Soil Scientist jobs in New Mexico

Employment Announcement: Financial Manager 

Job Type: Full-time, 40 hours per week

Compensation: $29.00 - $33.00/hour, compensation is negotiable depending on education and experience

Benefits:  Ciudad SWCD offers a competitive employee benefits package including reimbursement up to 50% of family health plan, PERA pension with generous employer contribution, 11 paid holidays, 40 hours of PTO per quarter, and more.  

Ciudad SWCD Overview

Ciudad SWCD is a special district, also known as a political subdivision, of the State of New Mexico, organized under the Soil and Water Conservation District Act (73-20-25 et. seq. NMSA 1978). Ciudad SWCD promotes and is committed to the conservation, improvement, and responsible use of the natural resources on the rural and urban lands within its boundaries. Ciudad SWCD is largely funded by soft money, grants and cooperative agreements.  The District values collaborating with partners and aims to serve constituents and the environment with the highest quality of public service and education of best practices. Ciudad SWCD frequently works across jurisdictional boundaries, including on private lands, providing financial and technical assistance to land managers and owners. The District is pleased to have a committed Board of Supervisors and a passionate team of Staff Members who are devoted to making a difference within our Watershed.

Position Overview

Ciudad SWCD seeks a Financial Manager to lead the district’s financial operations. The Finance Manager position is an exciting opportunity for an individual who strives for accuracy in financial reporting, enjoys working on several projects simultaneously, and would like a variety of tasks. The Finance Manager will be the sole individual responsible for overseeing Ciudad’s accounting information system utilizing the cash accounting method in QuickBooks™ to process a variety of transactions. The selected individual will analyze project budgets in cooperation with the District Manager and Program Managers, prepare annual budgets in collaboration with the Finance Committee and District Staff, and evaluate costs with numerous program budgets. They will draft and present financial reports to the Board of Supervisors and other partners. The Finance Manager will develop and maintain communications with funding agencies, constituents, and other stakeholders. The Finance Manager will develop innovative spreadsheets to enhance District operations.  

To apply for this position, please visit Ciudad SWCD’s website.  Individuals should complete the application and upload the requested documents.  

https://www.ciudadswcd.org/finance-manager-employee-opportunity

This posting is open until filled.  Ciudad SWCD reserves the right  to make a hiring decision at any time. Applicants will be evaluated on a rolling basis with the first round of application reviews taking place Thursday, June 20th, 2024.  Please contact Astrid Mooney, District Manager at astrid@ciualldadswcd.org or 505-510-3478 for additional information.

Duties and Responsibilities 

These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks to the Financial Manager.  Regular attendance according to the position’s management-approved work schedule is required for all positions.

• Manage District fiscal operations using QuickBooks™ software by inputting data for credit card entries, preparing checks for paying invoices, entering deposit details, and reconciliations of bank statements. 
• Oversee and execute District accounting activity by drafting billings for accounts receivable for various grant and program reimbursables; preparing W-2 and 1099 forms at the end of the calendar year; processing payroll and initiating payment for monthly and quarterly payroll tax liabilities; and  initiating general journal entries to reconcile, or adjust and close out the fiscal year. 
• Prepare annual audit deliverables upon request of the Independent Public Auditor for full financial audits and federal single point audits. 
• Perform budget analysis and meet reporting guidelines by forecasting expenditures and preparing annual budget with guidance from the Finance Committee, District Manager, and other District staff; drafting budget resolutions for budget adoption; evaluating expenditures and producing quarterly budget and year end budget reports for NMDA and Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and monitoring spending in accordance with the budget. 
• Present the financial status of the District at monthly Board meetings by developing financial analyses and reports for monthly board meetings, presenting the reports, and responding to any inquiries.
• Draft and communicate financial reports to project partners upon request or as stipulated in agreements. 
• Support District Program Managers with accurate and timely reviews of program and project level budgets, procurement, invoicing, and other financial needs. In collaboration with District staff, regularly report records of activities, in-kind match and expenditures for each program and/or grant. Work with District staff to ensure that funds are utilized in accordance with funding source requirements, and that record-keeping and reporting are in compliance.
• Prepare requests for reimbursable grants and programs (request for reimbursements, expenditure request for funds,and certificate of payment requests). 
• Account for all federal, state, local and private grant program activity (monitor grant spending, report in-kind match, act as  fiscal liaison between the District and granting agencies).
• Complete approved training and workshops on grant management, fiscal management, budgeting and other pertinent topics as permitted by the District budget.
• Monitor financial performance progress to determine need for agreement amendments or extensions to ensure compliance with contractual requirements. 
• Maintain positive relationships using open communication between our District and its residents, and with representatives from other SWCDs, NRCS, NMACD, SWCC, NM State Forestry, the USDA Forest Service, County and City Open Space, Fire, Planning and Zoning Departments, NM State Land Office, and other individual and agency cooperators.
• Respond to all emails, phone calls, and other correspondence in a timely manner.
• Positively represent the District at all times. 

Minimum Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration or closely related discipline, with at least 9 credit hours in Accounting, and at least 3 years of experience in grant or government accounting, 
• In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, an individual will meet minimum qualifications if they have  8 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified. 
• Demonstrated skill working with Accounting Information Systems, including working knowledge of QuickBooks software.
• Records management experience with physical and virtual (“cloud”) filing systems. 
• Capable of working in a team environment and collaborating with colleagues as well as working well independently. 
• Proficiency in creating and managing complex spreadsheets for tracking financial data
• Experience with budgeting, fund, grant and/ or contract accounting, in addition to familiarity with cash accounting methods and grant match accounting (cash and in-kind)
• Competence in preparing budgets and financial reports, reconciling accounts, and managing ledgers.
• Proficiency with Google and Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)

Preferred  Qualifications Beyond Minimum Requirements

• Ability to effectively communicate financial matters to non-financial people
• Experience performing advanced financial/operational analyses, and financial projections
• Demonstrated knowledge of controls and experience preparing for full audit processes
• Masters in Business Administration, Public Administration or closely related discipline. 
• Certified Public Accountant