Accountant/Accounting Technician/Accounting Assistant II - Fixed Term

Summary/Class Characteristics

Accountant/Accounting Technician/Accounting Assistant II - Fixed Term

The City is currently looking to fill four (4) fixed term allocations within the Finance Department, two at the Accountant level, one at the Accounting Technician level and one at the Accounting Assistant II level.

Please note these positions are full time and fully benefited for a term of 2 years.

For a full, detailed job description for Accountant, please click here .

For a full, detailed job description for Accounting Technician, please click here .
For a full, detailed job description for Accounting Assistant II, please click here .

SALARY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE
SALARY RANGES :

• Accountant: $83,158.40 - $101,067.20 (+3% COLA in July 2025)
• Accounting Technician: $67,932.80 - $82,576.00 (+3% COLA in July 2025)
• Accounting Assistant II: $58,489.60 - $71,136.00 (+3% COLA in July 2025)

FOR YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING:

• MEDICAL INSURANCE: Choice of a variety of CalPERS Health Plans. City pays ~95% of the Bay Area Kaiser premium for employee & eligible dependents; or alternative option to receive Medical Cash Back (if you have medical coverage elsewhere). Please see the 2024 Health Plan Contribution Memo .
• DENTAL & VISION INSURANCE: Coverage for employees & eligible family members, paid for by the City.
• LIFE INSURANCE: Competitive life insurance & Long-Term Disability benefits. Option to purchase additional life insurance.
• EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: Support and benefits, for you & eligible family members, paid for by the City.
• WELLNESS BENEFIT: $500 annual allowance (subject to the annual budget approval process and may change in the future)

FOR YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE:

• CALPERS RETIREMENT PACKAGE
  • 2% at 60 for Classic CalPERS members
  • 2% at 62 for PEPRA CalPERS members

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN: voluntary participation in your choice of three plan offerings. FOR YOUR WORK / LIFE BALANCE (annual amounts):

• Vacation: 80 Hours, increasing with years of service
• Sick Leave: 96 hours
• Holidays: 12 fixed days
• Personal Leave: 8 hours

• Other Benefits:
  • Paid Parental Leave - up to 8 weeks of paid time for qualifying family bonding
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Employer

The Accountant classification is represented by the Petaluma Professional and Mid-Managers Association. Please refer to the Memorandum of Understanding for Unit 4 and the Employee Benefits website for additional details.

The Accounting Technician and Accounting Assistant II classifications are represented by AFSCME. Please refer to the Memorandum of Understanding for Unit 3 and the Employee Benefits website for additional details.

#petalumaproud

A City that Works for Everyone

Our City has an enormous amount of civic pride which celebrates multiple approaches and points of view. When we say we are a City that Works for Everyone we mean everyone. To do that well, we’re creating a workforce that is inclusive and listens to the multitude of voices and views of our employees. Diversity is an integral part of our organizational identity. Inclusion is the way we treat and perceive our differences. Equity is treating all our employees fairly and acknowledging that everyone has value. This drives our innovation, motivation and connects us even closer to our community.

Duties

Examples of duties may include:

Accountant:

Participate in accounting tasks related to the maintenance of the City’s financial record keeping, reporting, and control systems.

Reconcile and balance various records and ledgers, investigate discrepancies, and make appropriate adjustments according to existing policies and regulations governing the agency’s fiscal record-keeping systems.

Perform a variety of accounting activities including the preparation of complex bank reconciliation, detailed calculations, record keeping, and reconciliation in various accounting areas.

Prepare for approval standard and adjusting journal entries.

Gather and compile a variety of numerical data and prepare statistical and financial reports for distribution internally and to outside agencies such as federal, state, and other local agencies.

Make recommendations regarding work processes and procedures in area of assignment.

Process and produce the City’s bi-weekly payroll and perform related activities, including the review and verification of payroll documents, data entry for payroll records and information, maintenance of payroll records, and preparation of various payroll related reports, as assigned.

Monitor and ensure timely payment of all mandated state and federal payroll taxes; process bi-weekly payments for automatic deposits, deferred compensation, and other benefit plan payments, as assigned.

Maintain various payroll tables and databases; develop and maintain systems for monitoring and tracking payroll and employee benefits related information, as assigned.

Monitor and ensure compliance with payroll related City policies, Memorandums of Understanding, Compensation Plans and Agreements, and state and federal legislation affecting payroll.

Perform related duties as assigned.

Accounting Technician:

Perform accounting tasks related to the technical maintenance of the City’s financial record keeping, reporting, and control systems; provide technical accounting support pertaining to a wide range of financial areas, including general accounting, procurement, utility billing, and payroll according to existing policies and regulations governing the City’s fiscal record-keeping systems.

Perform a wide variety of duties pertaining to the maintenance of subsidiary and general ledger accounts; balance subsidiary accounts to the general ledger; code, approve, and reconcile transaction documents and records; investigate account discrepancies and recommend final adjustments; reconcile daily deposits and cash receipts; reconcile journal entries and bank statements.

Perform primary maintenance on assigned accounts (e.g., assessment districts or external service accounts); maintain and apply account criteria, including account history, legal requirements, and contractual obligations; monitor, process, and reconcile account transactions and complete all filing requirements according to the unique rules, regulations, and/or requirements of the specialized account.

Prepare tax returns for assigned accounts by applying basic knowledge of governmental tax accounting procedures.

Approve check requests within a limited dollar amount by verifying account numbers, check amounts, proper authorization, and proper backup; investigate and resolve payment issues as needed.

Provide technical assistance for financial audits; review assigned account records for compliance with government auditing and accounting standards; prepare audit work papers and other support documentation.

Resolve escalated customer inquiries and complaints regarding bill amounts, rate changes, usage patterns, leak adjustments, and prorating of bills; troubleshoot billing system problems.

Gather, prepare, and maintain information for payroll files, records, and reports as assigned; review payroll forms for accuracy, completeness, and conformance to department and City policies; make corrections or adjustments as necessary; compute and post complex time and leave accruals; reconcile payroll certification records.

Serve as lead worker, including scheduling, assigning, monitoring, and reviewing the work of Accounting Assistants responsible for cashiering, billing customer service, and other accounting support functions; train assigned staff in work methods; monitor and review work to ensure it is performed properly and efficiently and office policies and procedures are being followed.

Prepare a variety of technical financial documents; gather, compile, and evaluate financial, statistical, and operational data for reports to state and federal agencies; prepare supporting statistics and data tables; examine and verify financial documents for completeness and accuracy.

Furnish information by searching for and abstracting specialized or technical data; provide explanation of laws, regulations, policies, or procedures; send materials and form letters; compose routine correspondence.

Recommend and implement improved work methods and procedures.

Perform related duties as assigned.

Accounting Assistant II:

Process invoices for payment; match invoices and other requests for payment with purchase order or contract documents; issue checks; receive and review payment reports to ensure accuracy, proper authorization, and compliance with City policies and procedures.

Input information or prepare forms to produce warrants; reconcile and prepay payment requests for non-purchase order expenditures, including utility and telephone payments.

Reconcile and compute payments due for various benefit program providers.

Generate and process purchase orders and provide information to vendors regarding invoices and purchase orders.

Receive and screen visitors and telephone calls, assist the public in completing and filing applications and other forms, and provide factual information which may require the interpretation of policies and procedures; take messages or refer the caller to the proper person.

Research and compile a variety of informational materials from sources both inside and outside of the office; open and sort mail and attach pertinent back-up materials.

Type and draft a wide variety of finished documents from stenographic notes, brief instruc tions, or printed materials; may use word processing equipment; input and retrieve data and prepare reports using an on-line or personal computer system; initiate specified correspondence independently for signature by appropriate management, supervisory, or professional staff; review finished materials for completeness, accuracy, format, and compliance with policies and pro cedures, and appropriate English usage.

Organize and maintain various office files; follow up on projects, transmit information, and keep informed of unit activities; schedule and arrange for meetings; organize own work, set priorities and meet critical deadlines; may arrange for meetings, including preparing and distributing agenda materials and taking and producing minutes of actions or proceedings.

Prepare meeting agendas and distribute materials; attend meetings to take minutes; prepare and distribute minutes; compile, edit, package, and track reports.

Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

Any combination equivalent to the education and experience likely to provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to gain such knowledge and abilities would be:

Accountant
Education:
A Bachelor's degree with major course work in accounting or a related field.

Experience:
Two years of professional accounting experience that demonstrates possession of the required knowledge and abilities. Two years of local government accounting is desirable.

Accounting Technician

Education:

Completion of 60 semester (or equivalent quarter) units from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, finance, economics, business administration, or a related field.

Experience:

Three years of accounting experience, including two years at a level equivalent to Accounting Assistant II with the City of Petaluma. Governmental or non-profit accounting experience is desirable.

Substitution:

A Bachelor’s degree with major course work in accounting, finance, economics, business administration, or a related field may substitute for the above required experience.

Accounting Assistant II
Education:
Equivalent to graduation from high school, supplemented by some course work in bookkeeping or basic accounting.

Experience:
Two years of bookkeeping, financial clerical, or office assistant experience.

Certifications/Licenses:

Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license.

Physical Demands and Working Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use the computer keyboard and mouse, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and stand, walk, and stoop, or crouch. The employee will occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Duties require the ability to work in an office environment where the noise level is usually moderate.

The City of Petaluma offers a wide-ranging, comprehensive benefit package including CalPERS retirement, medical, dental, vision, life, LTD, etc. For moreinformation regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website: https://cityofpetaluma.org/employee-benefits-information/

Closing Date/Time: 12/17/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• City of Petaluma

• 707-778-4534

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