Accountant

City-of-Oxnar; Oxnard (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Oxnard is seeking an Accountant with strong technical skills to join the Finance team. The role focuses on payroll accounting, posting, balancing, and reconciliations, helping to analyze budget transactions within a full-service municipality.

Ideal candidates will have experience with payroll journals, monthly reconciliations, and year-end GASB entries. This is a full-time, on-site government position with opportunities to grow in accounting and budgeting responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related field is required.
• Two (2) years of journey-level professional experience in area of assignment.
• Must be able to effectively communicate in English, both orally and in writing.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and analyze General Ledger Accounts and subsystems including payroll, accounts payable/receivable, and revenues.
• Generate biweekly payroll journals with accurate labor allocations.
• Perform monthly reconciliation of Payroll Liabilities and Expenses in Payroll Clearing Account; explain variances.
• Prepare year-end GASB 68, GASB 75, and Compensated Absence Journal Entries with management support.
• Learn and master various accounting functions of a full-service City.

Skills

Payroll accounting

General Ledger

Financial reporting

Budget analysis

GAAP

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance

Tools

Payroll software

Job description

The City of Oxnard's Finance Department is seeking an Accountant with strong technical skills to be part of our talented Finance team. The ideal candidate will have experience with payroll accounting and reporting, including the posting, balancing, and reconciliation of accounts and analysis of budget transactions. This role offers a unique opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing a public service career, allowing them to develop accounting, budgeting, and analytical skills within a full-service municipality.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Contribute to the maintenance and analysis of all General Ledger Accounts and other account subsystems such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, inventory, grants, fixed assets, revenues, and utility billing.
• Work with HR - Payroll and various program managers to generate biweekly payroll journals accurately and in a timely manner, including journalizing labor allocations to reflect proper fund sourcing
• Conduct monthly reconciliation of all Payroll-related Liabilities and Expenses in Payroll Clearing Account and work with Payroll to explain any variances
• Prepare year-end GASB 68, GASB 75, and Compensated Absence Journal Entries with the help of management
• Learn and master the various accounting functions of a full-service City

PAYROLL/CLASSIFICATION TITLE:

Administrative Services Analyst

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This classification is distinguished from the Administrative Services Coordinator/Support Supervisor in that it performs professional financial, managerial, and/or operational analysis work and/or provides professional program analysis, evaluation, and administration.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED / SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Incumbents may serve as a lead worker, assigning work and monitoring work completion. Receives general supervision and is expected to prioritize work to meet deadlines and to keep the supervisor informed of issues that would impact achievement of a deadline, organizational policy or procedure or in consideration of risk management.

WORK SCHEDULE:

The normal work week is Monday through Thursday 8:00am to 6:00pm and alternating Fridays 8:00am to 5:00pm. Depending on the work assignment staff may be assigned to a shift that is outside the standard work hours. In addition, this position may be required to be available to work additional hours in response to peaks in workloads and changes in department needs. The standard work environment varies depending on assignment but is typically either primarily in an office setting or out in the field. The City does not offer hybrid or remote work.

This class specification represents only the core areas of responsibilities; specific position assignments will vary depending on the needs of the Department.

• Performs professional financial, managerial and/or operational analysis work and/or provides program coordination and administration of assigned area.
• Responds to inquiries from internal and external customers; conducts research, audits and/or assessments; provides information, guidance and materials in support of designated programs; troubleshoots issues and resolves problems; and, provides project staff support, liaison services and/or general oversight to designated committees, external stakeholders or project teams. Monitors and ensures compliance with policy, procedures, standards and/or regulations.
• Gathers information, analyzes data, identifies requirements and trends, and presents findings; prepares, updates and maintains records, reports, presentations, marketing materials and databases; provides recommendations and implements solutions in support of assigned area.
• Provides analytical support and coordination of special projects, as assigned.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned.

POSITION SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES MIGHT INCLUDE:

• Posting, balancing, and reconciliation of the general and subsidiary accounts; controls budget for the various funds and projects, determining if funds are available and expenditures properly classified; researches and analyzes transactions to resolve budget problems; provides analysis of available funds at management's request; analyzes budget transactions.
• Participating in the maintenance and analysis of all General Ledger Accounts, and other account subsystems such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, inventory, fixed assets, revenues, and utility billing systems.
• Participating in the fund maintenance and analysis of various City programs; reviewing and approving check requests, procurement requirements, and journal entries.
• Preparing financial statements for assigned projects; prepares schedules and financial worksheets to assess financial status of the programs and make recommendations on corrections.
• Participating in the preparation of financial statements, schedules, and other statistical and financial reports; prepares work papers, financial statements and various reports for federal and state agencies as well as for internal accounting; prepares fund balance projections and reviews with management.
• Participating in central accounting functions such as preparing adjusting entries, fiscal year closing adjustments, and documents for auditors.
• Monitoring and reporting on the status of governmental grants; reviewing and auditing grant contracts, amendments, and other documents to ensure grant compliance.
• Recommending or implementing changes in accounting systems and procedures; identifying and resolving problems and inconsistencies involved in maintaining accounting controls; preparing recommendations and investing surplus funds.
• Coordinating accounting-related activities with other divisions and/or City programs; answering questions and developing procedures for preparing accounting transactions pursuant to GAAP and procedures.
• Performing complex accounting transactions; capitalized leases, assisting grant recipients with issuance and deficiencies, and monitoring grants and related costs/expenditures within prescribed governmental accounting systems.
• Preparing analysis and work papers in preparation for audit examination pursuant to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS).
• Examining, reconciling, balancing, and adjusting accounting records; reconciling and preparing complex bank reconciliations for multiple accounts on an all funds basis.
• Explaining charges to customers for City-provided services as needed.
• Preparing a variety of State, Federal, and local claims, statements, and reports from a variety of sources including computerized data, accounting records, and other source documents.
• Interpreting data and generating related statistical and fiscal reports; preparing and submitting accounting information for data processing and inputting data into the computer.
• Monitoring and controlling revenues, expenditures, vouchers, and the allocation of costs; preparing cash flow projections for managerial use.
• Other duties as assigned.

The following are the minimum qualifications necessary for entry into the classification:

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related field.

EXPERIENCE:

• Two (2) years of journey-level professional experience in area of assignment.

• Must be able to effectively communicate in English, both orally and in writing.

The list of qualified candidates established from this recruitment may be used to fill other full-time, part-time, and temporary assignments. There is currently one (1) full-time vacancy within the Finance Department.

Selected candidate(s) must pass a thorough reference check and background investigation. Some positions that work with or have access to the Police Department may require a polygraph exam. Select positions may require candidates to undergo a pre-employment medical and/or psychological evaluation.

UNION MEMBERSHIP:

Positions in this classification are represented by the Oxnard Mid Managers Association (OMMA).

NOTE:

For most positions, the City of Oxnard relies on office automation (Microsoft Office/Google) and web-enabled tools. Candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with ongoing work.

Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all positions.

Employees are required to participate in the City's direct deposit plan and are paid on a bi-weekly basis.

This position requires a 12-month probationary period. Internal applicant probationary periods will be governed by the applicable MOU.

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 3100, all public employees are required to serve as disaster service workers subject to such disaster service activities as may be assigned to them.

If a candidate accepts a conditional job offer with the City of Oxnard, any and all pending applications for active recruitments with the City of Oxnard will be withdrawn and no longer considered.

This position is not governed by the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and is not eligible for overtime pay.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

The City of Oxnard is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from all qualified applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition, disability, or sexual orientation.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION:

The City of Oxnard makes reasonable accommodations for individuals/people with disabilities. If you believe you require special arrangements to participate in the testing process, you must inform the Human Resources Department in writing no later than the filing date. Applicants who request such accommodation must document their request with an explanation of the type and extent of accommodation required.

LEGAL REQUIREMENT:

On the first day of employment, new employees must provide proof of citizenship or documentation of legal right to work in the United States in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, as amended. The City participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9. For more information on E-Verify, please contact DHS 888-897-7781

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Vivian Morales at [e-mail].

NOTE:

The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice.