Senior Accountant

Company Description

The San Elijo Joint Powers Authority is an award-winning public agency dedicated to serving our communities through safe, reliable recycled water and wastewater services that protect public health and the environment. Located along the beautiful coastline of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, near the ocean and lagoons, the agency is committed to innovative and sustainable practices that produce clean water in an environmentally, socially, and fiscally responsible manner. With a strong culture of collaboration, stewardship, and community focus, the Authority takes pride in enhancing the quality of life for the residents and ecosystems it serves.

DEFINITION:

Under the general direction of the Director of Finance and Administration, the Senior Accountant performs complex, advanced-level professional accounting and financial analyses. The position is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the Authority’s general ledger, maintaining internal financial controls, and providing essential data for operational and financial planning. This role focuses on the fiscal management of wastewater and recycled water operations, with a heavy emphasis on month-end reconciliation, grant administration, and operational budget monitoring.

This is an advanced journey-level professional classification. This position is distinguished from lower-level accounting roles by the requirement for an increased level of technical knowledge and the ability to exercise significant independent judgment in performing complex financial functions. While this position is a high-level individual contributor and does not have direct personnel supervisory responsibilities, it may serve as a technical lead on specific projects, audits, or division initiatives.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

No supervision is exercised.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.

The exact duties performed will depend on the needs of the SEJPA.

• Support the Director of Finance and Administration in carrying out agency’s mission and vision;
• Participates as a lead contributor to the monthly and year-end closing processes; prepares and reviews journal entries and performs reconciliations of general ledger accounts, bank statements, and subsidiary ledgers in coordination with the finance team;
• Prepare and analyze specialized financial reports focused on wastewater and recycled water operations, contributing to monthly financial packets for Board and management review;
• Conduct regular monitoring of operating and capital budgets, analyzing variances and identifying spending trends to provide departmental managers with accurate data;
• Collaborate with project managers to monitor construction contracts, maintain job cost records for the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and track spending against authorized budgets;
• Compile and prepare data to assist in the development of annual operating and capital budgets;
• Serve as the primary technical resource for grant administration, including tracking expenditures for capital projects, ensuring compliance with terms, and preparing documentation for reimbursement;
• Work closely with the Accounting Supervisor and Director to coordinate the annual financial audit, preparing assigned schedules, work papers, and data for the final report;
• Act as a technical lead on specific projects or division initiatives and maintain organized record management;
• Complete all assigned duties accurately and on time in accordance with established deadlines and business practices;
• Other duties as assigned;

SPECIFIC TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR THESE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Advanced knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), including general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, transaction recording, balancing, and reconciliation;
• Experience with financial management and accounting systems, including general ledger activity, report generation, and financial analysis;
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel (sorting, formatting, formulas, pivot tables, and lookups) and working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications;
• Strong analytical and research skills, including the ability to perform complex arithmetic computations;
• Ability to prepare and format professional business correspondence, reports, tables, and other documents with proper grammar and punctuation;
• Ability to interpret and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures;
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines with minimal supervision;
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment;
• Professional, tactful, and diplomatic communication skills when interacting with the public, consultants, vendors, and staff;
• Receptive to coaching and feedback; demonstrates adaptability and a growth mindset;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships to support a collaborative team approach.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Any combination equivalent to experience and education that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:

EDUCATION REQUIRMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Approximately four to five years of increasingly responsible professional accounting experience. Experience in public accounting, utility environment, JPA, or special district is highly preferred. Experience using Abila MIP accounting software is preferred but not required.

LICENSE/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License and insured in accordance with at least minimum coverage and liability standards established by the State of California. Failure to maintain a valid Driver’s License, liability insurance, and the ability to be insured under the SEJPA’s automobile insurance carrier constitutes possible cause for termination. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation although not required, is desirable.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Ability to pass SEJPA’s pre-employment physical examinations; and the ability to read, write, speak, and comprehend English.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee is regularly required to walk, talk or hear by telephone and in person; smell; use hands and fingers to handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; reach and lift with hands or arms.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, the ability to distinguish colors and shapes, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus that enables candidate to perceive and accurately read and interpret written letters, words and objects.

Ability to sit, stand, walk, stoop, reach, bend, climb, push, pull and lift 50 lbs. While primarily an office-based role, occasional site visits may involve exposure to wastewater facility environments including exposure to cold, heat, noise, outdoors, vibration, confining work space, chemicals, explosive materials, mechanical hazards, electrical hazards, toxic substances, foul odors, wastewater, sludge, effluents, bacteria, viruses, and traffic hazards; and ability to travel to different sites and locations. Reasonable accommodations will be made in accordance with ADA regulations.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Normal working conditions for this position are in both an office and field setting. Business travel may be required periodically between sites, governmental agencies, consultants’ facilities, and other locations as required.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts and fumes. The employee may occasionally be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and outside weather conditions and may be exposed to moderate noise.

RIGHT TO WORK REQUIREMENT:

Documentation of eligibility to work in the United States will be required as a condition of employment.

To perform this job successfully, the employee must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. To comply with applicable laws ensuring equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with a disability, the SEJPA will make a good faith effort to provide reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified employee with a disability, unless undue hardship would result to the SEJPA. To request such an accommodation, please refer to the SEJPA employee handbook.

The list of essential job duties contained in this job description is not exhaustive, and may be supplemented as necessary. This position performs other related duties as assigned that may become essential to the position.

• The San Elijo Joint Powers Authority does not discriminate against any applicant for employment on the basis of race, religious creed (which includes religious dress and grooming practices), color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws, ordinances, or regulations.