Principal Accountant

City of Pomona; Pomona (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4/10 work schedule (Fridays off)

6% education incentive pay for amaster

80 hours Executive Leave

5% salary increase in Oct 2026

Job summary

City of Pomona in Pomona, CA, seeks an experienced Principal Accountant in the Finance Department to perform advanced governmental accounting duties, oversee critical processes, and support leadership in budgeting, auditing, and financial reporting for the Successor Agency, Pomona Public Financing Authority, and CIP.

The ideal candidate will have in-depth knowledge of GAAP, government accounting, and regulatory requirements, with strong analytical and communication skills to lead complex

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field required.
• Five years of accounting experience with at least two years in government accounting.
• CA driver's license required; CPA license desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide complex staff assistance and coordination for accounting functions.
• Participate in development and implementation of complex accounting programs and systems.
• Prepare and administer budgets; provide fiscal forecasting and controls.
• Audit and review accounts; prepare journal entries and financial reports.
• Monitor bond activity for Successor Agency and Pomona Public Financing Authority.
• Prepare year-end entries and work with auditors on reports.

Skills

Mathematical Facility

Critical Thinking

Customer Focus

Teamwork

Resource Allocation

Professional & Tech Expertise

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

Job description

Are you ready to take the next step in your career? The City of Pomona is seeking an experienced and highly skilled accounting professional to join the Finance Department as a Principal Accountant. This recruitment is open to both external applicants and eligible City employees.

In this key role, the Principal Accountant performs advanced and specialized governmental accounting duties, oversees critical accounting processes and programs, and supports the Finance Department’s leadership team. The position is responsible for complex financial analysis, budgeting, auditing, financial reporting, and accounting activities related to the Successor Agency, Pomona Public Financing Authority, and capital improvement projects.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge of general and governmental accounting principles, financial reporting, budgeting, auditing, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Successful candidates will demonstrate exceptional analytical skills, sound professional judgment, and the ability to identify and implement improvements to accounting systems, processes, and procedures.

The ideal candidate will also be an effective communicator who can explain complex financial information, develop positive working relationships, and independently manage high-level administrative and analytical assignments. Experience with Successor Agency activities, capital improvement projects, bond financing, and governmental audits is highly desirable.

Supervision Exercised

May exercise technical and functional supervision over professional and technical staff.

Why Pomona

The City of Pomona offers meaningful public service work, opportunities for professional growth, and an excellent benefits package, including:

• 4/10 work schedule (Fridays off)
• 6% education incentive pay for a master’s degree or higher
• 80 hours of Executive Leave in addition to vacation and sick leave
• Competitive salary with a 5% increase effective October 1, 2026

If you are ready to advance your accounting career and contribute to the City’s continued financial strength and accountability, we encourage you to apply.

Any combination equivalent to experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting or a related field.
• Five (5) years of responsible accounting experience, including two (2) years government accounting experience.

Licenses

• Must possess or obtain a valid CA Class "C" driver's license.
• Desirable, not required: Possession of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.

Core Competencies:

To excel in this position, one must possess a set of core competencies. These competencies include, but are not limited to the following:

• Mathematical Facility: Performing computations and solving mathematical problems
• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectation of customers
• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Allocating Resources: Prioritizing the use of fiscal and material resources to maximize organizational effectiveness
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job

• Provide professional, specialized, complex, and advanced journey level staff assistance and coordination in support of accounting functions and programs.
• Participate in the development and implementation of complex, new, or revised accounting programs, systems, procedures, and methods of operation.
• Participate in the preparation and administration of budgets; provide fiscal forecasting; maintain and monitor appropriate budgeting and expenditure controls.
• Research, collect, compile, and analyze information from various sources on a variety of specialized accounting topics; prepare comprehensive accounting records, reports, and summaries to present and interpret data, identify alternatives, and make and justify recommendations.
• Audit account numbers and balance appropriations available for financial demands and purchase orders; review account balances and entries for errors; make journal entries.
• Review staff reports and resolutions for the Successor Agency and CIP; make corrections to staff reports and resolutions and coordinate necessary staff report changes with initiating department.
• Monitor Successor Agency and Pomona Public Financing Authority bond activity; participate in the issuance of bonds; draw bond proceeds to reimburse related projects.
• Prepare entries to record revenues, wire transfers, make payments to assessment districts, and correct expenditures.
• Monitor and balance various accounts verifying availability of funds and classification of expenditures; research and analyze transactions to resolve problems.
• Record year-end entries for Successor Agency and Pomona Public Financing Authority; work with auditors to provide details about records; review audit drafts for the Successor Agency and the Pomona Public Financing Authority.
• Prepare the Controller's Report for the Pomona Public Financing Authority.
• Perform cash flow analyses.
• Review general ledger transactions.
• Develop financial statements; audit accounting documents; analyze accounting and reporting requirements of reports; establish appropriate accounting procedures; prepare accounting-related reports.
• Initiate journal entries to record transactions; collect and compile information for capital improvement studies; prepare summaries, reports and recommendations.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Open & Promotional Recruitment

This recruitment is open to external candidates as well as any City of Pomona employee not serving an initial probationary period and any other hourly City employee.

Examination Procedure

Screening of qualifications and "most qualified" is based on the information provided on the official City Application. A resume may be attached to your application, but will not substitute for the completion of your application. Applications that are not entirely completed may be rejected. This recruitment may also establish a list for future vacancies.

Supplemental Questions

To complete your application for this position you will be prompted to respond to supplemental questions. Incomplete responses, false statements, omission, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Your responses should be consistent with the information provided on your application. The information will be used as part of the application screening and selection process and is designed to help you present your qualifications for this position. This may include a selection step in which your application and supplemental questions are reviewed and scored by a panel of raters familiar with this position.