Senior Accountant

Definition

Under general direction, performs complex and responsible professional accounting duties including auditing, analyzing, and verifying fiscal records and reports, preparing financial and statistical reports; providing information to City staff regarding accounting practices and procedures, and reconciling general ledger accounts; reviews, prepares, and maintains accounting reports and schedules; supports management in areas of expertise; and performs related duties as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is advanced professional level classification in the Accountant series that exercises independent judgment on diverse and specialized accounting operations with accountability and ongoing decision-making responsibilities associated with the work.  Incumbents are responsible for planning, organizing, supervising, reviewing, and evaluating the work of assigned staff and for auditing, analyzing, verifying, and preparing financial records and reports.  Incumbents are responsible for providing professional level support to management in a variety of areas. Performance of the work requires the use of independence, initiative, and discretion within established guidelines.  

SUPERVISION EXERCISED AND RECEIVED

Exercises direct and general supervision over administrative, technical, and professional staff. Receives general directions from assigned supervisory or management personnel. 

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The typical job functions of the classification may include, but are not limited to, the functions below and are subject to changes in operational necessity.

• Plans, schedules, assigns, reviews, supervises and participates in the work of staff in the Finance Department; trains staff in work procedures and safe work practices; evaluates employee performance, counsels employees, and effectively recommends initial disciplinary action; assists in selection and promotion.
• Manages federal and state payroll tax reporting, including bi-weekly tax deposits, quarterly filings, year-end reporting, and related journal entries.
• Reconciles payroll liability accounts, researches discrepancies, and prepares recommendations for adjusting journal entries.
• Assists Payroll Specialist with payroll processing in the Workday Payroll System while supporting continuous improvement of payroll operations.
• Provides complex professional and technical assistance in the administration and implementation of the City’s accounting and auditing programs, including financial statements, and reporting, general ledger, and assessment districts accounting; conducts and prepares special studies and reports.  
• Prepares, reconciles, and submits CalPERS payroll reporting in accordance with established requirements.
• Compiles, reconciles, analyzes, prepares, and reviews a variety of financial and accounting statements, analyses, and reports; prepares supporting schedules; works with City departments on projections; assists with staff reports for Council presentations.   
• Assists Payroll Specialist in responding to payroll-related inquiries from City employees and provide guidance regarding payroll policies, procedures, and transactions.
• Prepares complex journal entries for expenditures, budgets, and revenue reporting; reconciles subsidiary ledgers to the general ledger; reviews various accounting transaction reports to ensure accuracy of information and calculations and makes correcting entries.  
• For more information, please visit:  Senior Accountant.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION GUIDELINES

Any combination equivalent to experience and education that would most likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying.  A typical way to obtain knowledge and abilities would be:

Education: Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.

Experience: Three (3) years increasingly responsible professional accounting experience equivalent to an Accountant II with the City of San Leandro.