Accounting Specialist

Accounting Specialist

The City of Pinole is excited to announce an opportunity to join our Finance Department as an Accounting Specialist!

This essential position plays a key role in supporting the City's financial operations, including payroll administration, accounts payable and receivable, financial reporting, account reconciliations, and other accounting functions that help keep City services running efficiently.

We are seeking a detail-oriented, customer-focused professional who enjoys working with numbers, solving problems, and contributing to a collaborative team dedicated to serving the community. If you're looking for a rewarding career in local government, we encourage you to review the job posting and apply today!

Filing Deadline: 07/16/2026 @ 12pm. Written Exam: 07/23/2026; time TBD.

DEFINITION: Performs technical and detailed work required to produce the City's bi-weekly payroll; performs a variety of financial processing, financial analysis and research, payroll processing, accounts payable, and accounts receivable; provides technical support to the offices to which assigned regarding automated systems; performs related work as assigned.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED: The Accounting Specialist receives general supervision from the Finance Director. The incumbent must be able to work independently in a productive and efficient manner without direct supervision on a daily basis. No direct supervision is provided, however, work training and review may be provided to staff or volunteers on a project basis.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS: The incumbent performs a variety of technical duties in support of the City's finance and payroll systems. Successful performance of the work requires knowledge of automated finance systems, public agency finance, accounting functions and payroll processes and techniques. This class is distinguished from other City office and administrative support classes in that the responsibilities relate specifically to City-wide accounting and payroll functions.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

• Receives, reviews, verifies and processes time recording documents to prepare a bi-weekly payroll for all City employees; audits such documents for completeness, accuracy and compliance with regulations, policy, and procedures.
• Maintains records of employee payroll deductions, insurance selections and other factors related to payroll; prepares reports and payments for various taxing, financial and insurance organizations; incorporates negotiated changes in the Memoranda of Understanding into the payroll system.
• Answers questions from employees and supervisors and researches and resolves issues related to payroll, leave balances, deductions and other payroll related matters.
• Processes employee action forms including W-2's, W-4's, 1099 statements, the ICMA Deferred Compensation Plan and PERS Retirement requirements.
• Processes invoices and prepares weekly check run.
• Prepares monthly and annual reports including the State of California reports for Sales Tax returns, Underground Storage Tank Fee, Diesel Tax Return and 911 reimbursements.
• Provides a variety of general finance office support to the City's Finance Department in such areas as revenue accounting, payroll, finance posting and reporting and in other areas as assigned.
• Processes fees and charges for various programs, prepares receipts as required, balances receipts on a regular basis and prepares bank deposits.
• Maintains a variety of reports regarding revenue received for each departmental or City-wide program; prepares periodic and special reports regarding program revenue and operating costs.
• Prepares monthly bank reconciliations.
• Prepares monthly customer billing.

Performs a variety of financial analysis and research to maximize City/departmental resources.

Assists in preparing departmental budgets; researches information and assists with department budget preparation and administration; coordinates various program budgets; monitors expenses on an ongoing basis.

Reconciles funds on a periodic basis; processes adjusting entries after approval.

Assists in maintaining general ledger and special funds, including the annual close of financial records and the preparation of financial records and reports.

Maintains a variety of budgetary and financial records; audits departmental and payroll records.

Maintains fixed asset records and prepares reports as required.

Uses a variety of standard office equipment, including a computer and various financial, spreadsheet and word processing software; assists in resolution of hardware and software problems.

Performs duties of other Finance staff as needed and assists in their training.

Knowledge of:

• Basic accounting and financial record keeping and financial document processing procedures, including governmental and fund accounting.
• Record keeping and information processing requirements, rules and policies related to the production of an employee payroll.
• Payroll reporting and payment requirements of various state and federal agencies and benefit providers.
• Principles and practices of auditing payroll and accounts payable documents.
• Applicable laws, codes and regulations.
• Techniques for reconciling financial records.
• Record keeping and filing principles and practices.
• Standard business arithmetic.
• Computer applications related to the work performed.
• Techniques for effectively dealing with City employees, the public and others, in person and over the telephone.
• Standard office practices and procedures, including the use of standard office equipment.

Skill in:

• Interpreting, applying and explaining principles and practices of the payroll process.
• Reviewing payroll and other financial documents for completeness and accuracy.
• Maintaining accurate and confidential payroll records.
• Reviewing, posting, balancing and reconciling financial records.
• Maintaining accurate financial records and producing accurate reports in a timely manner.
• Making accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Interpreting, applying and explaining general and fund accounting policies, procedures, laws and regulations.

• Exercising sound independent judgment within procedural guidelines.
• Training staff in work procedures.
• Preparing clear and concise financial reports and statements.
• Organizing own work and meeting critical deadlines.
• Operating standard office equipment, including a computer with word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Associate's degree from an accredited college with major course work in payroll, accounting or a related field, and three years of experience that has included the maintenance of processing and preparation of an employee payroll and/or financial and accounting processing and record keeping. Experience in a public agency setting is desirable. Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.

Working Conditions: Works predominantly inside. May work occasional overtime as required. May travel to sites out of the City. Physical Demands: Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and to use standard office equipment, including a computer; strength and stamina to lift and carry 20 pounds; vision to read printed materials, plans and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone.