expert in the accounting field who takes ownership of and advocates for the City’s ability to maintain a complete and accurate general ledger on a daily basis. 

The General Accounting Manager leads a team of accounting professionals responsible for recording all the City’s revenue and expenditures transactions, interpreting changes in professional accounting principles and methods utilizing the City's accounting system, and staying abreast of procedural changes required.  The General Accounting Manager has considerable latitude for independent judgment under the general supervision of the Comptroller. The day-to-day work of the General Accounting Manager is generally self-directed and determined by the City’s overall financial accounting needs.

What You Should Bring

The ideal candidate is an expert in the field of public or governmental accounting and has experience successfully managing teams of financial professionals tasked with producing complex, critical financial reports and documents. Additional skills and abilities include:

• Thorough knowledge of accounting theory, principles, and practice and their application to a wide variety of transactions and problem solutions;
• Ability to analyze complex financial information with attention to detail to accurately prepare complex financial and administrative reports;
• Experience with GASB pronouncements and their applications, as well as preparation and analysis of financial statements in accordance with GAAP;
• Highly proficient in the utilization of Microsoft Office, specifically advanced skills in Excel and Word;
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate the technical work of accountants and provide technical training to ensure staff can operate at an optimum level of independence and competence;
• Ability to navigate multiple tasks simultaneously, and respond to customer needs timely and effectively;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of management and external business partners.

The Opportunity – Examples of Work

• Manages the daily reconciliation of the accounting records with all bank transactions, ensuring all revenue and expenditure transactions are properly recorded;
• Ensures weekly check runs are completely accurately and timely;
• Prepares sections of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) which is presented to City Council, the public, and major credit rating agencies in the country;
• Implements and maintains an effective system of internal controls over general accounting processes and transactions;
• Assigns duties, supervises and evaluates progress, and sets direction for the City’s general accounting program including co-managing the monthly and year-end accounting close process; 
• Ensures staff is cross-trained and empowered to continually take on more responsibility in an effort to grow professionally;
• Interprets changes to accounting processes and procedures and recommends courses of action;
• Effectively communicates with staff to ensure that new practices, processes, and procedures are implemented appropriately;
• Co-manages the maintenance of the general ledger and reconciliation of accounts;
• Responds to financial reporting requests from internal and external sources; and
• Performs related work as required. 

About The Department

The City of Alexandria's Finance Department is a fast-paced, diverse, and customer service focused operation that is responsible for: the assessment, collection, and enforcement of all City taxes, the management of cash flow and investments, accounting for and reporting the City’s financial position, processing payroll, executing a fair and competitive procurement environment, assessing all real and personal property in the City, managing the City’s risk and safety programs, and managing the City’s pension plans. The Finance Department has seven divisions and in fiscal year 2024 is operating with a total budget of $15.4 million and 110 FTE positions.

The goal of the Finance Department is to treat all employees, citizens, and business owners professionally, with fairness and compassion.