Principal Accountant

County of Riverside; California (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Riverside's DPSS is seeking a Principal Accountant to oversee Accounts Payable and Clerical Operations, with a team of about five direct reports. The role involves ensuring GAAP compliance, coordinating with other agencies, and guiding process improvements.

Ideal candidates will have PeopleSoft Financials experience, strong data-analytic skills, and a background in public sector accounting. Travel may be required for interagency coordination and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or related coursework with 18 semester/27 quarter units in accounting and related topics.
• Three years as a professional accountant, including one year in a supervisory or lead capacity.
• Option II: CPA or CIA certificate with similar supervisory experience.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and direct departmental accounting functions or major divisions.
• supervise staff and coordinate accounting with data processing systems.
• Review laws and policies to ensure compliance and determine impact on procedures.
• Coordinate work with other sections and outside fiscal intermediaries; assist in budgeting.
• Develop and maintain forms for fiscal transactions and controls.
• Provide technical guidance and training to staff performing complex accounting work.

Skills

Supervisory experience

GAAP knowledge

PeopleSoft Financials

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

CPA or CI A certificate

Tools

PeopleSoft Financials

Job description

For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.

About The Position

The County of Riverside’s Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), Financial Accounting Section, is seeking a qualified Principal Accountant to oversee the Accounts Payable and Clerical Operations units in Riverside. The Principal Accountant will have approximately five direct reports, including professional Accountants and Supervising Accounting Technicians. The incumbent will represent the Financial Accounting Section, Fiscal, and DPSS in meetings with other county agencies and the State of California on fiscal-related matters. This role will also provide administrative support to management by conducting research and analysis related to operations, processes, and programs, and by proposing recommendations to support management decision-making in the development, implementation, and improvement of departmental operations, services, and programs. Additionally, the Principal Accountant will conduct studies of administrative and operational activities, including fiscal operations, internal controls, and workflow. They will review laws, legislation, and policies to ensure compliance and determine their impact on accounting procedures, recommending changes where appropriate. The Principal Accountant will also participate in the development of training materials for professional accounting and fiscal personnel, serving as a subject matter expert on system changes. The most competitive candidates will have previous experience with PeopleSoft Financials, a solid understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and experience working in accounts payable operations, preferably within a public agency. They should also have experience collecting and preparing statistical data for departmental, state, and federal reporting. The department desires candidates with a background in coaching and mentoring professional accountants while serving in a lead or supervisory capacity.

This class has been deemed eligible for the Performance Recognition Plan as set forth under Article 3, Section 311(C) of the County Management Resolution. Program eligibility requires employees to be in a leadership position, manage other employees or programs, and have significant influence on the achievement of organizational objectives.

HIGHLY IMPORTANT – ALL CANDIDATES MUST HAVE A COPY OF THEIR TRANSCRIPT(S) UPLOADED BEFORE SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATION.

Meet the Team!

The County of Riverside Department of Public Social Services is comprised of employees who work collectively and in partnership with community-based organizations to serve the needs of the community. Can you see yourself here?

Examples Of Essential Duties

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate through subordinate supervisors the establishment, review, revision, and daily operation of a departmental accounting function or a major division of the Auditor-Controller's Office.
• Determine how the departmental or division accounting management program should be structured and how accounting principles should be applied.
• Supervise specialized audits in the Auditor-Controller's Office of the fiscal records and accounting procedures in various County departments, divisions, and agencies.
• Participate in the selection, training, and evaluation of subordinate professional accounting and fiscal clerical personnel; coordinate accounting functions with data processing systems.
• Evaluate, develop, recommend, and coordinate implementation of computer applications to accounting systems and procedures.
• Supervise and participate in the development and maintenance of systems forms for fiscal transactions, recordkeeping and budgetary controls; supervise and perform analysis of complex fiscal recordkeeping systems and procedures.
• Provide technical guidance, direction, and training to subordinate staff performing complex accounting and auditing work, including computer applications.
• Review laws, legislation, and policies to ensure compliance and to determine impact on accounting procedures and recommend changes where appropriate.
• Coordinate the work of subordinate staff with other sections, departments, or outside fiscal intermediaries; assist in the budget preparation process.
• Confer with and advise department and other officials on a variety of accounting and budgetary matters.

Minimum Qualifications

OPTION I

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting, or another field of study that included at least 18 semester or 27 quarter units in accounting, finance, auditing, taxation, financial reporting, business finance, financial statement analysis, or external and internal reporting, or closely related coursework. (One year as a professional accountant with the County of Riverside may substitute for the 18 semester or 27 quarter units of specialized coursework.)

Experience: Three years as a professional accountant, including one year in a supervisory or lead capacity over other professional accountants.

OPTION II

Certificate: Possession of a valid certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor.

Experience: Three years as a professional accountant, including one year in a supervisory or lead capacity over other professional accountants.

ALL OPTIONS

Knowledge of: The principles and techniques of supervision; the theory, principles, and practices of general and governmental accounting, budgeting, and auditing; state and local codes, rules, and regulations influencing County fiscal operations; data processing systems and their application to accounting operations; the methods of developing systems forms for various types of accounting records and reports; the principles, methods, and techniques of public administration, personnel, and business office management.

Ability to: Plan, organize, and direct a complex accounting or auditing program; evaluate and supervise the work of subordinate staff; apply legal and administrative accounting policies to general County accounting systems; analyze data, draw logical conclusions, and recommend effective courses of action; communicate effectively in oral and written form; establish and maintain effective working relationships.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

For questions regarding this recruitment

Contact Danilo Lozano at [e-mail] or 951-955-1605. Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquiries.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Work Location and Telework

In-person attendance is the standard work expectation for County of Riverside assignments. Certain assignments may be eligible for a hybrid telework schedule; however, telework arrangements are subject to management approval, operational needs, and/or may be modified or discontinued at any time. Employees who telework are expected to be able to report to their assigned worksite on short notice or as operational needs require. Unless otherwise specified for a particular position, employees are expected to reside in California following appointment. Limited exceptions may apply. Applicants should contact the assigned recruiter for additional information regarding work location expectations, telework eligibility, and residency requirements.

Proof of Education

If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information

Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies. Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

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