Accounting Assistant

Under the direction of the Budget and Finance Manager, and in support of the Director of Finance and Business Office staff, this position provides accounting and financial support to the ASI Business Office by assisting with day-to-day accounting operations, financial analysis, journal entries, reconciliations, billing activities, month-end closing processes, and financial reporting. 

The Accounting Assistant reviews financial transactions and supporting documentation, researches discrepancies, performs account analysis, supports accounts payable and receivable functions, and assists with maintaining accurate financial records. The position requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to identify errors, unusual transactions, and potential compliance concerns while supporting the Business Office's financial operations. 

1. Assists in preparing, entering, reviewing, and maintaining journal entries and supporting documentation in accordance with established accounting procedures and approval requirements.

2. Assists with month-end and year-end closing activities, including preparation and review of journal entries, account reconciliations, variance analysis, and investigation of unusual or unreconciled items.

3. Performs account reconciliations and analyzes discrepancies between subsidiary records, supporting schedules, and the general ledger. Researches and assists in resolving variances as assigned.

4. Supports accounts payable functions, including reviewing invoices and payment documentation, verifying account information, confirming appropriate approvals, entering financial data, and assisting with payment processing.

5. Reviews financial transactions and supporting documentation for accuracy, appropriate account coding, required approvals, and compliance with fiscal policies and procedures.

6. Reviews financial activity to identify unusual transactions, coding errors, duplicate charges, calculation errors, and other discrepancies requiring further research or correction.

7. Assists with maintaining internal controls by reviewing supporting documentation, verifying approvals, monitoring transaction activity, and identifying potential compliance concerns for management review.

8. Supports customer billing, receivables, and related account activity, including preparing invoices, maintaining records, monitoring outstanding balances, and following up on unusual or delinquent items. 

9. Assists with monitoring account activity, researching transaction discrepancies, and supporting corrective actions as needed.

10. Performs financial data entry and assists with accounting system maintenance, report preparation, transaction research, and financial system testing and validation activities when assigned. 

11. Assists with the preparation and review of financial reports, schedules, and supporting analyses. Reviews financial information for completeness, accuracy, reasonableness, and consistency.

12. Supports budget planning, financial forecasting, and various financial analyses by gathering, organizing, and analyzing financial information.

13. Maintains organized accounting records, electronic files, supporting documentation, and other records related to accounting, budgeting, and reporting activities.

14. Provides accounting and administrative support for audits, year-end activities, financial reporting projects, system implementations, and other assignments as directed.

15. Responds to routine accounting and financial inquiries from students, staff, departments, and customers; provides guidance on required documentation and refers complex matters to appropriate finance staff. 

16. Supports campus billing to ASI by reviewing and analyzing campus invoices and charges, verifying appropriate departments and account coding, identifying discrepancies or duplicate charges, and assisting with the accurate allocation and processing of charges to the appropriate ASI accounts. 

17. Other duties as assigned, reasonably within the scope of the job.

Education and/or Experience

MBA, M.S. Accountancy and Business majors preferred. Educational background or coursework in accounting, finance, or a business administration field required. A minimum of a year of related work experience is required. Previous accounting, finance, bookkeeping, accounts payable, data entry, or related office experience is preferred. Experience reviewing financial records and working with Microsoft Office Suite applications, particularly Excel, and accounting or financial systems is preferred. Must be a current and active CSULB student enrolled in a minimum of 6 units.

Knowledge and Abilities

Ability to learn and apply basic accounting principles, financial systems, fiscal policies, procedures, and internal controls while accurately maintaining financial records and supporting documentation. Ability to perform arithmetic calculations, identify discrepancies, research routine transaction issues, and communicate questions or concerns to appropriate finance staff. Proficient in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications for data entry, analysis, tracking, and reporting. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple accounting and administrative assignments with accuracy, confidentiality, strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and adherence to deadlines, while communicating effectively and collaborating with students, staff, departments, and customers.

Schedule

Work shifts will be assigned during regular Business Office operating hours, which are Monday through Friday from 9:00AM to 5:00PM. Operational activity is year-round, scheduled hours may fluctuate based on departmental needs.

Background Check

Appointment to this position is contingent upon successful completion of a comprehensive background check based on reportable last actions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit at a desk or computer workstation and use hands and fingers to key data, sort documents, and file paperwork. The employee is frequently required to stand and be able to talk or hear in interactions with others. The employee is occasionally required to walk to other offices within the building and around the campus. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.