Location:  Spokane

Department: District Accounting Office

Salary Range: $3,811 - $5,117

Starting salary for this position is: $3,811 (Monthly)

Employees hired at the entry step of this range receive salary step advancement after six months and every 12 months thereafter. An employee hired at anything higher than the entry step of the range will have salary step advancement after 12 months and every 12 months thereafter until they reach the top of the salary range. Each salary step advancement will be approximately a 5% increase.

About Us 

We are a community college district comprised of two accredited colleges, Spokane Community College (SCC) and Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC). In addition to serving a large urban and suburban population in greater Spokane, the district provides educational services to rural communities throughout a 12,302 square-mile region in Eastern Washington. This region includes all of Spokane, Stevens, Whitman, Ferry, and Pend Oreille Counties, as well as portions of Lincoln County.

Both colleges of CCS are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and governed by the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges.

Applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. PST on 12/09/2024. The application process will not be available after this time. To ensure consideration make sure your application is completed and submitted as soon as possible. Applications will only be accepted prior to 4:00 p.m. on the closing date.

About the Student Financial Accountant (Fiscal Analyst 2)

JOB SUMMARY

Under general supervision this position provides customer service by coordinating between students, childcare providers, financial aid, third party agencies, collection agencies, cashiers and coworkers to process transactions, produce reports, reconcile data, create invoices and correct errors in student accounts, and third-party accounts receivable.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Answer questions regarding student accounts from students, Admissions/Registration, Financial Aid, Cashiers, Accounts Payable, Payroll and Budget in regard to adjusting concurrent student billings, removing holds when student payments have been verified and reestablishing debts so students can pay, and interpreting transactions on the students’ account. Monitor student payments for the tuition payment plan. Re-class payments from collections. Process financial aid journal vouchers and job scheduling. *
• Create and review manual and system invoices, match authorizations to invoices, file agency authorizations for future matching to invoices, set up accounts receivable and financial aid program codes for new agencies and reconcile balances to general ledger and sub-ledgers. Prepare work study payable vouchers for reimbursement to other agencies and vendors; add student scholarships to student accounts and notify financial aid of the scholarship; process backup from campus childcare centers and place student charges on cashiering and issue credits to student accounts for services not provided; reconcile and post agency (e.g., DSHS) payments to student accounts. *
• Prepare and issue payment due and collection notices for unpaid charges. Work with collection agencies to recover delinquent childcare, outstanding charges, defaulted loans, and past due invoices. Reconcile the balances and place appropriate holds on student accounts. Maintain the in-house status of ‘paid’ but not received collections fees and assist the Student Accounting Manager with processing the required write-off of bad debts. Review and prepare answers on bankruptcy notices. *
• Process Student Loans including establishing loans on the system, sending the loans to collections when past due and reconciling them to general and sub ledger accounts. Quarterly, place holds on student accounts with unpaid balances. *
• Analyze student accounts and refund amounts, and ensure compliance with Washington State Achievement Council, Department of Education and Financial Aid. Reconcile financial aid reports to the financial management system. Process student official and unofficial withdrawal records; calculate the correct amount of charges to credit, or correct amount of money due to the funding source, and the amount owed by or due to the student. Process deposits and refunds for off-database deposits (wedding cake, automotive, telecourse, video rentals, etc.). Merge student ID numbers and adjust financial aid program codes, monitor, and adjust Running Start student charges. *
• May assist with Financial Aid check processing and disbursement.
• Model professional decorum and mutual respect in all personal interactions. *
• Comply with district policies, procedures and directives, state and federal regulations, orders and statutes and collective bargaining agreements. *
• Support and advance the CCS strategic plan, and perform other duties as assigned. *

* Indicates this is an essential duty.

COMPETENCIES

• Manages Complexity
• Decision Quality
• Action Oriented
• Plans & Aligns
• Ensures Accountability
• Drives Results
• Collaborates
• Instills Trust
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness
• Self-Development
• Nimble Learning
• Situational Adaptability

Learn more about our competencies.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree, which includes 18 quarter hours or 12 semester hours in accounting, auditing, or budgeting from an accredited institution. Or an equivalent mix of education and experience that demonstrates the candidate meets all competency requirements for this position.
• Experience with Enterprise Resource Systems (ERP), preferably Peoplesoft software.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• An intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work under deadlines and pressure with attention to detail.
• Customer service experience with skills servicing a diverse customer population.
• Ability to work independently, exercising independent judgment, analyzing data and finding efficient, effective solutions.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to run system reports reconciling the Student Accounting reports to Financial Aid reports.
• Knowledge of CCS policies and procedures as they relate to Student Accounting activities.
• Knowledge of Washington State Achievement Council and Department of Education policies and procedures as they relate to financial aid grants and Student Accounting activities.
• Ability to enter and/or interpret data on the student cashiering screens, data on the invoice maintenance screens, and data on the third part vendor screens.
• Ability to maintain and reconcile Excel spreadsheets to and from the Student Finance system to the general ledger.
• Ability to understand the complexities and anomalies of the ERP accounting systems interaction with cashiering, the general ledger, financial aid, admissions and registrations plus the online credit card system.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work is performed in a semi-open office environment with frequent interruptions.
• Work is sedentary.
• Frequent use of computers.
• Work directly with students/clients.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Full-time schedule (12-months, 40-hours a week).
• 6-month probationary period.
• This position is overtime eligible.
• Criminal background check is required.
• This position is covered under a collective bargaining agreement. Membership is optional.

Person hired must be able to provide acceptable documentation of U.S. Citizenship or lawful authorization to work in the United States. This is an absolute condition of employment. An offer of employment will not carry with it any responsibility or obligation on the part of the district to sponsor an H1-B visa. In addition, the Community Colleges of Spokane maintains a drug-free work environment and prohibits all smoking in the college buildings and state-owned vehicles. Must be able to successfully work in and promote a multicultural work and education environment.  

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position. Once an applicant is chosen for a position, they are required to complete and submit a declaration regarding sexual misconduct and investigation per state law.

Benefits Information

Medical, dental, life and long term disability insurance benefits are provided as currently administered under Public Employees Benefits Board; WA State Retirement Plan; vacation and sick leave begin to accrue at the rate of one (1) day per month, upon employment. (For positions that are less than full time, leave accruals will be prorated to the percentage of the position.) This position is designated a bargaining unit position and union membership is not a condition of employment. Leave accruals and usage are governed by the WFSE collective bargaining agreement.

Public Employees Benefits Board

Additional benefits information

Required Application Materials

To qualify for consideration, applicants must meet required competencies and submit a complete application packet, which includes the following:

• Cover letter - addressing your qualifications relevant to the responsibilities of this position.
  
• Resume.
  
• References – the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three professional references.

For questions regarding a job application or the hiring process, or if you require an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact HR at CCS.Recruiter@ccs.spokane.edu.

Community Colleges of Spokane (CCS) Equity Statement

CCS believes that access to high-quality education in a safe and inclusive environment is the right of all individuals and imperative for the continued advancement of a strong democracy and workforce. We also believe higher education institutions have an obligation to work toward and demonstrate progress in ensuring equity amongst their students, faculty, and staff. Equity is grounded in the principle of fairness. In higher education, equity refers to ensuring that each student receives what they need to be successful through the intentional design of the college experience.

Native Land Acknowledgement

We are honored to acknowledge that the Community Colleges of Spokane, and our main campuses for Spokane Falls and Spokane Community College, are located on the traditional and sacred homelands of the Spokane Tribe. We also provide services in a region that includes the traditional and sacred homelands of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Kalispel Tribe and Nez Perce Tribe.
 
We pay our respect to tribal elders both past and present as well as to all Indigenous people today. This land holds their cultural DNA, and we are honored and grateful to be here on their traditional lands. We give thanks to the legacy of the original people and their descendants and pledge to honor their stewardship and values.

Equal Opportunity Institution

Community Colleges of Spokane does not discriminate in its programs, activities and employment on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, marital status, pregnancy, pregnancy related conditions, parental status or families with children, status as a mother breastfeeding their child, AIDS/HIV or hepatitis C, honorably discharged veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected category. 

Direct all inquiries or grievances regarding access, Title IX, ADA, equal opportunity compliance, and/or grievances to:
Fred Davis | Chief Human Resources Officer
Community Colleges of Spokane
P.O. Box 6000, MS1004
Spokane, WA. 99217-6000
509-434-5040