Senior Accountant

Senior Accountant

Join our team as a Senior Accountant! This advanced journey-level position plays a key role in analyzing billing and collection trends, monitoring investment activity, preparing investment reports, and improving financial processes that strengthen the District's long-term financial health.

If you enjoy analyzing data, solving complex revenue and investment questions, improving processes, and working collaboratively across departments, this is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the financial health of a public agency.

Under general direction, the Senior Accountant - Revenue & Investment performs complex financial, revenue, investment, billing, cash management, and operational analysis in support of the District's financial operations. This role reviews and analyzes customer billing activity, revenue trends, collections, adjustments, cash flow, investment activity, interest earnings, and related financial data to ensure accuracy, compliance, transparency, and strong internal controls.

As an advanced journey-level and lead position, the Senior Accountant - Revenue & Investment provides day-to-day guidance to staff, coordinates revenue and investment-related assignments, and collaborates with Finance, Customer Service, IT, and other departments to support accurate billing, effective collections, investment reporting, cash management, and sound financial decision-making.

Santa Margarita Water District is a dynamic, forward-thinking agency dedicated to delivering high-quality potable water, recycled water, and wastewater services to its 200,000 customers across Southern Orange County. As one of the region's largest and most impactful utilities, we are committed to the highest standards of transparency, innovation, and environmental stewardship.

Our people drive our progress, innovation, and results. Our collaborative, human-first culture fosters the sense of fun, comradery, and a rewarding sense of purpose as we do work that matters.

Dynamic teams of intelligent individuals work collaboratively to achieve SMWD's goals and solve challenges with a common aim that fosters a unique bond that is not often found in governmental agencies.

Santa Margarita Water District's values include: Exemplary service excellence, Intelligent innovation that is forward-thinking and adaptive, Ethical fiscal responsibility and transparency, Environmental and resource stewardship, Employee development and leadership training, Building relationships that strengthen communities.

Essential Functions

What You Will Do

Revenue Management & Analysis

• Perform complex revenue analyses, billing review, reconciliations, and reporting for District revenue programs.
• Analyze customer billing activity, revenue trends, collections, adjustments, refunds, write-offs, and related financial data.
• Reconcile billing system activity to financial reports, revenue accounts, and general ledger records.
• Monitor potable water, recycled water, wastewater, fees, penalties, and other District revenue sources.
• Prepare revenue reports, variance explanations, trend analysis, and financial summaries for District leadership.
• Research and resolve complex billing, revenue, customer account, and system-related discrepancies.

Investments & Cash Management

• Monitor District investment activity, cash balances, interest earnings, maturities, and portfolio performance.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly investment reports for management, committees, and the Board.
• Assist with cash flow analysis and forecasting to support liquidity needs, investment decisions, and reserve planning.
• Reconcile investment statements, interest earnings, fair market values, and related financial activity.
• Support compliance with the District's investment policy, reserve policy, and applicable reporting requirements.
• Coordinate with banks, investment providers, trustees, and internal staff regarding investment activity, transfers, and reporting.
• Analyze investment trends, yields, market activity, and cash flow needs to support financial planning and decision-making.

Process Improvement & Internal Controls

• Review revenue, cash management, and investment-related procedures and recommend improvements to strengthen accuracy, efficiency, and internal controls.
• Coordinate with Finance, Customer Service, IT, and other departments on billing system changes, reporting needs, and process improvements.
• Provide technical guidance, training, and lead direction to staff involved in billing, collections, reconciliations, investments, and financial reporting.
• Assist with audit requests, revenue documentation, investment schedules, and compliance-related reporting as needed.

What You Bring

• Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience with revenue analysis, billing, collections, customer account activity, investment reporting, cash flow analysis, banking activity, or public agency cash management.
• Ability to analyze large amounts of data and identify trends, discrepancies, and process improvements.
• Understanding of billing systems, revenue controls, reconciliations, investment statements, interest earnings, maturities, fair market values, and portfolio reporting.
• Ability to prepare clear revenue, cash, and investment reports for management, committees, or governing boards.
• Knowledge of internal controls related to billing, collections, cash handling, banking, and investments.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to explain complex financial, revenue, cash, and investment information clearly.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, financial systems, banking platforms, investment portals, billing systems, reporting tools, and other business software.

Requisite Abilities/Qualifications & Guidelines

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, economics, or a related field and at least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in revenue analysis, investments, cash management, billing, collections, financial analysis, accounting, or a related field, including one (1) year in a lead or project coordination capacity.

Experience in a government agency, utility, public finance, banking, treasury, or public sector environment is desirable. Certification or training in public funds investing, treasury management, governmental finance, or a related area is a plus.

This position requires strong judgment, discretion, analytical ability, and the ability to work collaboratively with internal departments and external partners. The selected candidate must be able to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, prepare accurate reports, and maintain effective working relationships.