Senior Accountant

City of Santa Fe Springs; Corte Madera (CA); On-site; USD 9,000 - 11,000; Full time

Job summary

The Town of Corte Madera is seeking a Senior Accountant to support its Finance Department with complex accounting and financial analysis. The role includes general ledger work, payroll, accounts payable/receivable, budgeting support, and coordinating annual close activities.

Ideal candidate has strong governmental accounting experience, exceptional accuracy, and the ability to communicate financial information clearly across departments. Public service mindset a must.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, public or business administration, or closely related field.
• Five (5) years of responsible professional public accounting experience.
• CPA license is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate monthly and year-end general ledger processing and closing.
• Prepare journal entries with proper documentation and post balances.
• Reconcile balance sheet, revenue and expenditure accounts and ensure funds availability.
• Administer payroll and processing time records; prepare related reports.
• Assist with benefits administration and pension reporting.
• Prepare audit schedules and assist during audits.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Financial analysis

Public sector accounting

Payroll processing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field

Job description

Description

Monthly Salary: $9,069 - $11,024

The Town of Corte Madera's Finance Department is hiring a full-time Senior Accountant to join their team.

About Us

The Town strives to enhance the community’s health, safety, and quality of life by serving its residents and businesses through proactive, responsive, and inclusive leadership. Corte Madera, California, a community of just under 10,000 people, is devoted to preserving its rich history, maintaining today’s quality of life, and carefully planning its future. Corte Madera is located in central Marin County and has everything at its doorstep.

To learn more about the Town: The Town of Corte Madera

Department

The Town of Corte Madera’s Finance Department is responsible for safeguarding the Town’s financial resources and supporting sound, transparent, and accountable municipal operations. The Department administers a broad range of financial functions, including accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, auditing, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, investments, fixed assets, and other fiscal activities.

The Finance Department works closely with Town departments to support budget development and monitoring, provide financial analysis and guidance, maintain accurate financial records, and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Through careful stewardship of public resources, accurate and timely financial reporting, and responsive support to the organization, the Department plays an important role in maintaining the Town’s fiscal health and supporting the delivery of high-quality services to the Corte Madera community.

Position

The Senior Accountant performs complex professional accounting and financial work in support of the Town’s financial operations. Under the general supervision of the Finance Director, the position is responsible for financial analysis and reporting, general ledger reconciliation, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, budget support, and monthly and year-end closing activities.

The Senior Accountant also supports the Town’s annual audit, prepares financial reports and schedules, assists with benefits administration, and helps ensure fiscal accountability and compliance with GAAP and applicable laws and regulations. The position requires a high degree of accuracy, independent judgment, technical expertise, and attention to detail.

Ideal Candidate

The Town of Corte Madera is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and detail-oriented accounting professional committed to public service and sound financial stewardship. The ideal candidate brings strong governmental accounting and financial analysis experience, with a focus on accuracy, accountability, confidentiality, and integrity.

The successful candidate is analytical, organized, and solutions-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet critical deadlines, and communicate complex financial information clearly. They demonstrate sound judgment, initiative, and professionalism while building positive working relationships across the organization. A strong customer-service mindset and commitment to supporting accurate, efficient, and responsible financial operations are essential.

Examples of Duties

• Provides complex professional and technical assistance in the administration and implementation of financial, revenue, budget, auditing, and accounting programs, including financial report development, budget monitoring, forecasting, financial analysis, and reimbursement billings.
• Analyzes and reconciles balance sheet accounts and expenditure and revenue accounts, verifying availability of funds and classification of expenditures; researches and analyzes transactions to resolve problems.
• Coordinates monthly and year-end general ledger processing and closing; prepares journal entries with proper documentation; posts and balances general ledger accounts; ensures compliance and accuracy in accordance with GAAP.
• Coordinates and administers a wide variety of financial and accounting programs, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, reimbursement billings, investments, fixed assets, and payroll.
• Prepares various local, state, federal, and other outside agencies' reports.
• Participates in the compilation and preparation of annual budgets, including assisting other staff with budget preparation, providing revenue and expense projections, and monitoring expenditures.
• Participates in the preparation of audit schedules and reports for external auditors and provides assistance during the annual auditing process and program audits throughout the year.
• Reconciles asset, liability, revenue, expenditure accounts, reconciles bank statements to the general ledger and prepares technical transactions in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances.
• Researches and analyzes financial data and develops, prepares and files a wide variety of financial reports and statements including the State Controller's Report.
• Coordinates, prepares, processes, and maintains payroll; receives, reviews, verifies, and processes time recording documents; prepares quarterly and annual tax reports and returns; ensures compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations.
• Assists with benefits administration, including maintaining flexible benefits accounts, processing enrollment and termination, and reviewing invoices and allocating benefits costs to appropriate accounts; prepares and reports pension and deferred compensation to providers.
• Prepares comprehensive financial and accounting activity studies, statistics, statements, and reports, including historical summaries, charts, graphs, and various memos and letters.
• Receives, reviews, and processes various reports and records including payment authorizations and checks, and receipts.
• Researches and analyzes technical transactions to resolve questions and validate data; ensures fiscal accountability and fund integrity for transactions and supporting documentation.
• Interprets, explains, and applies general and governmental accounting/auditing principles and procedures, laws, and regulations affecting the financial operations of municipal government; provides professional and technical guidance and training to other staff in accounting processes and procedures.
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops, and training sessions, and reviews publications to remain current on principles, practices, and new developments in accounting and finance.
• Provides support and vacation coverage for other accounting and administrative staff when needed.
• Assists management with special projects as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of

• Modem principles, practices, procedures and methods of public and governmental accounting and financial analysis, including program budgeting and auditing, payroll processing, project accounting, other record keeping and the application to operations.
• General principles and practices of data processing and its applicability to accounting and operations.
• Payroll record-keeping, processing, and reporting and payment requirements of various State and Federal agencies and benefit providers.
• Basic principles and procedures of benefits administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of human resources practices and operations.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Research and reporting methods, techniques, and procedures.
• Technical report writing and preparation of correspondence.
• Modem office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.

Skill & Ability To

• Analyze financial data and draw sound conclusions.
• Prepare accurate, clear, complete, and concise financial statements and reports in accordance with GAAP.
• Review, post, balance, reconcile, and maintain accurate and confidential payroll and employee benefits records.
• Work closely with staff to maintain a high level of integrity and confidentiality when dealing with sensitive and complex payroll and employee benefits issues.
• Analyze, interpret, summarize and present administrative and technical information and data in an effective manner.
• Train, supervise and evaluate the work of employees.
• Lead, coach, instruct, and motivate employees.
• Interpret, apply, and ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Make accurate mathematics, financial, and statistical computations.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record keeping, and tracking systems.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modem office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted while working.

Typical Qualifications

Any combination of training, education and/or experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities of employment is qualifying.

An example of a way these requirements might be acquired is:

Education

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, public or business administration, or a closely related field.

Experience

Five (5) years of responsible professional public accounting experience.

License/Certificates

Certificate of Public Accountant License is highly desirable.

Supplemental Information

Application and Selection Procedures

Apply On-Line at: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/centralmarinpolice/cortemadera

Hard copy applications may be obtained from and submitted during normal business hours:

Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM by contacting:

Attn: Human Resources

Channelle Ceralde, SHRM-SCP

300 Tamalpais Drive

Corte Madera, CA 94925

Email: [e-mail] | Phone:[phone]

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

The Town of Corte Madera is a drug-free workplace and an equal opportunity employer. The Town is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Human Resources, at: [phone] or [e-mail]

Click on the link for full description of benefits for Town of Corte Madera's Confidential, Professional/Technical & Mid-Managers bargaining group: https://www.townofcortemadera.org/250/Salary-Resolutions-MOUs

01

Applicants who fail to provide all required materials by the given deadline will not be considered. Resumes, cover letters, letters of interest and other correspondence will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Supplemental question responses are an integral part of the selection process; failure to respond or provide a complete supplemental question response or responding "see resume" to a supplemental question, will eliminate you from further consideration.

02

Please describe your education, training, and/or experience that demonstrates your knowledge, skill, and ability to perform professional governmental accounting and financial analysis, including general ledger reconciliation, financial reporting, budgeting, auditing, and year-end closing activities. Please include specific examples of your responsibilities and level of involvement.

03

Please describe your education, training, and/or experience that demonstrates your knowledge, skill, and ability to administer and maintain complex financial functions, including payroll, accounts payable and receivable, benefits-related financial activities, and compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Please include examples that demonstrate your ability to ensure accuracy, resolve discrepancies, and manage competing deadlines.

Required Question