Accountant I, II, III, or Senior - Treasury & Technical Accounting

ABOUT WFEC

WFEC is a generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative that provides essential electric service to 21 member cooperatives, Altus Air Force Base, and other power users. These members are located primarily in Oklahoma and New Mexico, with some service territories extending into portions of Texas and Kansas. Now in its 76th year of operation, WFEC has six generating facilities, located at Mooreland, Anadarko and Hugo, OK, and Lovington, NM, with a total power capacity of more than 1,850 MW, including hydropower allocation and other contract power purchases. WFEC owns and maintains more than 3,700 miles of transmission line to some 280 substations and 59 switch stations. For more information, visit www.wfec.com.

*At the option of the hiring official, a candidate will be placed in one of the following Accountant levels based on education, experience, knowledge, skills, and behaviors required.

 SUMMARY: Under the general supervision of the Treasury & Technical Accounting Supervisor, the incumbent performs day-to-day moderately complex accounting activities relating to the maintenance of a complete and accurate general ledger and the resultant managerial reports and financial statements. The employee also performs more complex accounting activities associated with maintaining ledger accounts and for developing financial statements and reports for management and entities outside the Cooperative. The job requires the incumbent to provide functional advice or training to less experienced accountants.       

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Includes the following; other duties may be assigned. Prepares financial statements for internal and external use. Provides Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) interpretations and ensures WFEC compliance. Handle most accounting problems with minimum assistance in the appropriate area of specialization (budgets, financial, taxation, property, gas, energy trading, or compliance). Obtain information from and coordinate the flow of information with other departments to resolve complex accounting problems. Technical input is used in developing accounting policies and practices. Lead in identifying the appropriate recording and reporting a work method that achieves department and company objectives. Develops, applies and reviews queries and reports for the department and management using the automated accounting system. Reviews and analyzes information from the automated accounting systems for accuracy and reliability as it relates to the general ledger and financial statements. Coordinates resources and data for internal and external audit activities, credit rating agencies and lenders. Prepares information or analysis for special projects. Prepares and approves all journal entries for entry in the general ledger system. Coordinates and prepares subsidiary accounting records and consolidations. Assembles operations, maintenance and capital budgets. Analyzes source of budget variances. Compiles fuel usage estimates, allocations, adjustments and balancing. Prepares analysis of fuel costs to compile monthly fuel clause adjustment. Provides purchased power, banked power and alliance activity analysis. Prepares loan fund requisitions and maintain loan fund records. Prepares information for loan applications, requisitions and advances loan funds. Coordinates billing information. Assists with rate design and implementation. Maintains inventory reconciliations and analysis. Reviews independent coal surveys for possible adjustment. Determines and funds daily cash management needs. Reviews and processes accounts payable invoices, employee expense reports and company check requests for administrative policy compliance. Administers the company credit card process. Distributes, collects and processes purchasing card reconciliations. Maintains vehicle mileage records.

COMPETENCIES: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies: 

Analytical: Synthesizes complex or diverse information; collects and researches data; uses intuition and experience to complement data; designs work flows and procedures. 

Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully. 

Professional Knowledge: Generates creative solutions; translates concepts and information into applications; uses feedback to modify recommendations; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; shares expertise with others. 

Oral & Written Communication: Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills; participates in meetings; writes clearly and informatively; varies writing style to meet needs; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information. 

Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views; gives and welcomes feedback; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone’s efforts to succeed.     

Planning/Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives.

Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected outcomes.

Professionalism: Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; accepts responsibility for own actions.

Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service; Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments to customers.

Cost Consciousness: Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Conserves organizational resources.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors required.  

Accountant I – ($45,192 – $67,226): A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a directly related field and 30 hours of accounting is required. Incumbent must complete the RUS accounting course within one (1) year of hire date. Experience with the use of an enterprise-wide financial accounting system and related querying and reporting is preferred. Certified Public Accounting (CPA) certification and experience in a utility environment is desired.

Accountant II – ($57,319 – $87,063): A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a directly related field with 30 hours of accounting and a minimum of three (3) years of professional accounting experience is required. Incumbent must complete the RUS accounting course within one (1) year of hire date. Experience with the use of an enterprise-wide financial accounting system and related querying and reporting is preferred. Certified Public Accounting (CPA) certification and experience in a utility environment is desired. 

Accountant III – ($70,882 – $109,939): A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a directly related field with 30 hours of accounting and a minimum of six (6) years of professional accounting experience is required. Incumbent must complete the RUS accounting course within one (1) year of hire date.

Experience with the use of an enterprise-wide financial accounting system and related querying and reporting is preferred. Certified Public Accounting (CPA) certification and experience in a utility environment are desired.

Senior Accountant – ($78,179 – $122,538): A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a directly related field with 30 hours of accounting and a minimum of eight (8) years of professional accounting experience is required. Incumbent must complete the RUS accounting course within one (1) year of hire date. Experience with the use of an enterprise-wide financial accounting system and related querying and reporting is required. Certified Public Accounting (CPA) certification and experience in a utility environment is desired.

Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedures. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups, managers, employees, and outside professionals.

Math Skills: Ability to work with mathematical concepts and use math functions found in professional accounting. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions or numerical information including fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions in practical situations. 

Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of data in mathematical form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

 Computer Skills: Experience using Microsoft Office software and a personal computer are required. Experience with an enterprise wide financial information system and querying processes is required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: This position requires a current driver’s license. 

WORK SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS: This position works a normal weekday schedule, but may be required to work extra hours, travel overnight and travel on short notice.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to ten (10) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision and ability to adjust focus. Vision and hearing must be normal or corrected to normal.

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. Work is performed in an office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.