County of Ventura Looking for Principal Accountant at United States, California, Ventura Full Time

VENTURA COUNTY
The County’s 1,873 square miles include 1,846 square miles of land with 42 miles of coastline which is home to the fol­lowing cities and points of interest: Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Ventura as well as national protected areas such as parts of the Angeles National Forest, Channel Islands National Park, and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
 
Ventura County is a “general law” county, governed by a five-member, elected-by-district Board of Supervisors. The Supervisors appoint a County Executive Officer (CEO) to oversee the County budget, day-to-day operations, and to advise, assist, and act as an agent for the Board of Supervisors in all matters under the Board’s jurisdiction. It focuses on serving its residents by promoting engagement, strategy, execution and accountability to include diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to ensure that all employees are treated with respect and without discrimination, and to improve culturally appropriate outcomes for community members.

WHAT WE OFFER

The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package that includes:

• Educational Incentive – An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate’s degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor’s degree, OR 5% for completion of a graduate’s degree.
• Bilingual Incentive – Proficiency levels by exam are $.69 per hour (Level I), $1.00 per hour (Level II), or $1.32 per hour (Level III).
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Pay –  A premium of $.47 per hour for a maximum of 80 compensated hours per biweekly pay period will be paid to employees in this classification who possess and maintain a valid, current CPA license or certificate.
• Vacation Accrual – New regular, full-time employees shall accrue approximately 14 days of vacation a year for the first 10,400 hours or 5 years of service; vacation accruals increase at 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 20 years of service topping out at 26 days a year and 400 hours of vacation hours banked. 
• Annual Leave Redemption – After 14,560 hours of continuous County service an employee may elect to “cash in” or redeem up to 80 hours of vacation accrued in the same year after using 80 hours of vacation in the preceding 12 months. 
• Sick Leave – Full time regular employees accrue 3.08 hours of sick leave per pay period with an advance at hire of 40.04 hours which will be balanced at the completion of 13 bi-weekly pay periods. 
• Deferred Compensation – Eligible to participate in the County’s 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3.00% match on your 401(k) contributions. 
• Health Plans – Full time employees are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans: Tier one for employee only is $497 per biweekly pay period, tier two for employee plus one is $678 per biweekly pay period and tier three for employee plus family is $825 per biweekly pay period.
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Choice of participation in the Flexible Spending Accounts which increase spending power through reimbursement of pre-tax dollars for IRS approved dependent care and health care expenses. 
• Pension Plan – Both the County and employees contribute to the County’s Retirement Plan and to Social Security. If eligible, reciprocity may be established with other public retirement systems, such as PERS. 
• Holidays – 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.

THE POSITION

Under general direction, the Principal Accountant performs working supervisory accountant functions which are highly complex in assigned fiscal program area; functional areas of responsibility may include the supervision and direction of staff performing professional or technical accounting work in an assigned department or agency fiscal program area;  non-supervisory, expert-level responsibility for planning, organizing and directing a major department finance program or function; and directing and supervising fiscal staff and operations within smaller department settings.

Principal Accountant is the fourth and highest working level in the Accountant series performing working supervisory accountant functions which are highly complex but less policy focused than accountabilities assigned to management level positions.

AGENCY/DEPARTMENT: Various departments

Principal Accountant is represented by the Service Employees’ International Union (SEIU) and is not eligible for overtime compensation.  

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular, Temporary, Fixed-term, Intermittent, or Extra Help vacancies. There are currently multiple vacancies throughout the County in various departments/agencies.

Examples Of Duties

The following duties are considered characteristic but not inclusive, and are examples only.  Specific assigned duties may differ depending on the needs of the department/agency.

• Performs a variety of duties in supervising the operations, services and staff within an assigned department or agency fiscal program; plans, directs and supervises the work of professional, technical and clerical fiscal staff engaged in fiscal transactional processes, reconciliation and balancing of fiscal accounts; budget development and financial reporting.
• Participates in the selection and evaluation of staff; provides training and employee development; determines the most effective use of resources.
• Completes performance evaluations and conducts regular conferences with employees to discuss their performance; documents performance and attendance problems; discusses corrective or disciplinary action with management and/or Human Resources; takes corrective or disciplinary action.
• Conducts a review of staff work and performs quality control; ensures that staff are performing their work in compliance with County and program rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Develops staffing schedules to ensure sufficient coverage for operations; approves time off; verifies and approves time cards; communicates schedule changes to management and staff.
• Advises and consults with management concerning the development of departmental operating and program budgets, revenue producing or debt service proposals, as well as the accounting and financial implications of existing and projected departmental activities.
• Collects and analyzes financial information; prepares and oversees the preparation of periodic and ad hoc accounting and financial reports including, but not limited to, the quarterly reports, monthly financial reports, payroll reports and internal service funds reports.
• Prepares and monitors the budget in assigned program area; calculates expenditures and revenues; analyzes budget variances and presents reports to executive management.
• Performs fiscal, auditing and compliance activities for diverse programs receiving local, state and federal funding; ensures programs are compliant with funding entity and County rules and regulations.
• Interprets and applies laws and regulations governing assigned operations.
• Manages assigned grant programs including a review of monthly program reports, and communications with all service providers/grantees on fiscal and program operations.
• Provides technical expertise and information to auditors, local, state and federal agencies, supervisors, managers and others regarding assigned functions.
• Develops and oversees implementation of financial policies and procedures in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the County’s Administrative Manual.
• Reviews financial documents such as ledgers, reports, vouchers, purchase orders, and invoices to ensure that proper cost centers are charged, that expenditures and revenues are recorded in the proper classification, and that purchases and other transactions by the department are proper in accordance with their approved budget; determines the level and appropriateness of year-end closing accruals, prepayments, deferrals, depreciation, or adjustments.
• Assists in rate setting for product lines and services.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
 
EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE
Any combination of education and experience which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills and abilities. An example of qualifying education and experience includes:

Bachelor’s degree with at least eighteen (18) semester units of college-level accounting coursework, including two (2) semesters of Intermediate Accounting; PLUS

Either,
A) Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional accounting experience, one (1) year of which must be at a lead or supervisory level; OR
B) Two (2) years as a Senior Accountant for the County of Ventura.

Education/Experience Substitutions
Professional level accounting experience may be substituted for up to two (2) years of undergraduate education on a year-for-year basis, provided the candidate possesses at least eighteen (18) semester units of college-level accounting coursework, including two (2) semesters of Intermediate Accounting.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Verification of accounting coursework is required

Verification of the required college degree and college-level coursework is required. Transcripts or grade reports from an accredited college or university which reflect the date your degree was conferred and passing grades in the required subject areas must be attached to your application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.  If the name on this documentation is different from the name on your application, include documents that show the name change (e.g., a marriage certificate).

Degree (s) from a foreign institution require an academic credential evaluation to determine the U.S. equivalency.

You must submit the required college degree and college-level accounting coursework verification documentation with your application.  Attach a copy to your online application by using the Add Attachment (s) link in the Attachments section of your application.  If you prefer, a hard copy may be submitted to County of Ventura Human Resources, Attn: Patty Booker, 800 So. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA 93009 within three (3) business days of the date you submit your application.  If you submit a hard copy, be sure it’s a copy.   Whatever you submit will not be returned to you.

If transcripts or grade reports are not submitted, your application will be screened out and you will not be allowed to continue in the process. 

HIGHLY DESIRABLE 

• Master’s degree In Business Administration
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  

Thorough knowledge of: operations, services and activities of a comprehensive fiscal program in assigned area; Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, practices, and standards; governmental accounting and auditing standards and guidelines; budgeting methods and processes; principles and practices of cost accounting; laws and regulations affecting the financial operations of governmental and departmental operations; principles of business management; data processing systems applicable to accounting operations; principles of supervision, training, discipline and performance evaluation.

Skill in: effectively planning, organizing and directing work to meet workload demands; preparing and reviewing complex fiscal documents and reports; research and analysis; analyzing financial/accounting data and draw logical conclusions; using initiative, prudence and independent judgment within general policy, procedural and legal guidelines; use of computers and related technology including software applications specific to the work performed.

Ability to: effectively delegate, assign and review the work of staff; motivate, teach and instruct others in a work setting; organize and prioritize work assignments; manage change and encourage/support staff impacted by change; prepare financial reports and statements; understand interrelationships among financial/accounting records and documents; understand, interpret and apply a variety of complex rules, regulations, contracts or legal documents in proper accounting context; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE:  This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time once sufficient qualified applications are received to meet business needs.  Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources no later than 5: 00 p.m. on the closing date..

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs.  A paper application can be obtained by calling (805) 654-5129.  Our address is County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA  93009.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
 
It is an objective of the County of Ventura to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for county employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.