Senior Accountant

Senior Accountant

The Riverside County Auditor-Controller Office is seeking a Senior Accountant who will be assigned to the Property Tax Division in Riverside. Under the direct supervision of the Supervising Accountant, the candidate will work in a lead capacity and be responsible for reading and interpreting contractual pass-through agreements and contracts, reviewing and preparing complex calculations to properly allocate and distribute monies to taxing agencies, schools, and special districts, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, statutory requirements, and health and safety guidelines. Additional duties include preparing state reports, utilizing Excel to generate financial reports, maintaining accounting and fiscal records, preparing fund reconciliations, preparing journal entries, and responding to requests from internal and external stakeholders. The department seeks candidates with strong analytical abilities and advanced Excel skills, specifically experience using macros to automate recurring accounting tasks. Candidates should be self-motivated, organized, able to multi-task, capable of working independently in a lead capacity, and able to communicate effectively. Attention to detail, flexibility, and reliability are essential. Knowledge of the PeopleSoft Financial Accounting System, familiarity with the Aumentum Property Tax System and property tax distributions, experience interpreting legislative requirements including Health and Safety Code, Government Code, and Revenue and Taxation Code, and knowledge of governmental accounting, property tax laws, tax apportionment and distribution processes, redevelopment agencies, and redevelopment dissolution are highly desired. At this time, the position has the opportunity for a hybrid telework schedule based on business need, however job expectations, at times may require in person interaction. Telework may change at any time and you will be expected to report to the office.

Examples Of Essential Duties

• Maintain and control the fiscal recordkeeping functions and systems in a departmental accounting function involving complex and diversified work, or in the Auditor-Controller's Office, plan, organize, and perform complex and specialized accounting work. • Examine and analyze complex fiscal recordkeeping systems and procedures; prepare, review, and verify a variety of accounting, statistical, and narrative reports. • Review accounting policies and procedures to ensure conformance to applicable laws, rules, and regulations; review, evaluate, and assist in the revision, design, and implementation of accounting systems. • Provide advice and assistance to departments and other officials on a variety of accounting and budgetary problems. • May review laws, legislation, and policies to determine impact on accounting procedures and to provide guidance in the performance of accounting and fiscal work. • Coordinate work with other sections, departments, or outside fiscal intermediaries; may coordinate accounting functions with data processing systems. • May represent the department at meetings relative to fiscal and budgetary operations. • May perform purchasing or other fiscally related staff services; may assist in the preparation of district and departmental budgets. • May train, lead, and assist in the evaluation of work performance of accounting and clerical personnel. • Perform special accounting related assignments or projects as required.

Minimum Qualifications

OPTION I Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting, or another field of study that included at least 18 semester or 27 quarter units in accounting, finance auditing, taxation, financial reporting, business finance, financial statement analysis, or external and internal reporting, or closely related coursework. (One year of experience as a professional accountant with the County of Riverside may substitute for the 18 semester or 27 quarter units of specialized coursework.) Experience: One year of professional level accounting or auditing experience equivalent to the County of Riverside Accountant II classification. OPTION II Certificate: Possession of a valid certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor. Experience: One year of professional level accounting or auditing experience equivalent to the County of Riverside Accountant II classification. ALL OPTIONS Knowledge of: Accounting principles and practices; governmental accounting and budgeting; laws and regulations affecting governmental financial operations; the principles of business management and office methods and procedures; data processing systems applicable to accounting operations. Ability to: Interpret and analyze complex data and material, and draw logical conclusions; understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures related to accounting operations; maintain complex records and prepare complex reports and financial statements; prepare oral and written reports; establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Benefits

BENEFIT PROGRAM: SEI

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans. Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .

MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT : County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• Tier I (Classic Member – Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
• Tier II (Classic Member – Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
• Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:

1. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
2. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
3. A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to View email address on click.appcast.io or by calling the Benefits Information Line at View phone number on click.appcast.io, Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at View phone number on click.appcast.io to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options. VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual): 0 < 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days) 4 < 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days) 10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days) Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours. SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual. HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year. BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance). BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase. DISABILITY: Employees contribute to State Disability Insurance (SDI), which provides wage replacement benefits for individuals who are unable to work due to non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. SDI also includes Paid Family Leave Benefits. The wage replacement rate is determined by current law, offering