Senior Accountant

City of Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Berkeley is seeking a Senior Accountant to join the Finance Department. The incumbent will perform advanced accounting, financial analysis, and reporting with oversight of reconciliations, month- and year-end closing, grants, investments, audits, debt service, and regulatory reporting, and supervisory responsibility over more junior accounting staff.

The role supports preparation of the City's annual financial report and provides technical accounting information to city executives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or closely related field with substantial accounting coursework (intermediate to cost accounting).
• Three years of increasingly responsible professional accounting experience, preferably in a governmental/public agency setting.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Perform advanced accounting, financial analysis, and reporting.
• Provide independent oversight of key accounting functions including reconciliations, month- and year-end closing, grants, investments, audits, debt service, and regulatory reporting.
• Supervise more junior accounting staff.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or closely related field

Job description

The City of Berkeley is seeking a Senior Accountant to join the Finance Department! In this role, the incumbent will perform advanced accounting, financial analysis, and reporting. The position provides independent oversight of key accounting functions, including reconciliations, month- and year-end closing, grants, investments, audits, debt service, and regulatory reporting, and supervisory responsibility over more junior accounting staff. The role also supports the preparation of the City's annual financial report and provides technical accounting information to city executives.

See the full job specification here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/berkeley/classspecs/105562

A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined above is: Possession of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, or a closely related field, which included substantial accounting coursework (including successful completion of intermediate accounting, advanced accounting, governmental accounting, managerial accounting and cost accounting), and three (3) years of increasingly responsible professional accounting experience, preferably in a governmental or public agency setting. This experience should include a minimum of one-year supervising accountants. A Certified Public Accountant license is desirable.

Applications must be received by 5:00 PM Pacific on September 14, 2026 and must include a completed application and answers to the supplemental questions. Please note that resumes are not a substitute for a completed application.

Applications are available in alternative formats (audio-format, braille, large print, electronic text, etc.) upon request to [e-mail]. Please allow 10 days for production of the material in an alternative format.

• Application review for minimum qualifications (qualifying experience will be calculated based on the administrative review date)
• Oral Exam (tentatively scheduled for the week of October 5, 2026)

Tests may consist of any combination of written, oral or other exercises or assessment procedures that test content and may include, but are not necessarily limited to, typing, math, reading, writing and analytical skills; problem solving ability; computer and software proficiency, or any other job-related knowledge, skill, ability or qualification. The examination process and dates are subject to change. The City may, without notice, change or eliminate any assessment component as needs dictate. Applicants passing all examination phases will have their names placed on an employment eligible list that hiring departments will use to conduct final selection interviews.

Reasonable Accommodations: The City is committed to making reasonable accommodations in the examination process and in the work environment. Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in the examination process must submit a request in writing to [e-mail] at the time of application.