LEAD ACCOUNTANT

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

LEAD ACCOUNTANT

Chicago Department of Finance

Number of Positions: 1

Grant and Project Accounting Division

(Additional vacancies are possible pending budget approval)

Annual Starting Salary: $90,144

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City's collective bargaining agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) - BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4 & 5. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

BID INSTRUCTIONS:

Apply on the bid site: https://chicago.taleo.net/careersection/103/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en

AND

1. Check the box on your profile titled "Currently employed by the City of Chicago"

2. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled 'payee/employee number')

3. Select your correct bargaining unit

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REJECTED BID APPLICATION

Applications for this position will be accepted beginning 6-12-26 until 11:59pm on 6-26-26.

Under general supervision, performs professional accounting work of the most complex nature, typically requiring the application of advanced accounting knowledge, and/or functions as a working supervisor over a small accounting staff while maintaining own accounts, and performs related duties.

Essential Duties:

* Performs and supervises the work of professional accountants engaged in financial management, compliance, and reporting for grant-funded projects.

* Provides financial oversight and monitoring to track grant expenditures to ensure alignment with approved budgets. Monitors budget-to-actual performance for each grant.

* Maintains financial records and documentation for audit readiness.

* Ensures grant compliance by checking adherence to grant terms and conditions, including federal (e.g., Uniform Guidance - 2 CFR Part 200) or donor-specific rules.

* Reviews financial transactions for allowability, allocability, and reasonableness.

* Communicates compliance requirements to departmental staff.

* Prepares and submits financial reports to funders (monthly, quarterly, annually).

* Works with departments to compile budget justifications.

* Supports external and internal audits related to grants.

* Develops grant proposal budgets in collaboration with departments.

* Forecasts future expenditures and funding gaps.

* Prepare re-budgeting or no-cost extension requests if needed.

* Serves as the liaison between finance, departmental staff, and grantors.

* Trains or guides staff on grant-related financial processes.

* Attend grant-related meetings and provide financial insight.

* Utilizes accounting/ERP systems (Oracle) to manage transactions.

* Ensures documentation is organized for funder audits and internal reviews.

* Maintains grant files and ensure backup documentation is properly stored.

* Performs other related duties as required.

Additional duties may be required for this position.

NOTE: These positions may require working extended hours and some weekends during peak periods to ensure deadlines are met.

Location: Department of Finance

City Hall 121 N. LaSalle, Suite 700, Chicago, IL 60602

Shift: Monday-Friday

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(Shift may vary due to the needs of the operation)

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting plus three (3) years of professional accounting experience.

OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in a directly related field of Accounting with 15 semester hours in Accounting, plus three (3) years of professional accounting experience.

OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree or higher in Accounting, plus two (2) years of professional accounting experience.

OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in a directly related field of Accounting with 15 semester hours in Accounting, plus two (2) years of professional accounting experience.

*It is best to upload all supporting documentation to your profile along with your resume at the time of application for review*.

Note: You must provide your college or university transcripts displaying 15 completed semester hours in Accounting courses at the time of interview. IF YOU FAIL TO PROVIDE this information at the time of the interview you will NOT be allowed to proceed with the interview and will no longer be considered for this position.

Selection Requirements: This position requires applicants to successfully complete an interview which will include a written exercise and/or skills assessment as part of the interview. The interviewed bidders possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected in seniority order according to the collective bargaining agreement. The interviewed candidate(s) who possess the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected.

Desired Skills

* Experience with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Governmental Accounting Standards.

* Professional Accounting experience in grants management.

* Experience with leading and managing a team.

* Experience with annual audits and financial schedules.

* Proficient in Microsoft Office including Excel and Outlook

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:

https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/JobClassification/2025_Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. The Department of Human Resources staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practices click here.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor