Accountant/Accounting Assistant II

City of Petaluma•Petaluma, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Petaluma is seeking qualified professionals to fill one (1) Accountant and one (1) Accounting Assistant II vacancy within the Finance Division of the Administrative Services Department. These positions offer an excellent opportunity to contribute to the City's financial stewardship by supporting essential accounting functions that help ensure responsible financial management and exceptional public service. This recruitment may also be used to fill additional vacancies that may occur within the next year.

Requirements

Accountant Education: A Bachelor's degree with major course work in accounting or a related field.
Accountant Experience: Two years of professional accounting experience that demonstrates possession of the required knowledge and abilities.
Accounting Assistant II Education: Equivalent to graduation from high school, supplemented by some course work in bookkeeping or basic accounting.
Accounting Assistant II Experience: Two years of bookkeeping, financial clerical, or office assistant experience.

Nice To Haves

Two years of local government accounting is desirable.

Responsibilities

Participate in accounting tasks related to the maintenance of the City’s financial record keeping, reporting, and control systems.
Reconcile and balance various records and ledgers, investigate discrepancies, and make appropriate adjustments according to existing policies and regulations governing the agency’s fiscal record-keeping systems.
Perform a variety of accounting activities including the preparation of complex bank reconciliation, detailed calculations, record keeping, and reconciliation in various accounting areas.
Prepare for approval standard and adjusting journal entries.
Gather and compile a variety of numerical data and prepare statistical and financial reports for distribution internally and to outside agencies such as federal, state, and other local agencies.
Make recommendations regarding work processes and procedures in area of assignment.
Process and produce the City’s bi-weekly payroll and perform related activities, including the review and verification of payroll documents, data entry for payroll records and information, maintenance of payroll records, and preparation of various payroll related reports, as assigned.
Monitor and ensure timely payment of all mandated state and federal payroll taxes; process bi-weekly payments for automatic deposits, deferred compensation, and other benefit plan payments, as assigned.
Maintain various payroll tables and databases; develop and maintain systems for monitoring and tracking payroll and employee benefits related information, as assigned.
Monitor and ensure compliance with payroll related City policies, Memorandums of Understanding, Compensation Plans and Agreements, and state and federal legislation affecting payroll.
Process invoices for payment; match invoices and other requests for payment with purchase order or contract documents; issue checks; receive and review payment reports to ensure accuracy, proper authorization, and compliance with City policies and procedures.
Input information or prepare forms to produce warrants; reconcile and prepay payment requests for non-purchase order expenditures, including utility and telephone payments.
Reconcile and compute payments due for various benefit program providers.
Generate and process purchase orders and provide information to vendors regarding invoices and purchase orders.
Receive and screen visitors and telephone calls, assist the public in completing and filing applications and other forms, and provide factual information which may require the interpretation of policies and procedures; take messages or refer the caller to the proper person.
Research and compile a variety of informational materials from sources both inside and outside of the office; open and sort mail and attach pertinent back-up materials.
Type and draft a wide variety of finished documents from stenographic notes, brief instructions, or printed materials; may use word processing equipment; input and retrieve data and prepare reports using an on-line or personal computer system; initiate specified correspondence independently for signature by appropriate management, supervisory, or professional staff; review finished materials for completeness, accuracy, format, and compliance with policies and procedures, and appropriate English usage.
Organize and maintain various office files; follow up on projects, transmit information, and keep informed of unit activities; schedule and arrange for meetings; organize own work, set priorities and meet critical deadlines; may arrange for meetings, including preparing and distributing agenda materials and taking and producing minutes of actions or proceedings.
Prepare meeting agendas and distribute materials; attend meetings to take minutes; prepare and distribute minutes; compile, edit, package, and track reports.
Perform related duties as assigned.

Benefits

MEDICAL INSURANCE: Choice of a variety of CalPERS Health Plans. City pays ~95% of the Bay Area Kaiser premium for employee & eligible dependents; or alternative option to receive Medical Cash Back (if you have medical coverage elsewhere).
DENTAL & VISION INSURANCE: Coverage for employees & eligible family members, paid for by the City.
LIFE INSURANCE: Competitive life insurance & Long-Term Disability benefits. Option to purchase additional life insurance.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: Support and benefits, for you & eligible family members, paid for by the City.
WELLNESS BENEFIT: $500 annual allowance (subject to the annual budget approval process and may change in the future)
CALPERS RETIREMENT PACKAGE 2% at 60 for Classic CalPERS members
2% at 62 for PEPRA CalPERS members
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN: voluntary participation in your choice of three plan offerings.
Vacation: 80 Hours, increasing with years of service (Accountant job classification can qualify for up to 5 years service credit toward vacation accrual rate for prior qualifying employment)
Sick Leave: 96 hours
Holidays: 13 fixed days
Personal Leave: 20 hours (per fiscal year)
Paid Parental Leave – up to 8 weeks of paid time for qualifying family bonding
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Employer