Senior Accountant

The City of Pasadena is seeking an advanced level senior accountant with strong accounting and financial analysis skills to maintain and control assigned accounting systems.
The Finance Department has one vacancy for a Senior Accountant position that will bolster existing staff and provide more cross training opportunities.
This position will work in the General Accounting section, supporting and liaising with a number of City departments.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL: Be able to commit to the City's busy financial season, typically July through December.
Capable of introducing improvements to the accounting operation to include contribution to the City's financial system.
Has a background in governmental accounting, Construction-in-Progress (CIP) Accounting, Utility Accounting, and/or Grants Accounting, and/or: Has experience as auditor of government entities, including Single Audit.
Experience in the assembly of a City's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) is a plus Essential Functions The major responsibilities of this position are listed below.
For more detailed information, please review the job description.
Performs diverse professional accounting administration work required to assist, facilitate and coordinate effective accounting practices and policies; Records, reviews, reconciles and analyzes financial data including interfund transfers, billings, bank reconciliations, accounts receivable and payable, bank notes and loans, leases and other financial contracts and/or agreements; Conducts special fiscal studies, such as 9-month and annual fund analysis; Performs analyses; develops and recommends improved accounting methods and procedures; Prepares reports on fund availability and obligations; Prepares various statements and evaluations, formulating recommendations based on findings; Develops and maintains schedules to include subsidiary accounts and general ledgers; monitors and evaluates revenues and expenses; Reviews, verifies, audits and processes contract and disbursements; Validates and prepares monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports and various year-end schedules for audits; Designs and implements accounting systems to meet changing financial information and reporting requirements; Reviews and communicates the fiscal outlook for assigned departments, projects, programs or funds; Participates in the preparation of budget and financial reporting required by Federal, State and local statutes and regulations; Acts as an information source to private and public audiences, agencies and City personnel to provide relevant information on accounting and fiscal related matters and issues; Represents the Department of Finance in meetings with financial institutions, investment agencies, external auditors, and City staff; Performs or directs the staff work and collection of data necessary to perform assigned or required accounting functions and other fiscal tasks for effective accounting operations; may supervise and evaluate the work performance of professionals and/or other staff; Provides staff training and development programs; Provides counsel and administers discipline to subordinate personnel; May act in the absence of the Principal Accountant.
Qualification Guidelines COMPETENCIES The following list represents the core competencies needed for success in this position.
Learning Attitude – understands the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making; is skilled at soliciting feedback and using it to improve performance.
Cooperates and Collaborates – nurtures cross-functional contacts for help with solving problems or for advice; creates partnerships within the organization.
Assists team members to meet department goals and deadlines.
Attention to Detail – has an eye for detail; spots mistakes, incomplete, or faulty work early-on; carefully reviews documents before giving approval and submitting.
Functional Knowledge – demonstrates detailed understanding of function's procedures, methods, and terminology; has comprehensive knowledge of the organization's operations.
Work independently – is comfortable working on their own; is action-oriented and self-motivated.
Analytical Skills – effectively organizes a mass of data for analysis; interprets trends and reports; resolves findings; prepares excellent summaries with sound recommendations.
Interpersonal Skills – treats confrontation as clarification rather than confronting the person, seeks to clarify the issue; sees the value in maintaining relationships for long-term potential.
Service Orientation – recognizes customer needs; encourages and listens to customer feedback; treats internal customers with the same care and respect as external.
Advanced Excel skills in vlookup, sumifs, and pivot tables are preferred.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Any combination of education and/or experience that has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful job performance such as: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a closely related field and Two years of increasingly responsible professional accounting experience.
Experience in the following functions is highly preferred: general accounting, financial statements preparation including statement of cash flows, fund analysis, State Controller's report preparation, Capital Assets including CIP, capitalizing projects and infrastructure, accounts receivable, government audits, grants, and Single Audit- uniform guidance.
SELECTION PROCESS Those applicants who appear best qualified based on their application submitted will be invited to any combination of written, performance, or oral appraisal to further evaluate their job-related experience, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Probationary work test period is one year.
This position is assigned to the Pasadena Management Association.
VACANCY INFORMATION There is one Senior Accountant vacancy in the Finance Department, which may be filled as a result of this selection process.
The resulting eligibility list from this recruitment may be used to fill this vacancy and similar vacancies in the future.