Financial Specialist I

Fairfax County, VA

$60K — $106K *
Finance & Insurance
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field with accounting coursework
  • 4 years of increasingly complex technical administrative experience in finance or accounting
  • Experience with financial audits and reconciliations
  • Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with ERP financial systems like SAP

Responsibilities

  • Prepare and respond to complex audits for the sewer system and Fairfax Water
  • Reconcile grant revenue and follow up on customer invoices
  • Assist in preparing year-end financial statements and adjustments
  • Produce and analyze detailed financial reports for revenue monitoring
  • Serve as liaison for sewer service accounts and customer inquiries
  • Perform detailed reconciliations to maintain accurate financial records

Benefits

  • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
  • Group Term Life Insurance
  • Long Term Disability
  • Flexible Spending Programs
  • Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer)
  • Paid Holidays
  • Continuous Learning Opportunities
Full Job Description
Salary : $60,894.29 - $106,565.06 Annually
Location : FX. CTY. GOVERNMENT CENTER, 12000 GOVERNMENT CENTER PKWY., FAIRFAX (EJ32), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 26-01182
Department: DPWES Wastewater Management
Opening Date: 08/01/2026
Closing Date: 8/14/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S21
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

This position performs a variety of financial functions within the Wastewater Planning & Monitoring Division. Under the general supervisor of the Financial Specialist IV, general duties include:

  • Prepares and responds to various complex technical audits such as the sewer system annual external financial audit, the internal audit, and the financial audit of Fairfax Water.
  • Reconciles and reviews grant revenue for both Wastewater and Stormwater and follows up on outstanding wholesale customers' invoices and reconciles the revenue from PUBSAT to FOCUS postings.
  • Prepares complex financial adjustment entries for Integrated Sewer System's ACFR (Annual Comprehensive Financial Report) and assist FS IV with preparing year-end financial statements. Performs monthly reconciliation of sewer taps on revenue received and monitors the number of new sewer taps sold per category.
  • Monitoring and analysis - produces mission-critical reports with mid-level complexity, using spreadsheets or databases to organize information; compiles monthly reports downloaded from PUBSAT-DPW Sewer Application Tracking System, analyzes PUBSAT reports to support the sewer system's capacity availability
  • Produces reports with complex financial and statistical information for Integrated Sewer System's CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report).
  • Research accounts, gather information, and based on findings make independent decisions regarding billing adjustments in accordance with county codes, regulations and policies.
  • Serves as liaison between accounts and revenue section and sewer customers, billing agents, builders, developers and county agencies regarding sewer service accounts. Investigates inquiries from sewer customers, other agencies, Board of supervisors, and works with Wastewater Planning and Monitoring Division Staff and support agencies to provide responses.
Performs a variety of professional accounting duties in support of the complex, decentralized Wastewater Management Program, which operates at three locations: Wastewater Collections (Burke, VA), Wastewater Treatment (Lorton, VA), and Wastewater Planning and Monitoring (Fairfax, VA).

Maintains certification and processing skills in FOCUS; manages and performs accounts receivable activities in FOCUS. Prepares entries related to revenue and monitors the Sewer System s revenue which totals around $250 million annually. Assist in the preparation of Year-end Financial Statements and the Integrated Sewer System s ACFR (Annual Comprehensive Financial Report).

Ensures the integrity and accuracy of financial records by performing detailed reconciliations, identifying errors, and preparing corrective entries. Participates in the year-end closing process, including the calculation and recording of revenue accruals, grant accruals, and related reconciliations. Serves as a liaison between Wastewater Management divisions and other County departments. Provides backup support to the Financial Specialist IV.

Note: In 2026, all Wastewater Collection Division assignments will be permanently located at the new Water Resources and Infrastructure building, located at 6000 Freds Oak Road, Burke, VA 22015. Position may require traveling to multiple Fairfax County sites.
Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting; or a bachelor's degree in business administration or related field that has been supplemented by at least 6 credit hours of basic accounting principles and concepts.

BRIDGE CLASS EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:

Four years of increasingly complex technical administrative experience in the assigned functional area, comparable to experience at the Administrative Assistant IV, or higher, level. This class can serve as a bridge class enabling individuals who do not meet the educational or professional experience standards listed above to qualify for this class by possessing four years of increasingly complex technical administrative experience in the assigned functional area, comparable to experience at the Administrative Assistant IV, or higher, level.

The purpose of this bridge class is to promote upward mobility within the Fairfax County workforce. However, persons qualifying for this class on the basis of their technical experience may not substitute this technical experience for education, or for professional experience, in order to qualify for other employment opportunities.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, credit check, and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
  • Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
  • Demonstrated ability to successfully solve problems in a team-based environment.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, analytical skills and attention to detail.
  • One year experience preparing accounting entries, analysis and reconciliations.
  • Three years' experience in MS Office Suite applications.
  • One year experience and proficiency using SAP or similar ERP financial systems
  • One year experience downloading and manipulating data from SAP or a similar ERP.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to input, access, and retrieve information from a computer. Ability to lift up to 10 lbs. Ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in written form, is crucial for engaging with colleagues and customers through phone calls, video conferences, and face-to-face meetings. Ability to drive county vehicles to various locations throughout Fairfax County to attend meetings. Ability to produce organized and legible handwritten, typed/computer generated documents. Position is generally sedentary. However, it requires the ability to stoop, bend, and reach. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including ) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

#LI-JT1
Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
  • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
  • Group Term Life Insurance
  • Long Term Disability
  • LiveWell Program
  • Flexible Spending Programs
  • Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
  • Paid Holidays
  • Deferred Compensation
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Employees' Child Care Center
  • Continuous Learning Opportunities
Please click for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
  1. Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
    • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
    • Flexible Spending Program
    • Deferred Compensation
  2. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
    • No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
  • Less than 12th grade
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Some college
  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a related degree.
  • Less than 45 quarter hours
  • 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
  • 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
  • 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
  • 180 or more quarter hours
  • Less than 30 semester hours
  • 30 to less than 60 semester hours
  • 60 to less than 90 semester hours
  • 90 to less than 120 semester hours
  • 120 or more semester hours
  • Not applicable

03

Please indicate all major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
  • Accounting
  • Business administration
  • Finance
  • Auditing
  • Public administration
  • Other (related field)
  • Other (non-related field)
  • Not applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable."
05

Have you completed at least six credit hours of basic accounting principles and concepts?
  • Yes
  • No

06

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience in finance or business administration do you possess?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four years or more

07

If you are a Fairfax County employee and using the Bridge Class in order to meet the minimum qualifications of the job classification, do you have at least four years or more of increasingly complex technical experience in Accounting or Finance at the Administrative Assistant IV, or higher, level?
  • Yes
  • No
  • Not applicable (I am not using the bridge class to meet the minimum qualifications)

08

Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?
  • Yes
  • No

09

How many years of full-time professional level financial management experience do you possess?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight years or more

10

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with governmental budgeting and forecasting of expenditures and revenue?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight years or more

11

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
  • Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating a worksheet; performing calculations in a worksheet; modifying and formatting a worksheet; printing workbook contents)
  • Intermediate (Knowledge of inserting and modifying graphic objects in a worksheet; customizing and enhancing workbooks; analyzing data using Pivot Tables, Slicers, and Pivot Charts)
  • Advanced (Extensive knowledge of increasing productivity and improving efficiency by streamlining workflow; collaborating with others using workbooks; auditing worksheets; analyzing data; working with multiple wo

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