SENIOR ACCOUNTANT I

DESCRIPTION

THE CITY OF PLACENTIA IS NOW RECRUITING FOR THE POSITION OF

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT I

THE ORGANIZATION: At the City of Placentia, we strive to make a difference by continually developing our progressive and innovative workforce. Our team works together to foster an environment that promotes diversity, creativity, and respect for everyone’s opinions to ensure a better result for the community we serve. The City believes in a philosophy of continuous improvement and seeks to provide employees with a number of professional development opportunities, including citywide leadership academies, Departmental Retreats, professional coaching, and more. If you are interested in a public sector career with an established agency dedicated to improving the way its employees work, develop, and thrive, this position would be an excellent opportunity for you . Don't Wait; Apply Today!

THE POSITION: Under the direction of the Director of Finance or Finance Manager, the Senior Accountant I performs varied and difficult professional accounting work; administers the general ledger and chart of accounts and balances and reconciles monthly accounting reports and statements involving accounts payable, accounts receivable, and fund accounting; provides technical direction to accounting staff; ensures and develops procedures according to the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; and monitors internal control procedures.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

The following list of functions, duties , and tasks is typical for this classification . Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform other closely related or department-specific functions, duties , and tasks from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices .

• Prepares, reviews, and reconciles monthly accounting statements and tracks actual revenues and expenditures and variance to budget by department.
  

• Audits, balances, and adjusts accounts payable and accounts receivable journals to ensure consistency with the g eneral l edger given exceptions; reviews accounts payables warrant register for completeness and accuracy.
  

• Develops accounting and statistical reports for management use and specialized analyses.
  

• Reconciles monthly bank statements to properly recognize revenues and expenditures in comparison with the general ledger.
  

• Administers the Chart of Accounts and proposes and implements changes in accounting classifications to facilitate proper reporting of accounting transactions.
  

• Keeps current on new regulations and professional standards of the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and other regulatory bodies and recommends the adoption of new internal accounting procedures.
  

• Prepares and reviews accounting statements, tax records, and monthly financial reports.
  

• May provide technical direction to lower- level accounting personnel by explaining accounting procedures and answering related questions; audits transactions for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with accounting standards.
  

• Oversees and audits the work of employees responsible for cash control.
  

• Prepares the annual audit including completion of all work in connection with the annual audit with outside auditors; prepares the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report in accordance with GFOA award standards; assists in preparing the MD&A and note sections.
  

• Advises city departments on city financial and accounting practices, policies, procedures, and data.
  

OTHER DUTIES:

• Performs other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit and the City .
  

TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Training/Experience:

Any combination of training, education, and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field.
  
• Three or more years of varied professional and technical accounting experience, preferably including local government work.
  

Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:
In accordance with California Government Code Section 3100, City of Placentia employees, in the event of a disaster, are considered disaster service workers and may be asked to protect the health, safety, lives, and property of the people of the State.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

(At time of application)

Knowledge of:

• Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards and regulations related to financial accounting, budgeting, and governmental accounting practices
  

• Financial accounting terms and applications
  

• Auditing principles and practices
  

• Operations and uses of integrated accounting, spreadsheets, word processing, and office software applications
  

Skills and Abilities to:

• Operate computer hardware and standard office equipment
  

• Use integrated accounting, spreadsheet, word processing, and database software
  

• Research and analyze accounting transactions
  

• Ensure proper authorization and documentation for disbursements
  

• Exercise judgment in applying accounting standards
  

• Organize and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines
  

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, supervisors, consultants, contractors, and others during the course of work
  

• Read and interpret data, information, and documents
  

• Interpret policies and procedures
  

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Applicants must file a concise and complete City application regarding their qualifications for the position online through the Human Resources Department webpage at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Placentia as soon as possible. Applications may be accompanied by a resume describing experience, education, and training in relation to the requirements of the position; however, resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a City employment application.

All applications will be reviewed and only those candidates determined to be most qualified on the basis of education, training, and experience, as submitted, will be invited to participate in the selection process. The selection process may include but is not limited to oral interviews and/or written exams and oral presentations. Successful candidates will be placed on the employment-eligible list from which hires may be made. The list is valid for up to one year, or until an insufficient number of candidates remain unless exhausted sooner.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The City of Placentia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, political or religious affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, other non-job related physical or mental disability, medical condition, or other functional limitation in employment or the provision of service. The City is committed to making its programs, services, and activities accessible to individuals with qualified disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations to complete the employment application and/or participate in the testing process, please contact the Human Resources Office at (714) 993-8141 prior to the filing deadline. We will attempt to reasonably accommodate applicants with disabilities upon request.

The City of Placentia's Drug-Free Workplace Policy requires that all applicants undergo substance abuse testing prior to employment.

The City of Placentia will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the City is concerned regarding a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act/ .

In accordance with California Government Code Section 3100, City of Placentia employees, in the event of a disaster, are considered disaster service workers and may be asked to protect the health, safety, lives, and property of the people of the State.

MID-MANAGEMENT (Unrepresented) BENEFITS

Schedule - The City operates on a "4/10" work schedule.

Retirement - The City of Placentia participates in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and does not participate in Social Security.

• 2% @ 60 defined retirement plan (Classic Members) - Applies to employees who, prior to January 1, 2013, were active members of CalPERS or another public employee retirement system through which reciprocity may be established. Employee membership contribution is 7%.
• 2% @ 62 defined retirement plan (New Members/PEPRA) - Applies to new employees hired on or after January 1, 2013, who are not members of CalPERS or are not members of another public employee retirement system with which reciprocity may be established. Employee membership contribution is 6.75%.

Health Insurance - The City provides up to $1,877 per month to purchase health insurance for employees and dependents through the CalPERS Health Benefits program. Alternatively, there is a $400 medical opt out payment for employees who are insured outside the City’s insurance coverage.

Telecommunications Allowance - City pays $75/per month.

Dental & Vision Insurance - Fully paid plan for dental and vision insurance.

Life Insurance - Fully paid life insurance policy equal to annual salary. Additional life insurance may be purchased with the employee paying for the premium.

Disability Insurance - Fully paid short-term and long-term disability insurance policies.

Bilingual Pay - An additional pay of $175 per month.

Flexible Spending Account - Employees may contribute to a Section 125 Flexible Spending Account on a voluntary basis.

Educational Incentive Pay - 2% for Associates, 4% for Bachelors, and 6% for Master's Degree.

Deferred Compensation 457 (b) Plan - Employees may contribute to a deferred compensation plan on a voluntary basis.

Paid Time Off (Vacation) - 80 hours per year; increases to 120 hours after 3 years of service.

Alternative Health & Wellness (Sick Leave) - 96 hours per year; this program includes an incentive of up to $1,250 per fiscal year.

Management Leave - Up to 80 hours per calendar year, dependent upon assignment and director discretion. Allotment prorated for new employees.

Holidays - 13 paid holidays per year. In addition, subject to City Council approval, City Hall and most City Services observe a Holiday Closure annually for two weeks at the end of December/beginning of January, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day (paid time off varies per year, assignment and Bargaining Unit; City will provide additional holiday hours during this closure period.

Closing Date/Time: 6/8/2025 11:59 AM Pacific

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• City of Placentia

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