Senior Accountant

Salary : $96,283.20 - $117,020.80 Annually
Location : City of Placentia, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 2026 - 00003
Department: Finance
Opening Date: 07/30/2026
Closing Date: 8/23/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


DESCRIPTION
THE CITY OF PLACENTIA IS NOW RECRUITING FOR THE POSITION OF
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
4/10 Work Schedule Monday - Thursday, 7:15 a.m. - 6:15 p.m.
The filing deadline is August 23, 2026.
Are you passionate about making a tangible difference in your community? Our Finance Department seeks a dedicated, detail-oriented, hardworking Senior Accountant.
DON'T WAIT! APPLY TODAY!

Under the direction of the Director of Finance or Finance Manager, the Senior Accountant I performs varied and difficult professional accounting work; administers the general ledger and chart of accounts and balances and reconciles monthly accounting reports and statements involving accounts payable, accounts receivable, and fund accounting; provides technical direction to accounting staff; ensures and develops procedures according to the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; and monitors internal control procedures.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS (For use in a job series only)
Positions in this class are distinguished from the Senior Accountant II by their responsibility for the implementation of more structured general ledger accounting and reporting processes. The Senior Accountant II requires more specialized knowledge of financial accounting systems and reporting applications and higher problem-solving skills.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
The following list of functions, duties, and tasks is typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform other closely related or department-specific functions, duties, and tasks from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Prepares, reviews, and reconciles monthly accounting statements and tracks actual revenues and expenditures and variance to budget by department.
• Audits, balances, and adjusts accounts payable and accounts receivable journals to ensure consistency with the general ledger given exceptions; reviews accounts payables warrant register for completeness and accuracy.
• Develops accounting and statistical reports for management use and specialized analyses.
• Reconciles monthly bank statements to properly recognize revenues and expenditures in comparison with the general ledger.
• Administers the Chart of Accounts and proposes and implements changes in accounting classifications to facilitate proper reporting of accounting transactions.
• Keeps current on new regulations and professional standards of the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and other regulatory bodies and recommends the adoption of new internal accounting procedures.
• Prepares and reviews accounting statements, tax records, and monthly financial reports.

• May provide technical direction to lower- level accounting personnel by explaining accounting procedures and answering related questions; audits transactions for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with accounting standards.
• Oversees and audits the work of employees responsible for cash control.

• Prepares the annual audit including completion of all work in connection with the annual audit with outside auditors; prepares the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report in accordance with GFOA award standards; assists in preparing the MD&A and note sections.
• Advises city departments on city financial and accounting practices, policies, procedures, and data.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Performs other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit and the City.

TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS


Any combination of training, education, and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

• A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field. Three or more years of varied professional and technical accounting experience, preferably including local government work.

LICENSE(S) REQUIRED:

• Valid, current driver's license.
  
  • The City reasonably expects driving to be one of the job functions for the position, and the City reasonably believes that using an alternative form of transportation would not be comparable in travel time or cost to the City.

CERTIFICATIONS AND TESTING REQUIRED:

• None required

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
RECRUITMENT PROCESS:

Applicants must file a concise and complete City application regarding their qualifications for the position online through the Human Resources Department webpage at as soon as possible. Applications may be accompanied by a resume that describes experience, education, and training in relation to the position's requirements; however, a resume will not be accepted in lieu of a City employment application.

All applications will be reviewed, and only those candidates deemed most qualified based on their education, training, and experience, as submitted, will be invited to participate in the selection process. The selection process may include, but is not limited to, oral interviews, and/or written exams, and oral presentations. Successful candidates will be placed on the employment-eligible list from which hires may be made. The list is valid for up to one year, or until an insufficient number of candidates remain, unless exhausted sooner.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The City of Placentia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, political or religious affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, other non-job related physical or mental disability, medical condition, or other functional limitation in employment or the provision of service. The City is committed to making its programs, services, and activities accessible to individuals with qualified disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations to complete the employment application and/or participate in the testing process, please get in touch with the Human Resources Office at View phone number on click.appcast.io before the filing deadline. We will attempt to accommodate applicants with disabilities upon request, as reasonably possible.
The City of Placentia's Drug-Free Workplace Policy requires that all applicants undergo substance abuse testing prior to employment.
The City of Placentia will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history, in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the City is concerned regarding a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting


DISASTER SERVICE WORKER :
Under California law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109), all City of Placentia employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers, (DSW). In the event of a catastrophic event, City of Placentia employees may be expected to fulfill emergency action assignments. As DSW's, employees may be assigned to assist in any disaster service activity that promotes the protection of public health and safety and preservation of lives and property.
MID-MANAGEMENT (Unrepresented) BENEFITS

Schedule - The City operates on a "4/10" work schedule.

Retirement - The City of Placentia participates in the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and does not participate in Social Security.

• 2% @ 60 defined retirement plan (Classic Members) - Applies to employees who, prior to January 1, 2013, were active members of CalPERS or another public employee retirement system through which reciprocity may be established. Employee membership contribution is 7%.
• 2% @ 62 defined retirement plan (New Members/PEPRA) - Applies to new employees hired on or after January 1, 2013, who are not members of CalPERS or are not members of another public employee retirement system with which reciprocity may be established. Employee membership contribution is 7.75%

Health Insurance - The City provides up to $2,076 per month to purchase health insurance for employees and dependents through the CalPERS Health Benefits program. Alternatively, there is a $400 medical opt-out payment for employees who are insured outside the City's insurance coverage.

Telecommunications Allowance - City pays $75/per month.

Dental & Vision Insurance - Fully paid plan for dental and vision insurance.

Life Insurance - Fully paid life insurance policy equal to annual salary. Additional life insurance may be purchased with the employee paying for the premium.

Disability Insurance - Fully paid short-term and long-term disability insurance policies.

Bilingual Pay - An additional pay of $175 per month.

Flexible Spending Account - Employees may contribute to a Section 125 Flexible Spending Account on a voluntary basis.

Educational Incentive Pay - 2% for Associates, 4% for Bachelors, and 6% for Master's Degree.

Deferred Compensation 457 (b) Plan - Employees may contribute to a deferred compensation plan on a voluntary basis.

Paid Time Off (Vacation) - 80 hours per year; increases to 120 hours after 3 years of service.

Alternative Health & Wellness (Sick Leave) - 96 hours per year; this program includes an incentive of up to $1,250 per fiscal year.

Management Leave - Up to 80 hours per calendar year, dependent upon assignment and director discretion. Allotment prorated for new employees.

Holidays - 13 paid holidays per year. In addition, subject to City Council approval, City Hall and most City Services observe a Holiday Closure annually for two weeks at the end of December/beginning of January, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day (paid time off varies per year, assignment and Bargaining Unit; City will provide additional holiday hours during this closure period.
01


To better evaluate your qualifications for this position, responses to this supplemental questionnaire are required. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility to continue in the selection process. An incomplete and inaccurate application may lead to disqualification. It is your responsibility to fill out the application thoroughly and accurately. Resumes will not be accepted instead of completing these questions. Please provide concise, descriptive, and detailed information when answering questions. If you do not have experience, please write "NONE". IMPORTANT: 'See Resume', 'See Above', or copy and paste of your resume are not considered qualifying responses and will not be considered when evaluating your qualifications.

• I acknowledge receipt of this information and understand the instructions.

02


What is your highest level of education?

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Some college coursework (0-59 credits)
• AS or AA
• BS or BA
• Masters or higher
• None

03


How many years of responsible professional level experience in Accounting and Finance do you possess?

• Less than 5 years of experience
• 5 or more years of experience
• No experience

04


Do you have work experience working for a public sector, local/municipal government agency? Examples include city, county, state, and public safety agencies.

• Yes
• No

05


Please list any accounting and finance certifications you possess (for example, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Analyst, etc.) Include any educational certificate programs you may have completed. If none, mark N/A.
06


Describe in detail your experience preparing for audits.
07


Please describe your experience with revenue analysis, grants, collections, and/or account reconciliations.
08


Please describe your experience using Excel, financial systems, billing systems, or reporting tools to analyze data and prepare reports.
Required Question