Accountant III

California State University-Sacramento; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 65,587 - 73,856; Full time

Job summary

California State University, Sacramento seeks an Accountant III to perform advanced professional accounting work under GAAP, including analyses, reconciliations, and coordination of financial reporting for the university and its auxiliaries.

The role requires extensive knowledge of GAAP and government/fund accounting, strong analytical and communication skills, and the ability to supervise staff and liaise with auditors. Regular hours Monday–Friday, on-site in Sacramento; exempt from overtime.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of GAAP and complex financial reporting.
• Experience with government/fund accounting and financial systems.
• Ability to analyze and reconcile complex accounting records.
• Familiarity with auditing and external reporting requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead work direction and oversight to staff.
• Coordinate preparation of GAAP, Single Audit, NCAA statements.
• Serve as primary contact for internal and external auditors.
• Analyze and reconcile accounting records and ensure accuracy.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Fund accounting

Budget analysis

Office tools

Auditing techniques

Data retrieval systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

PeopleSoft/Oracle

Job description

Posting Details

Priority Application Date: Thursday, July 23rd @ 11:55pm (Posting will remain open until filled)

Working Title: Accountant III

Classification Title: Accountant III

Hiring Preference: Eligible on‑campus applicants in California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) Bargaining Units 2, 5, 7, and 9 will be given first consideration in the recruitment.

Position Summary

Under the general direction of the Senior Director, this position performs advanced professional accounting work requiring extensive knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); comprehensive understanding of accounting practices and a working knowledge of federal student financial aid and grant reporting. The role includes detailed examination of the complex University and Auxiliary Organization financial records for completeness and accuracy in conformance with established policies and procedures dictated by the State Controller’s Office, Chancellor’s Office, Integrated CSU Administrative Manual, GAAP and University Policies. This position requires substantial independence, judgement and discretion and provides expertise, lead work direction and oversight to other professional and technical staff. Responsibilities also include independent analysis, maintenance and reconciliation of complex accounting records, coordination of preparation of Legal, GAAP, Single Audit, NCAA and other financial statements, reports and supporting documentation, and serving as the primary contact for internal and external auditors.

FLSA

Exempt (not eligible for overtime compensation under FLSA)

Anticipated Hiring Range

$5,877.00 per month (Step 1) – $6,618.00 per month (Step 7)

Salary Grade/Range

1

Recruitment Type

Regular (probationary)

Time Base

Full‑Time

Work Hours

Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Department Information

Accounting Services is responsible for Sacramento State’s financial record keeping, ensuring that the University operations are in compliance with standard accounting and regulatory practices. The staff processes comprehensive, accurate and timely financial information for reporting and management decision making, and conducts financial transactions such as expenditure transfers, chargebacks, cost recovery and assignment of General Ledger chart strings.

Minimum Qualifications

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and five years of relevant experience. Additional experience that demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities may be substituted for the required education on a year‑for‑year basis. An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year‑for‑year basis.

Required Qualifications

• Knowledge of GAAP including varied technical accounting principles and practices used in the most difficult and complex financial record keeping and reporting.
• Knowledge of governmental and/or fund accounting principles and procedures and accounting system requirements and procedures.
• Knowledge of operations, services, and activities of the accounting and budgeting system and program areas.
• Principles of budget preparation, analysis, and monitoring.
• Knowledge of procedures, policies, rules, and practices affecting the development, maintenance, and control of fiscal record keeping systems including Microsoft Office applications and functions such as pivot tables, charts, and graphs.
• Knowledge of methods and techniques of auditing, verifying, balancing, and reconciling accounting records.
• Knowledge of principles and practices used in establishing and maintaining files and information retrieval systems.

Abilities

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; and communicate effectively with others inside and outside the unit, including conveying complex and technical professional accounting information to non‑Accountants.
• Ability to organize and plan work and projects while handling multiple priorities.
• Ability to understand and troubleshoot issues from the financial systems.
• Ability to perform tasks requiring attention to detail.
• Ability to train others in new skills and procedures.
• Ability to maintain a strong customer focus while working in a fast‑paced environment with a heavy workload, ongoing deadlines and frequent interruptions.
• Commitment to maintaining a welcoming and inclusive work environment with diverse colleagues and constituents including faculty, students, staff, and members of the community.

Skills

• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of Federal, State, California State University (CSU) and Sacramento State practices, policies and procedures.
• Experience working in Higher Education, preferably the California State University system.
• Experience working with PeopleSoft/Oracle Financial System applications.
• Experience testing new or upgraded software/application functionality.
• Experience conducting various presentations/training sessions.

Documents Needed to Apply

Resume and cover letter. Failure to upload these required documents may result in disqualification.

Best‑in‑class Benefits

Benefits information available from the university payroll office.

Equal Employment Opportunity

California State University, Sacramento is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. Sacramento State hires only individuals who are lawfully authorized to accept employment in the United States. The university provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. This policy is complemented by mandatory safety and training requirements.

Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act Notification

Per the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, the current Annual Security Report (ASR) is available for viewing at https://www.csus.edu/clery. The ASR contains current security and safety‑related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information, and drug and alcohol prevention programming. This position may be designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) depending upon the role on campus and/or job duties.

Background Check Disclaimer

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with California State University, Sacramento. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current employees who apply for the position.

Out of State Employment

Sacramento State, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California employer. The university requires all employees to reside in California and prohibits hiring of employees to perform CSU‑related work outside the state.

Eligibility Verification

Candidate must furnish proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. California State University, Sacramento is not a sponsoring agency for staff and management positions (e.g., H‑1B visa).

Note to Applicants

Possession of minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview unless required by the collective bargaining agreement.