Staff Accountant

At Community Financial System, Inc. (CFSI), we are dedicated to providing our customers with friendly, personalized, high-quality financial services and products. Our retail division, Community Bank, N.A., operates more than 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. Beyond retail banking, we also offer wealth management, investment management, insurance and risk management, and benefit plan administration.

Just as our employees are committed to helping our customers manage their finances, we're committed to our employees. After all, they make it happen for our customers every day.

To ensure our people can enjoy long and successful careers here at CFSI, we offer competitive compensation, great benefits, and professional development and advancement opportunities. As an equal-opportunity workplace and affirmative-action employer, we celebrate and support a diverse workplace for the benefit of all: our employees, customers and communities.

This position is responsible for performing the accounting associated with fixed assets and leases. This includes analyzing invoices for proper treatment, recording individual assets to fixed asset system, reconciling general ledger accounts, summarizing activity and performing annual reporting for SEC purposes.

• Fixed assets
  • Analyze accounts payable invoices for proper general ledger coding (i.e. fixed asset vs. maintenance), capital expenditure requisition, budget number and sales tax. Determine asset class, depreciation methods and useful years of life for each of 5 classifications within the fixed asset system.
  • Work closely with the purchasing department to resolve issues regarding classification and support.
  • Work closely with the accounts payable department to ensure all fixed assets are properly recorded on the general ledger.
  • Maintain fixed asset system for all fixed asset additions, deletions and transfers. Run depreciation, verify for accuracy and import into general ledger.
  • Prepare monthly and annual roll forward reports for tax purposes and PWC documenting all additions, deletions and adjustments for CBNA, BPAS and CBSI.
  • Prepare and file yearly Capital Expenditure Survey.
  • Develop and input specialized spreadsheets for acquisitions to ensure proper recording of assets on both the fixed asset system and general ledger.
  • Annually assist in the budget preparation for fixed asset additions and depreciation, including the development of excel spreadsheets detailing monthly depreciation by asset, class and company.
  • Develop and maintain monthly spreadsheet by project number for work in process. Review status of projects and work with individuals throughout the Bank to determine status of ongoing projects and ensure projects are closed timely and posted to the general ledger.
  • Reconcile all fixed asset accounts monthly to the general ledger
• Maintain leasing software (Lease Query)
  • Work with various departments and subsidiaries to maintain an up-to-date lease database.
  • Prepare monthly reconciliations.
  • Review expiration dates of current leases monthly.
  • Resolve discrepancies in payments and termination of leases with Facilities and AP.
• Assist Tax Manager with State and Federal tax filings to ensure timely payments and processing of entries related to returns. Assist with response to notices and mailings as appropriate.
• Backup for the the daily reconciliation of the Federal Reserve bank account, Federal Reserve deferred account, and Federal Home Loan Bank account as needed.
• Backup AP as needed for processing and coding invoices into Banktel.
• As an integral member of the Accounting Department, this position is also responsible to provide assistance wherever necessary to help the department and the bank in achieving their annual goals.
• Maintain proficient knowledge of, and demonstrate ongoing compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to this position, ensure ongoing adherence to pertinent policies, procedures, and internal controls, and meet all training requirements in a timely manner.

• A.A.S. degree in Accounting
• Proficient reading, writing, grammar, and mathematics skills; strong computer skills, including Excel.
• Strong interpersonal relations and communication skills
• Minimum of two (2) years experience in a professional level Accounting position
• All Applicants must be 18 years of age or older

Hours: 40 hours/week.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience plus potential for annual merit increase. In addition to your competitive salary, you will be rewarded benefits including: 11 paid holidays, paid vacation, Medical, Vision & Dental insurance, 401K with generous match, Pension, Tuition Reimbursement, Banking discounts and the list goes on!

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk or sit. Use hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, and speak and hear. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to focus.

The Company is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

The Company will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability. If you have a physical or mental impairment and would like to request an accommodation with respect to the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department.