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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Financial Technician

💰 $45,000 - $70,000

FinanceAccountingGovernmentAdministrative

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a meticulous and highly organized Financial Technician to join our dynamic finance team. This role is the backbone of our financial operations, responsible for maintaining the integrity of our financial records, processing transactions, and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations. The ideal candidate will be a proactive problem-solver with a strong quantitative aptitude and a passion for accuracy. As a Financial Technician, you will provide critical support to accountants and financial managers, enabling data-driven decision-making and safeguarding the organization's financial health. This position is a fantastic opportunity for an individual looking to build a robust career in the accounting and finance sector.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Accounting Clerk
  • Bookkeeper
  • Accounts Payable/Receivable Specialist
  • Administrative Assistant with financial duties

Advancement To:

  • Senior Financial Technician / Lead Financial Technician
  • Staff Accountant
  • Financial Analyst
  • Budget Analyst

Lateral Moves:

  • Payroll Specialist
  • Compliance Analyst
  • Procurement Agent

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Examine, verify, and reconcile a wide range of financial documents, such as invoices, vouchers, and expense reports, to ensure accuracy and completeness.
  • Process and manage the full cycle of accounts payable and accounts receivable, including data entry, payment processing, collections, and customer/vendor communications.
  • Prepare, review, and maintain complex accounting records, ledgers, and registers, ensuring all transactions are properly recorded in the financial management system.
  • Assist in the month-end and year-end closing processes by preparing journal entries, reconciling general ledger accounts, and generating trial balances.
  • Compile, analyze, and summarize financial data to prepare a variety of standard and ad-hoc reports, statements, and summaries for management review.
  • Monitor and track budget execution, comparing actual expenditures against approved budgets and reporting on variances and financial status.
  • Interpret and apply a complex set of financial regulations, policies, and procedures (such as GAAP or federal travel regulations) to all transactions.
  • Reconcile bank statements, credit card transactions, and other financial accounts to identify and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
  • Audit and process travel authorizations and vouchers, ensuring compliance with organizational and governmental travel policies.
  • Calculate, verify, and process payroll data, ensuring accurate computation of wages, taxes, and deductions.
  • Provide direct support for internal and external audits by gathering required documentation, preparing schedules, and responding to auditor inquiries.
  • Maintain vendor and customer files, including W-9s and other necessary documentation, and perform periodic reviews for accuracy.
  • Investigate and resolve complex accounting discrepancies and irregularities by researching transaction histories and collaborating with relevant departments.
  • Classify, code, and post financial data to the appropriate accounts within integrated financial systems like SAP, Oracle, or other ERP software.
  • Manage petty cash funds, including disbursement, reconciliation, and replenishment in accordance with internal controls.
  • Provide guidance and training to other staff members on financial procedures, documentation requirements, and system usage.
  • Review purchase orders and contracts to ensure sufficient funds are available and that the procurement aligns with budgetary constraints.
  • Assist senior finance personnel with financial forecasting, budget formulation, and long-range financial planning activities.
  • Administer and process employee benefit-related payments and deductions, liaising with HR and benefits providers as needed.
  • Generate and distribute client invoices and statements, actively following up on past-due accounts to support healthy cash flow.
  • Develop and maintain procedural documentation and desktop guides for financial tasks to ensure operational consistency and facilitate cross-training.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer specific business questions from leadership.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by identifying opportunities for process automation and improvement.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for financial system enhancements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering or finance transformation team.
  • Assist in testing new financial software, system upgrades, and process implementations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Accounting Software Proficiency: Hands-on experience with accounting systems such as QuickBooks, SAP, Oracle Financials, or similar ERP platforms.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel: Demonstrated ability to use pivot tables, VLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, conditional formatting, and complex formulas for data analysis and reporting.
  • GAAP Knowledge: Solid understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and their practical application.
  • Financial Reporting: Skill in preparing financial statements, including balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements.
  • General Ledger (GL) Management: Experience with journal entries, account reconciliations, and maintaining the integrity of the general ledger.
  • Accounts Payable (AP) & Accounts Receivable (AR): Expertise in managing the full lifecycle of both AP and AR processes.
  • Budget Tracking & Management: Ability to monitor expenditures against budgets and report on financial performance.
  • Data Entry & Verification: High speed and accuracy in data entry with a strong focus on error detection.
  • Financial Regulation Compliance: Knowledge of relevant federal, state, and local financial regulations (e.g., FAR, JTR for government roles).
  • Reconciliation: Proven ability to perform complex bank, credit card, and inter-company reconciliations.

Soft Skills

  • Attention to Detail: Exceptional precision and thoroughness in handling financial data and documentation.
  • Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Strong ability to identify discrepancies, investigate root causes, and recommend effective solutions.
  • Integrity & Discretion: Utmost professionalism and trustworthiness in handling sensitive and confidential financial information.
  • Time Management & Organization: Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Communication Skills: Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills for interacting with internal teams, vendors, and clients.
  • Teamwork & Collaboration: A cooperative mindset with the ability to work effectively as part of a finance team.
  • Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing procedures, new technologies, and evolving business needs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate's Degree in a relevant field or a High School Diploma combined with significant, directly related work experience and/or professional certification (e.g., Certified Bookkeeper).

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2-5 years of progressive experience in an accounting, bookkeeping, or financial support role.

Preferred:

  • Experience working within a government (federal, state, or local), non-profit, or large corporate accounting department. Experience with automated and integrated financial management systems is highly desirable.
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