SANTA CLARA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION
Job Description

SUMMARY: Directs, coordinates, supervises, plans and organizes a wide variety of business management, fiscal and advisory services for all school districts within Santa Clara County; advises program managers and school districts on financial matters; plans, coordinates and supervises the preparation of a wide variety of financial reports including revenue projections and calculations, program and district budgets, and reports for apportionments, attendance, and year-end closing statements; serves as a business manager for direct service districts; supervises support staff; and performs all other related duties.

30% FISCAL SERVICES

Directs and participates in the preparation, audit, and approval of school district budgets; directs and coordinates revenue limit calculations, Special Education unit allocations and fiscal support, apportionment calculations and distribution, tax distribution, attendance accounting, and district contract services; directs and coordinates the supervision of district payroll-related services including payroll auditing and accounting, retirement processing, wage garnishments, federal and state tax reporting, central records management, commercial warrant audits and district contract services; directs and advises staff in the collection and preparation of statistical data for various funding, payroll and retirement documents; assists districts in preparing federal and state funding applications and reviews them as required; assists, prepares, and/or audits state forms related to finance for school districts; and calculates and records year-end accruals for revenue limits and Special Education apportionments.

30% ADVISORY SERVICES

Responds to requests for information and complaints; directs, approves, and assists staff in the development and delivery of in-service training programs on all related areas; interprets and analyzes policies and regulations; directs and participates in the analysis of legislation and disseminates information on the impact of legislation; assists with the creation and passage of Office-supported legislation and the defeat of Office-opposed legislation; directs the preparation of cash flow analyses for school districts; prepares evaluations of district business and fiscal operations and conditions; plans, directs and monitors special projects; confers with auditors; advises and answers financial questions for school districts on revenue and financial reporting requirements; and develops, evaluates and uses computer software.

15% BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Assists with developing and implementing goals, objectives, policies, and procedures; coordinates departmental activities with other offices and outside agencies; researches, analyzes data, and makes recommendations on administrative, organizational, and operational problems; assists with design and implementation of new and revised systems to insure effective and efficient operations; develops, schedules, and conducts in-service training programs on fiscal reporting and related financial management practices; and assists with preparation and administration of the annual budget.

10% DIRECT SERVICE SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Meets with districts as needed and provides direction on all fiscal matters; prepares or coordinates preparation of required state reports including categorical funding, program cost accounting, transportation, and budget; assists in preparation of all other financial reports; monitors cash flow financial transactions including general and subsidiary ledgers; and sets up accounting procedures.

10% SUPERVISION

Selects, trains, delegates responsibility to, monitors, and evaluates support staff.

5% RELATED ACTIVITIES

Serves as department director in the absence of the District Business Services Director and performs all other related duties.

DECISION-MAKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING: Researches and analyzes data, and makes recommendations on administrative, organizational and operational problems. Interprets, analyzes and ensures Office and district actions are in compliance with Education Code, laws, regulations, and court decisions; determines data needs for various financial reports; tests validity of collected data, and is overall responsible for the reconciliation of district revenue limits, Special Education reports, taxes, and apportionments to state and county reports, performing one or more of those tasks. Interprets and analyzes policies and regulations. Participates in forecasting trends and long-term planning for major unit of organization. Implements long term plans in branch requires independence and autonomy in decision making within framework of broadly stated policy guidelines, precedents, specialized knowledge, and prior research; situations are varied and sometimes highly complex; and makes program decisions that frequently have major impact on a branch and/or its clients.

REQUIRED MINIMUM SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Ability to plan, organize, and control comprehensive business management services; ability to analyze, interpret, and apply regulations and policies; knowledge of school law, financial management practices and principals, accounting, budgeting, financial analysis and research techniques as they apply to schools; ability to analyze, interpret and apply laws, codes, regulations, policies, and court decisions affecting schools; and ability to design and implement computer worksheets and programs. Advanced skill in communicating with others both orally and in writing with large and small audiences; mastery skill in financial and statistical analysis and control; advanced skill in program building, operations, funding and maintenance; skill in personnel management through coordination and cooperation; and advanced skill in adapting style in divergent situations with groups on a frequent basis.

REQUIRED MINIMUM TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND LICENSING: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, business, finance, or public administration, or a related field; a Master’s degree is preferred; and a valid California driver's license.

REQUIRED MINIMUM PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE: Four years of job-related experience with demonstrated competence.

REQUIRED INTERACTION (NON-AUTHORITY): Contacts are usually unstructured, and are primarily with high-level individuals inside and outside the Office, such as educators, administrators, chief fiscal officers, government administrators, legislators, and administrative staff; and contacts require planning, promoting, strategy development, decision making, and problem solving.

SUPERVISION: Directly manages supervisors and other support staff.

ENVIRONMENT: Indoor, office setting.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES: Hearing and speaking to exchange information in person and on the telephone; seeing to read, prepare and proofread documents, perform assigned duties; sitting for extended periods of time; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment; kneeling, bending at the waist, and reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally as needed; lifting light objects.

Personnel Commission Approval: June 23, 1992
Revised: January 26, 2006