SANTA CLARA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

Personnel Commission

CLASS TITLE: Construction Accounting Specialist

To provide responsible assistance in the payment of proceeds and funds on construction projects and in the organization and maintenance of related records; to prepare contract document forms, bid advertisements and other activities associated with the construction procurement process; to perform other highly responsible technical clerical accounting functions in the maintenance, reporting, report generation, verification and reconciliation of specialized accounting records, reports and/or services, and to perform related duties as assigned.

The job class of Construction Accounting Specialist maintains complex construction project records and specialized school building finance functions. Employees in this job classification receive limited supervision within the framework of defined rules and procedures. This job class exercises responsibility for the accurate maintenance of construction files, records and administrative details in accordance with established laws, codes, regulations and standards.

TYPICAL DUTIES: The following duties are examples of assignments performed by incumbents in this classification. It is not a totally comprehensive list of duties, nor is it restrictive regarding job assignments.

• Prepares and/or participates in the development of spreadsheets, journals and related budgets, preparing data for input and utilizing accounting, budgeting, and purchasing systems

• Prepares and processes journal and budget entries for revenue and expense transactions including purchase orders, supply orders

• Reviews contracts and approves payments to contractors, architects, consultants and other vendors for school construction projects

• Monitors and analyzes expenses and expenditures of new construction projects, preparing and distributing project cost reports, financial statements and funding reports as required

• Prepares construction applications, contract document forms, official notices, bid advertisements and documents for other activities associated with the construction procurement process

• Maintains master construction files for each project including project manuals, drawings, logs, and insurance certificates

• Interprets codes, rules and regulations including but not limited education code, building code and government code; thoroughly reviews specialized instructions, guidelines, financial reports, documents, records and other related data, researching and resolving identified problems

• Works directly with and serves as a liaison with the California Department of Education and other regulatory agencies responsible for school construction
• Initiates, prepares and maintains agreement forms for contractors and other professional service agencies and companies

• Works with contracted personnel including labor compliance officers, inspectors and school district staff involved in construction projects

• Provides clarification on and responds to inquiries relating to school construction projects

• Operates internal accounting information systems, office software, including spreadsheet, presentation and word processing programs

• Participates in the development and implementation of project and financial reporting systems

• Assists with progress updates and information notices

• Schedules and participates in planning and design meetings with architects, consultants, contractors and others related to construction projects; assists with presentations as necessary

• Performs related duties as assigned.

Possession of:

• A valid California Driver's License

• A driving record which meets the County office of Education's Insurance requirements

Knowledge of:

• General principles and procedures accounting, auditing, budgeting, and fiscal record keeping

• Principles of internal fiscal controls and policies

• School (K-12) building programs and specialized construction documents

• Public contracts codes, prevailing wage requirements and bidding laws

• Appropriate laws, codes, standards, and fiscal reporting requirements applicable related to public school construction

• Desktop computer operations, software, and hardware used in the performance of accounting, budget analysis, and fiscal reporting responsibilities

• Modern Office methods, practices, procedures, and equipment

• Proper English usage including, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure.

Ability to:

• Perform highly responsible and complex accounting, budget, and finance activities related to school construction projects

• Make arithmetical calculations quickly and accurately and identify and correct errors in arithmetical calculations made by others

• Develop and maintain complex spreadsheets for school construction projects

• Analyze, interpret, and apply pertinent codes, laws, rules and regulations

• Understand and apply internal fiscal controls as related school construction projects

• Plan, organize, and prioritize work assignments to meet timelines and facilitate workflow

• Identify problem areas or situations, evaluate problem causes, and take appropriate action to resolve identified problems

• Prepare, compile, analyze, research and/or maintain construction master files, complex financial data, summaries, reports and records

• Effectively operate standard office equipment, including but not limited to desktop computers, calculators, printers, and other peripheral equipment

• Effectively use automated accounting systems as well as spreadsheet and word processing software

• Effectively communicate both orally and in written form

• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

Generally, any combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities is considered qualifying. A typical method of demonstrating these qualifications would be possession of an Associates degree from an accredited college or university with coursework in accounting, budgeting, project management or a related field and two years of increasingly responsible experience in public school construction programs and processes.

BARGAINING UNIT: Office, Technical, and Business Services (OTBS) Unit

WORKING CONDITIONS: Generally, duties are primarily performed in an office environment while sitting at a desk and at various school or program sites; however, incumbents may be required to visit construction sites for planning activities. Incumbents are subject to contact with or constant interruptions by staff, parents, or external agencies, demanding compliance issues or established timelines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Incumbents regularly sit for long periods of time, walk short distances on a regular basis and sometimes on uneven surfaces, use hands and fingers to operate desktop computer keyboard or other office equipment, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, or crouch to file, speak clearly and distinctly to answer telephones and to provide information; see to read fine print and operate computer; hear and understand voice over telephone and in person; and move and transport materials weighing up to 20 pounds.

Approved by the Personnel Commission: December 13, 2007
Revised: February 21, 2008