Principal Accountant

Principal Accountant

Join the City of Glendora and help shape its financial future.

The City of Glendora is seeking an experienced and collaborative accounting professional to serve as Principal Accountant. In this key role, you will help ensure the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the City's financial operations while supporting responsible stewardship of public funds.

You will oversee complex accounting functions, contribute to financial planning and reporting, monitor budgets and cash flow, evaluate/implement technological enhancements (i.e. artificial intelligence), support payroll and audits, and lead staff committed to providing accurate and exceptional public service.

If you are an analytical and service-oriented accounting professional who enjoys collaboration, problem-solving, innovation, and meaningful public-sector work, we encourage you to apply.

Under general supervision, performs accounting functions supporting the Finance Department and other City departments. Oversees work of staff involving a variety of accounting, financial, payroll, and budget functions of the City to ensure accuracy, transparency, and accountability; and performs related work as required.

Highly desirable:

Certified Public Accountant license and/or other recognized government finance/accounting certification (i.e Certified Public Finance Officer, Certified Government Financial Manager, etc.). If the selected candidate does not possess a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and/or another recognized government finance or accounting certification, obtaining the required certification(s) will be a condition of their probationary employment.

Some of the typical duties of the Principal Accountant include but are not limited to, the following:

1. Develops and recommends departmental goals and objectives; implements approved policies and procedures; participates in the development and implementation of accounting systems, control systems, and reporting procedures.
2. Prepares and analyzes complex financial reports and statements; notifies departments when there are discrepancies; oversees cash balances in all funds and recommends adjustments as appropriate.
3. Performs broad account reconciliations across departments, verifies accuracy of recorded transactions; analyzes daily cash flow.
4. Provides insight, supervision, and support over the work of subordinates making entries, reconciliations, and performing other fiscal recordkeeping work; approves and oversees final accounting and ensures accuracy.
5. Makes complex or difficult adjusting entries affecting several sub-systems of an accounting system; reviews the closing of the City's financial records at the end of the accounting period; prepares a variety of related reports.
6. Acts as a liaison to other City personnel, auditors, other agencies, and the public regarding accounting activity; participates and provides professional accounting for auditing; responds to and resolves questions and requests for information from the auditor.
7. Monitors, analyzes, and tracks budgetary expenditures and prepares accounting summaries for use in accounting reports, financial summaries, or reimbursement actions; ensures compliance with approved City budget; forecast budget requirements and evaluates financial impact.
8. Develops, monitors, and maintains records on City assets, construction in progress and infrastructure; records asset additions and deletions, determines asset value, calculates asset records and depreciation schedules, and prepares expenditures analyses on ongoing Capital Improvement Projects.
9. Utilizes various computer applications and software packages; enters and maintains data; generates reports from a database or network system; creates documents using word processing software.
10. Participates in the selection of subordinate staff; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies.
11. Applies principles and practices of payroll administration including understanding of processing employee pay, bargaining group memorandums of understanding, and Federal and State payroll tax reporting requirements and deadlines.
12. Performs related duties as assigned.

Requisite Abilities:

The following generally describes the abilities required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time to successfully perform the assigned duties.

1. Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
2. Research, review and prepare complex accounting reports on a variety of subjects.
3. Analyze data and information and draw logical conclusions.
4. Perform professional accounting work.
5. Use and care for accounting and finance instruments, equipment and working knowledge of applicable systems.
6. Conduct audits of accounting projects.
7. Perform and review complex accounting calculations.
8. Administer contracts and ensure compliance to contract provisions.
9. Communicate effectively with residents, business people, engineers, architects, attorneys, executive management, enforcement personnel, legislative bodies, and a variety of other people with varying background and education status to establish/maintain effective working relationships and promote the goodwill of the City.
10. Plan, direct and coordinate accounting programs.
11. Interpret and apply rules, regulations, legislation and policies.
12. Understand and follow verbal and written directions.
13. Work independently.
14. Operate a computer and use a variety of computer software.
15. Select, supervise, and evaluate employees; oversee training program.
16. Make decisions regarding operational and personnel functions.
17. Independently interpret and apply accounting principles and procedures to maintain control of records, financial statements and databases; research, collect, compile and analyze information and data.

Education and/or Experience:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Five (5) years of increasingly responsible professional level accounting work, including two (2) years of supervisory experience. Governmental accounting experience is highly desirable. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree or equivalent in Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, Accounting, or a closely related field.

Licenses and Certifications:

Possession of a valid Certified Professional Accountant certification.

Knowledge and Skills:

Thorough knowledge of complex principles and practices of accounting and auditing, with emphasis on governmental accounting and budgeting; data processing applications related to accounting and budgeting procedures and practices; general office procedures.

Physical Demands and Working Environment:

The conditions herein 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 job functions.

Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting, subject to noise from office equipment operation; frequent interruptions and contact in person and on the telephone with the public, coworkers and others. Duties are typically performed at a desk or computer terminal, with some travel to different sites, and exposure to noise, dust, vehicle traffic, inclement weather conditions and construction environment and equipment. At least minimal environmental controls are in place to assure health and comfort.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach and twist; to lift, carry, push and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.