Accountant III

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

Job summary

City of Needles is seeking an Accountant III to perform advanced municipal accounting work, prepare complex financial reports, and ensure compliance with government regulations. You will lead higher-level work, support accounting operations, and coordinate with the Director of Finance to manage major accounting systems.

The role requires strong analytical ability, attention to detail, and experience with public funds, cost accounting, and audits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or closely related field.
• Two to four years of professional accounting experience.
• One year of governmental accounting and/or budgeting.
• Experience in complex financial reporting and analysis.

Responsibilities

• Maintains records of revenues, expenditures, and special funds; prepares analyses, journals, and reconciliations.
• Balances day-to-day operations and posts to general ledger; reconciles bank statements and investment accounts.
• Prepares monthly financial reports for City management; analyzes variances and prepares correcting entries.
• Assists or leads in preparing ACFR or Single Audit; supports external auditors.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or closely related field

Master’s degree preferred

Two to four years of professional accounting experience

One year of governmental accounting and/or budgeting

Experience in complex financial reporting and analysis

Tools

GAAP Knowledge

GASB Standards

Job description

Position Summary

This position reports directly to the Director of Finance and Administrative Services or designee. Under general direction, the Accountant III performs

advanced professional-level municipal accounting work, preparing complex financial reports, and ensuring compliance with government regulations. This advanced journey-level role requires independent judgment and may involve leading lower-level staff or managing major specialized accounting systems.

Examples of the Work Performed (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY):

• Performs complex and technical accounting duties in the maintenance of records of revenues, expenditures, and special funds; prepares analysis, spreadsheets, schedules, journal entries, and reconciliations to produce accurate financial reports and footnotes.

• Reviews, supports, and participates in day-to-day accounting operations, balancing and posting all expenditures and revenues, and adjusting journal entries to the general ledger; reconciles bank statements, investment, fiscal agent, and other accounts to the general ledger; reviews and prepares a variety of journal entries for entity and component units and other specialized funds/accounts.
• Generates and assists in preparation of monthly financial reports for City management and departments; conducts expenditure analysis, researches variances and discrepancies, and prepares correcting entries.
• Assists the work of the Accounting, Accounts Payable, Purchasing or Payroll Divisions of the Department as determined by the Director.
• Prepares, creates, and drafts fixed asset schedules based on general ledger and purchasing activity; enters data on fixed assets and depreciation schedules in the fixed asset system; generates schedules and reports for use by the City's outside auditors.
• Collects, analyzes, graphs, and prepares data, working papers, and reports for use by City management and auditors; researches entries to the general ledger to evaluate their accuracy, necessity, and adherence to accounting standards and legal or regulatory requirements; develops cost accounting summaries of construction accounts for reimbursable capital projects for submission to state agencies.
• Audits accounting records and conducts specialized studies and analysis.
• Assists, supports, and may lead in preparing the annual ACFR or Single Audit; generates reports, schedules, working papers, and other accounting records for the City's outside independent auditors.
• Reviews, develops, and recommends accounting control methods to improve existing procedures; ensures conformity with City policies and procedures and professional accounting standards.
• Performs other duties assigned including performing any duties in the lower accountant series positions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or closely related field.
  • Two to four years of professional accounting experience.
  • One year of governmental accounting and/or budgeting.
  • Experience in complex financial reporting and analysis
  • Or any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the above minimum requirements
  • Required to pass a pre-placement drug screen, physical and background investigation.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)

• Principles and practices of general, fund and governmental accounting.
  • Principles and practices of cost and fixed asset accounting.
  • Ability to train others in work procedures.
  • Internal control and audit principles and practices.
  • Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Governmental Accounting Standards Board and Government Finance Officers Association accounting standards and requirements.
  • Principles and practices of public agency budgeting.
  • Federal, state and local laws, regulations and court decisions applicable to assigned areas of responsibility.
  • Basic principles and practices of public administration, including budgeting, purchasing, contract administration and maintenance of public records.
  • Research methods and statistical and financial analysis techniques.
  • Principles and practices of computer-based financial and accounting systems.
  • Principles and practices of sound business communication.
  • Uses and operations of computers and standard business software.
  • Operating a computer and spreadsheet software and other standard office equipment.
  • Analyzing and making sound recommendations on complex financial data and operations.
  • Evaluating departmental accounting practices, procedures and processes and making sound recommendations forimprovement.
  • Understanding, interpreting, explaining, and applying City, state and federal law, codes, ordinances and regulations and professional accounting standards regulating City financial accounting, reporting, and recordkeeping.
  • Developing and assisting in implementing financial procedures and internal controls.
  • Performing complicated mathematical calculations and analysis.
  • Maintaining files, records, and documentation.
  • Communicating clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
  • Maintaining confidentiality of City documents and records.
  • Exercising tact and diplomacy in interpersonal dealings with sensitive situations.
  • Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
  • Performs other duties assigned including performing any duties in the lower accountant series positions.

Desired Experience and Training

• Demonstrated experience working in a team environment/lead role.
• Demonstrated experience performing highly complex accounting and finance work.
• Master’s Degree preferred in accounting or closely related field.
• CPA, CGFM, CGFO, other finance and/or accounting designation desired..

Physical Requirements and Working Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and fingers to handle or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to ten pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to twenty-five pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close and intermediate vision.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually quite too moderate.