Controller

Controller

Salary

$48.73 - $65.17 Hourly

Location

Kenai City Hall, Kenai, AK

Job Type

Full-time Regular

Job Number

00343

Department

Finance

Opening Date

06/16/2026

Closing Date

7/6/2026 5:00 PM Alaska

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Description

Under the general direction of the Finance Director, the Controller manages and oversees the City's day-to-day accounting operations, financial reporting, and auditing functions. The Controller is a working manager with a variety of professional accounting duties, including implementing and maintaining accounting systems, procedures, and controls; ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and policies; and providing accounting and compliance support to City departments. Work is performed independently in an office setting.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Analyze fiscal transactions to ensure conformity and compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, City ordinances, and State and Federal requirements.
• Manage and prepare journal entries and adjustments to the general and subsidiary accounting ledgers; assist in closing the City's financial records at the end of the accounting period; prepare account analyses, maintain accounting schedules, and reconcile month-end books to subsidiary ledgers.
• Direct employee payroll and benefits processing and data entry functions and ensure compliance with City ordinances and State and Federal requirements, including but not limited to maintaining and reviewing employee payroll and benefits information; adding new employees, and updating data as needed. Prepare, reconcile, and file payroll reports, W-2 forms, and related payroll items.
• Select, train, supervise, evaluate and schedule the work of employees in accordance with City personnel policies.
• Perform certain treasury functions, including but not limited to setting up and maintaining the chart of accounts, authorizing transfer and investment of funds, reconciling monthly bank statements and monitoring daily cash receipts, bank account and electronic transactions, bankcard sales, and ACH payments and deposits.
• Prepare and maintain a variety of detailed accounting, statistical, and narrative financial statements or reports requiring analysis and interpretation of source data.
• Prepare the Kenai Peninsula Borough sales tax collection report.
• Coordinate the annual audit and preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Statement.
• Assist in compiling, preparing, and implementing the annual budget.
• Prepare ordinances and resolutions. Prepare and enter accounting journal entries and budget revisions resulting from ordinances, resolutions, administrative transfers, and other transactions.
• File and monitor grant reports and reimbursements from State, Federal, and private sources.
• Act as Finance Director as assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive personnel information and comply with privacy laws and regulations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with banking and investment institutions, government agencies, boards, commissions/committees, vendors, City employees, and the general public.
• Attend and participate in department training as well as professional training and keep current with respect to new trends and developments in the field of accounting.
• Perform job duties with minimal or no supervision and exercise independent judgment.
• Have regular, reliable, and predictable attendance at work.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, finance, business administration, or a closely related field -or- eight (8) years of increasingly responsible experience in accounting -or- any combination of the above education and experience that provide the applicant with the knowledge, skill, and ability to perform the essential job functions, including advanced knowledge of budgetary, accounting and reporting systems; Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting (GAAFR); generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP); and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
• Four (4) years of professional experience in accounting or financial management.
• The applicant (or employee after hire) must pass a background check, including a criminal background check and credit report in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Supplemental Information

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Municipal governmental accounting experience.
• Public accounting experience.
• Designation as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO), or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).
• Three (3) years of supervisory experience.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT The work environment is typically in an indoor office setting, adequately heated, lighted, and ventilated.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use hands and fingers dexterously (e.g., operate computers, telephones, photocopiers, keyboards, scanners, and other general office equipment); to communicate orally in person and on the telephone; is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, stoop, crouch, bend, lift, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally exert up to 40 pounds of force, and must occasionally use step ladders up to 2-3 feet in height. Specific vision requirements include close, distance and peripheral vision, the ability to adjust focus, and the ability to judge distances and spatial relationships. The employee must be able to hear and to talk and communicate verbally in person as well as on a telephone.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

The City of Kenai is an equal opportunity employer. Employment is based on qualifications free of personal and political considerations, with equal opportunity for all with no discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by law.

Upon initial appointment to a position, the employee will receive the minimum compensation for the position except in cases when unusual difficulty in filling the vacancy is experienced or when the appointee is exceptionally qualified. When an employee is exceptionally qualified, the City Manager may approve compensation at a level above the minimum but not more than the maximum range. An exceptionally qualified applicant will have any combination of the following: At least 2 years of municipal government accounting experience or at least 2 years of public accounting experience or designation of accounting certification of Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or more than three (3) years supervisory experience.

The following information describes benefits available to City of Kenai employees working 25 hours or more per week. Actual benefits received may differ by position type or be prorated for other than full time work. All benefits are subject to change by the City.

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), a defined benefit or defined contribution plan based upon employee eligibility upon hire*
• Supplemental Retirement Program six months after date of hire. Employer contribution of 6.2% of the first $37,500.00 of base wages earned in a calendar year
• Option to enroll in a Deferred Compensation Program

Insurance Benefits

• PPO or QHDHP Plan options available
• Health Insurance Coverage 30 days after date of hire
• Employee and Dependent Coverage Available
• Employer Contribution of 87% Medical/Vision/Dental Plan Costs
• Employee Contribution of 13% Medical/Vision/Dental Plan Costs
• Employer HRA Contribution for medical deductible and prescription co-pay
• Employer HSA Contribution for employees on the QHDHP

Optional Insurance Benefits

• Employer Paid Basic Life Insurance with supplemental coverage available for employee and dependents
• Employee-funded Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses
• Employee Paid Group-Based Supplemental Insurance

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Annual Leave Accrual Rate starting at 7.3846 hours each pay period (10.3385 for certain Fire Department employees) with an accrual rate increase based on longevity
• Eleven and a half paid holidays each year
• Paid Leave for a Death in the Immediate Family upon approval
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Wellness Program includes free use of the Kenai Recreation Center
• Bona Fide Employer-Sponsored Medical Leave Sharing Arrangement
• The City of Kenai does not withhold Social Security taxes from wages earned by employees who participate in the PERS retirement system.

01

Do you have a bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, finance, business administration, or a closely related field -or- eight (8) years of increasingly responsible experience in accounting -or- any combination of the above education and experience?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have four (4) years of professional experience in accounting or financial management?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have any supervisory experience?

• Yes
• No

04

Please describe any experience you have in municipal government or public accounting.

Required Question

Employer City of Kenai

Address 210 Fidalgo Ave

Kenai, Alaska, 99611

Phone (907) 283-8242

Website http://www.kenai.city