Senior Accountant - Payroll Specialist

ABOUT GALT

The City of Galt, located in the heart of California's Central Valley, offers the perfect blend of small-town charm and modern convenience. Known for its friendly community, excellent schools, and beautiful parks, Galt is an ideal place to live, work, and play. Conveniently situated along Highway 99, Galt provides easy access to both Sacramento and the Bay Area, making it a desirable location for families and professionals alike. The city hosts popular events such as the Galt Market, a vibrant open-air market that draws visitors from across the region. With a strong sense of community, affordable housing, and plenty of recreational opportunities, Galt is a growing city that still holds on to its welcoming, hometown feel. Join us in Galt — the Great American Little Town!

ABOUT THE POSITION

The ideal candidate will have extensive expertise in public agency accounting, 

complex government payroll systems, and statutory regulations, including GASB, GAAP, and FLSA,

 as well as a demonstrated ability to maintain absolute fiscal accountability for public funds.

Base Pay Increases: 
Effective July 1, 2027:  $43.75 - $53.18

• Incentive Pay - Up to 5% incentive for City-approved educational courses.
• Longevity Pay - Beginning at 10 years of service, 5%; at 15 years of service, 7.5%.
• Bilingual Pay - $100 per month.
• Cell Phone Stipend- $75 per month.
• Medical-in-lieu - Employees who waive the City's medical coverage shall receive $200 per month for employee only, $350 per month for employee plus one, and $500 per month for family. 

BENEFITS:

• Home Buying Program - $25,000 interest-free loan to assist with the purchase of a home in Galt city limits.
• Tuition Reimbursement - Up to $4,000 per fiscal year.
• Holiday Pay -  Fourteen (14) paid holidays: One (1) floating holiday and thirteen (13) fixed holidays observed: New Year’s Day, MLK Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
• Vacation Leave- 80 hours per year for the first 4 years of service, 120 hours after 4 years, 160 hours after 10 years, 200 hours after 15 years, and 240 hours after 22 years.
• Vacation Credit - Those with 4+ years of prior public agency experience may request to accrue at a rate of 120 hours.
• Vacation Cash Out- Eligible employees may cash out up to 80 hours per year. 
• Sick Leave- 96 hours per year.
• Admin Leave - 70 hours for exempt employees.
• Health Insurance- City pays a generous portion of the CalPERS medical premium (9 options), City pays 100% for dental and vision premiums.
• Life Insurance- City pays a $50,000 policy and a $1,500 policy for dependents.
• Long Term Disability - City-paid policy; benefit is up to 60% of base salary.
• EAP- Confidential employee assistance plan.

Unrepresented/Mid-Management 

Under direction, performs a variety of advanced level accounting work including recording and reporting of financial transactions within budgetary controls; supports and implements accounting and auditing procedures and standards, reconciles financial activity, participates in audit activities, performs a variety of grant administration duties; prepares financial reports and work papers, performs review and analysis of funds and accounts including balance sheet, revenue and expenditure accounts, and provides highly responsible staff assistance to assigned management staff.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general direction from the Accounting Manager or higher level management staff.  No direct supervision of staff is exercised. May exercise technical and/or direct supervision over other accounting and clerical staff

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey level in the Accountant series; positions at this level perform more complex duties and responsibilities, exercising a significant level of independent judgment in the performance of their duties; work assigned to this advanced level requires a specialized technical or functional expertise beyond the journey level such as diverse accounting systems, extensive labor cost allocations and considerable financial analysis/reporting requirements; positions may also be assigned lead supervisory duties over lower level staff when such assignments are a formal organizational responsibility supervising at least three subordinate staff members.The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set    forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Prepares, maintains, analyzes, verifies, and reconciles complex financial transactions, statements, records, and reports; reconciles assigned accounts and makes adjustments as necessary.
• Maintains and updates records for the City's fixed asset accounts in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) valuations, quality assessment, and reporting requirements.
• Maintains and updates records for the City's lease accounting records in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) valuations, quality assessment, and reporting requirements.
• Performs a variety of grant administration duties; interprets grant award agreements and monitors for compliance; provides grant accounting and prepares required financial reports; maintains accounting records and documentation related to state, federal, local, and other funding sources; ensures proper billing, collection, and spending of grant funds.
• Provides grant accounting and prepares required annual financial reports. 
• Maintains complete accounting record keeping on state, county and other funding sources, including block grants.
• Implements GASB pronouncements for the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. 
• Coordinates, reviews and compiles consolidated State and federal financial statements and reports including the ACFR, State Controller Annual Statement of Transactions, and Department Budget Report of Revenues and Expenditures.
• Reviews and troubleshoots accounting functions and procedures as needed and implements policies and procedures, as assigned.
• Prepares a substantial number of year-end work papers to be used in the annual audits.
• Reviews accounting documents to ensure accuracy of information and calculations and makes correcting entries, and examines supporting documentation to establish proper authorization and conformance with agreements, contracts, and state and federal regulations.
• Prepares journal entries and periodic reconciliations of general ledger, journal, subsidiary accounts and bank statements
• Creates financial reporting templates, procedures and analytical tools used to instruct/train fiscal staff
• Establishes and maintains general and subsidiary accounts and related ledgers including revenue and disbursement; reconciles various accounting reports to the County's general ledger; gathers, compiles, and prepares financial and statistical reports to county, state, and federal agencies
• Compiles and prepares financial statements, general and subsidiary ledgers and supporting schedules.
• Participates in the development and review of department policies and procedures; makes recommendations for changes and improvements to existing standards, policies, and procedures.
• Participates in the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and related year-end financial statements, schedules, and reports; prepares and verifies the accuracy of year-end financial statements for use in preparation of the ACFR
• Prepares schedules and reports for use by external auditors; verifies information and provides documentation as required by auditors.

• Reviews financial documents such as vouchers, purchase orders, and invoices to ensure that proper cost centers are charged, that expenditures and revenues are recorded in the proper classification, and that purchases and other transactions by the department are proper in accordance with their approved budget; determines the level and appropriateness of year-end closing accruals, prepayments, deferrals, depreciation, or adjustments.

• Serves as back-up to payroll, accounts payable, or accounts receivable
• Provides basic fund accounting training to City staff
• Provides responsible staff assistance to management staff; performs special department projects as assigned.
• Provides functional and technical training, direction or work review to lower level accounting staff on a project or day-to-day basis.
• Performs related duties as assigned

Knowledge of:

• Operations, services, and activities of a municipal accounting program.
• Principles and practices of public agency financial management including general and governmental accounting, budgeting, auditing, and reporting functions as well as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
• Uses and application of electronic data processing in the maintenance of accounting records, budget preparation.
• Principles and practices of automated financial systems. Principles of municipal budget preparation and control. Grant accounting.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• Principles of business letter writing and report preparation.
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Principles, practices and terminology of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) applicable to government, including pronouncements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
• Applicable federal, state and municipal laws, rules and regulations governing public agency accounting and finance practices, fiscal controls, and financial reporting, including requirements related to the Single Audit Report.
• City and municipal policies and procedures.
• Identification of understanding of the design and implementation of internal controls. Principles and practices of integrated computerized financial systems, particularly related to the processing of accounting information.
• Financial statement and footnote preparation.
• Laws, principles and practices related to the investment of public funds.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.

Ability to:

• Independently perform the most difficult professional accounting assignments. Examine and verify financial documents, reports, and transactions.
• Prepare a variety of budgets, financial statements, reports, and analyses. Analyze, post, balance, and reconcile financial data, ledgers, and accounts. Analyze and draw conclusions from financial data.
• Interpret financial data and recognize accounts that need detailed investigation.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary    to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Understand, interpret, and apply general and specific administrative  and   departmental  policies and procedures as well as applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Analyze complex issues, evaluate alternatives, and reach sound conclusions.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously and be sensitive to  changing   priorities  and deadlines.
• Plan and organize work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.
• Work cooperatively with other departments, City officials, and outside agencies.
• Respond tactfully, clearly, concisely, and appropriately to inquiries from the public, City staff,    or other agencies on sensitive issues in area of responsibility.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Work independently in the absence of supervision. Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, finance, public administration, business administration, or related field.

Experience: Four years of increasingly responsible professional governmental accounting experience.

License or Certificate: Possession of a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) Certificate highly desirable.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Knowledge of:  Principles, practices, and terminology of general fund, and governmental accounting; principles and practices of business data processing, particularly related to the processing of accounting information; applicable laws regulating public agency accounting and fiscal operations; and budgeting principles and terminology. 

Skill in: Verifying the accuracy of financial data and information; ensuring proper authorization and documentation for disbursements and other transactions; analyzing, posting, balancing, and reconciling financial data ledgers and accounts; making sound independent judgments within established guidelines; preparing clear, concise, and complete financial reports and statements; passing a screening process to become bonded; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Ability to: Ability to: prepare financial reports and statements; understand interrelationships among financial/accounting records and documents; analyze financial/accounting data and draw logical conclusions; understand, interpret and apply a variety of complex rules, regulations, contracts or legal documents in proper accounting context; organize and prioritize work assignments; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed material and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone.  This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing and walking between work areas may be required.  Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment.   Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information.  Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS
Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances.  Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Must be able to pass a pre-employment physical and background investigation, including fingerprinting.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
All applications will be reviewed to determine whether they meet the minimum qualifications for the position. A complete employment application is required; a resume does not replace the information requested on the application, including work history. Applications that state "see resume" or otherwise lack sufficient information to evaluate whether the minimum qualifications are met will be rejected.

All supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed for minimum qualifications. Answers to questions stating “see resume” or “see application” will not be considered. If the questionnaire requests a certification be attached, you must attach the certification as verification. Certifications that are not attached will not be considered and may result in the application being rejected. 

For some recruitments, a limited number of the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the examination process, which may include a written examination, presentation, practical skills assessment, oral panel interview, or a combination of these components. Candidates who pass a written examination, presentation, or practical skills assessment are not guaranteed an oral panel interview, as the department may choose to interview only the highest-scoring candidates. 

An eligibility list will be established for candidates who pass the examination process; current and future vacancies may be filled from this list. The eligibility lists will remain active for one year from the assessment completion date. When vacancies occur, candidates on the eligibility list may be contacted for additional interviews.

All correspondence regarding this recruitment will be sent via email only. Emails will be sent from [email protected] and may be directed to your spam or junk folder. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure your email address is accurate and capable of receiving these messages. 

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
Before beginning employment, candidates must successfully complete the pre-employment process. Depending on the classification, the pre-employment process may include reference checks, DOJ/FBI fingerprinting, a Personal History Statement (for specific classifications), a police records check (for specific classifications), and a medical examination, which may include a drug screening, physical examination, lift test, and/or hearing test. For Police Department candidates, the pre-employment process may also include a CVSA, background investigation, and psychological examination. 

RECRUITMENT ACCOMMODATIONS
Accommodations may be made for disabilities and religious convictions. Applicants requiring testing accommodations must submit the Request for Reasonable Accommodations Form  to Rachelle Jennings, Human Resources Analyst by email to [email protected] 72 hours prior to the test date.