Accountant III - Sheriff's Department

Pima County; United States; On-site; USD 72,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

Pima County's Sheriff's Department is seeking a qualified Accountant III to manage financial reporting, trial balances, and compliance with GAAP. This open-competition position supports multiple funds and provides essential accounting services to the department and auditors.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field and professional accounting experience; CPA may substitute for one year.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, public or business administration or related field.
• Two years of professional accounting, budgeting, auditing or financial management experience.
• CPA designation may substitute for one year of required experience.

Responsibilities

• Participates in the preparation of interim and annual financial statements and other financial reports
• Prepares year-end working trial balances and other supporting accounting schedules and documents
• Provides technical assistance as needed to the Auditor General staff
• Collects, analyzes and balances financial and statistical data for all funds
• Reviews and analyzes accounting transactions, validates account coding and maintains accounting records
• Reviews, analyzes, balances and reconciles accounting activities
• Prepares accounting operating procedures and detailed flow charts
• Provides operational advice and training on the use of automated financial system to departmental users
• Monitors the recording of financial information in the general ledger system to ensure data conforms to generally accepted accounting principles and established procedures
• Implements changes to legislation enacted by the local, state or federal government, e.g., IRS codes, wage and hour laws, state sales taxes, etc.
• Prepares data for monthly, quarterly or annual reports, e.g., 941, sales tax, W-2’s, 1099’s, etc.
• Prepares audit work sheets, schedules, reports, statistical data and all supporting documentation to be used in compiling annual financial reports
• Reviews, analyzes and generates reports from the automated financial systems
• Provides centralized billing and collection services
• Evaluates impact of requested or mandated changes to automated financial systems, researching the feasibility of requests and making recommendations for improvements
• Develops detailed specifications regarding changes to accounting transactions needed for automated interfaces
• Monitors transactions related to cash, property tax, LGIP statement, interest accumulation, etc.
• Provides cash management for federal grant programs
• Provides technical assistance and education related to IRS regulation, wage and hour laws, GAAP, etc., to other department personnel

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Financial reporting

Trial balances

Interdepartmental collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics, public or business administration or related field

Two years of professional accounting/ budgeting/ auditing/ financial management experience

CPA designation may substitute for one year of required experience

Job description

Job Description Summary

Department - Sheriff's Department Job Description OPEN UNTIL FILLED Job Type: Classified Job Classification: 5245 - Accountant III - Elected Officials Salary Grade: 15 Pay Range Hiring Range: $72,009 - $86,403 Annually Pay Range: $72,009 - $100,817 Annually Range Explanation: Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity. Pay Range is the entire compensation range for the position. The first review of applications will be on 10/30/2026.

Essential Functions

• Participates in the preparation of interim and annual financial statements and other financial reports
• Prepares year-end working trial balances and other supporting accounting schedules and documents
• Provides technical assistance as needed to the Auditor General staff
• Collects, analyzes and balances financial and statistical data for all funds
• Reviews and analyzes accounting transactions, validates account coding and maintains accounting records
• Reviews, analyzes, balances and reconciles accounting activities
• Prepares accounting operating procedures and detailed flow charts
• Provides operational advice and training on the use of automated financial system to departmental users
• Monitors the recording of financial information in the general ledger system to ensure data conforms to generally accepted accounting principles and established procedures
• Implements changes to legislation enacted by the local, state or federal government, e.g., IRS codes, wage and hour laws, state sales taxes, etc.
• Prepares data for monthly, quarterly or annual reports, e.g., 941, sales tax, W-2’s, 1099’s, etc.
• Prepares audit work sheets, schedules, reports, statistical data and all supporting documentation to be used in compiling annual financial reports
• Reviews, analyzes and generates reports from the automated financial systems
• Provides centralized billing and collection services
• Evaluates impact of requested or mandated changes to automated financial systems, researching the feasibility of requests and making recommendations for improvements
• Develops detailed specifications regarding changes to accounting transactions needed for automated interfaces
• Monitors transactions related to cash, property tax, LGIP statement, interest accumulation, etc.
• Provides cash management for federal grant programs
• Provides technical assistance and education related to IRS regulation, wage and hour laws, GAAP, etc., to other department personnel

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in accounting, finance, economics, public or business administration or a closely related field as defined by the department head at the time of recruitment AND two years of professional experience in accounting, budgeting, auditing or accounting analysis, or financial management research.
• OR: Two years with Pima County in an Accountant II, Financial Analyst II, or closely-related position as determined by the department head at the time of recruitment. (A CPA designation may substitute for one year of required experience.) (Relevant experience and/or education from an accredited college or university may be substituted.) Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with/knowledge of working in a government agency or public entity.
• Minimum two (2) years experience in processing payroll, accounts payable, or similar financial transactions.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and other data analysis.
• Minimum one (1) year experience in grant compliance and/or grant contracts.

Selection Procedure

Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.

Supplemental Information: Licenses and Certificates

Valid driver license is required at time of application. Valid AZ driver license is required at time of appointment. The successful applicant will be subject to a 39-month DOT Motor Vehicle Record review to determine applicant’s suitability to operate county vehicles in accordance with Pima County administrative procedures. Failure to obtain and maintain the required licenses and certifications shall be grounds for termination. Any offer of employment resulting from this recruitment is contingent upon Fleet Services’ review and approval of the candidate’s driving record.

Special Notice Items

Some positions may require satisfactory completion of a personal background investigation by the court or law enforcement agencies, due to the need for access to County Attorney and Court facilities, records, and communication systems. The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education, and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County. Some positions may require satisfactory completion of a personal background investigation by the court or law enforcement agencies, due to the need for access to County Attorney and Court facilities, records, and communication systems.

This position will require a post-job offer physical and/or drug screen. Pima County determines whether a position is eligible for visa sponsorship at the time of recruitment. Eligibility is based on the requirements of the position and applicable laws and regulations. Not all positions with Pima County are eligible for visa sponsorship.

Physical/Sensory Requirements

Physical and sensory abilities will be determined by position. Action Activity - none; Motion Activity - simple grasping and fine movement; Hearing Activity - none; Speaking Activity - in person and on the phone; Vision - operate a motor vehicle, distinguish colors, have depth perception and have peripheral vision.

Working Conditions

Working conditions will be determined by the position.

EEO Information

Pima County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, kinship, political interest, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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