ASSISTANT COMPTROLLER

Arlington County's Accounting Reporting and Control (ARC) Division seeks a senior level accounting professional with highly specialized complex governmental accounting experience to function as the Assistant Comptroller. This leader will oversee a team of four professional accountants and provide day-to-day management of accounting, reporting and control activities, to include the formulation and implementation of County-wide policies and procedures, preparation and review of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and resolution of matters related to audit and compliance. The Assistant Comptroller is also responsible for researching and advising the Comptroller on current financial reporting standards and compliance requirements.  

The ARC Division is led by the County Comptroller and operates within a large (approx. $2 billion expended annually) complex decentralized financial environment. The ARC Division maintains responsibility for the preparation of the County's financial statements, reporting on the County's overall financial status, and the financial status of individual programs to include attesting to internal controls and providing assurance that the County's financial transactions are properly reported in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and in compliance with applicable regulations, local, state and federal laws.

Specific duties include:
 

• Supporting the Comptroller in formulating, implementing and/or monitoring compliance with financial policies and procedures, standards and applicable laws and regulations to include assessment of controls, developing measures and metrics, researching areas for improvement and making recommendations on desirable financial operational adjustments;
• Managing accounting and transactional processes, such as, approving journal entries, preparing and reviewing reconciliations, performing daily/month-end/year-end closing activities and financial reports;
• Preparing audit deliverables to include CAFR schedules, conducting analytical reviews, variance analysis, quality control reviews, monitoring the chart of accounts and monthly reports, and researching deviations;
• Supervising, leading, and training accounting staff ensuring efficient operations and accurate and timely processing of transactions while setting performance goals, conducting performance evaluations, and resolving employee issues in accordance with County policy and divisional procedures;
• Providing guidance on internal controls and technical assistance for reporting needs across departments to include County-wide training; and
• Planning, coordinating, streamlining and/or monitoring activities related to financial systems and controls, facilitating between technology staff and other County departments to ensure efficient and effective utilization of financial systems, and assisting with testing and validation of data during financial system upgrades or changes to various modules.

Minimum: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field, plus significant senior level accounting experience with an entity of similar size and scope to include supervising or leading the work of a team.  

Desirable:  Preference may be given to candidates who hold a master's degree in a related field, a current CPA license (or CPA candidates eligible for certification within six months of hire), and/or who have experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Local governmental or not-for-profit accounting experience with an organization of similar size and scope; and/or
• Implementing and working with large financial and reporting systems (Oracle modules highly desirable).

Completion of the Commonwealth of Virginia Statement of Economic Interest form will be required of the successful candidate upon hire and annually thereafter.

Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the selection process and are required for this position. Please do not give "see resume" as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

This position is part of an alternative pay program that includes career path and pay-for-performance elements. Starting pay within the band is based on a review of qualifications and experience. Pay potential will be based on performance and development.

This recruitment is open until the position is filled with a preferred filing date of April 12, 2018. Applications submitted by this date will receive first consideration. Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. Qualified applicants in the first group will be referred to the hiring manager and interviews will be conducted on a regular basis throughout the recruitment with candidates whose qualifications best fit our needs. Applications received after April 12, 2018 may be considered if a hire is not made from applicants received by the preferred filing date. The application process will close when the position has been filled or when enough qualified applications have been received.