Senior Accountant - Payroll

County of Riverside • Riverside, CA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Auditor-Controller's Office in Riverside County seeks a Senior Accountant for its Payroll Unit located in Riverside, CA. The Payroll Division of the Auditor-Controller's Office is responsible for payroll processing, accounting, and reconciliations. The Division is comprised of the Payroll Operations Unit and the Accounting/Reconciliation Unit. The objective of the Payroll Operations Unit is to process payroll timely and accurately. The function of the Payroll Accounting/Reconciliation Unit is to remit payroll and report to state and federal agencies quarterly, reconcile the bi-weekly payrolls and maintain accurate records and reconciliations of all transactions relating to the payroll processes, and report all retirement earnings and contributions to CalPERS. The division’s primary mission is to timely and accurately pay over 26,000 County employees bi-weekly. In addition to ensuring accurate reporting of taxable earnings, withholdings, and retirement earnings, we verify they are in compliance with County requirements, IRS regulations, and state and federal rules and regulations. The Senior Accountant performs advanced professional accounting work within County Payroll Operations, including overseeing daily warrant validation and Treasury Cash Receipts distribution, direct deposit transmissions and reports, and the processing of bi-weekly payroll tax deposits, California EDD payments and reports, and CalPERS retirement payments and reports. Responsibilities include preparing and reviewing journal entries for bi-weekly payroll general ledger activity, long-term disability (RSA), handling fringe benefit taxation such as the taxation of County-owned vehicles, reconciling Payroll Agency Funds, and preparing quarterly and year-end payroll tax reports including Forms 941, DE9, DE9C and W-2. The Senior Accountant researches and interprets federal and state regulations, County policies and procedures, and provides technical guidance and payroll accounting expertise to payroll department representatives and accounting personnel throughout the County. The position also serves in a lead capacity by overseeing the work of lower-level staff, providing training and technical direction, reviewing work for accuracy and compliance, and assisting management with workflow coordination and performance monitoring. The most competitive candidates will have strong leadership skills, experience in payroll processing and/or tax reporting, familiarity with PeopleSoft Financials or a similar enterprise system, and proficiency in account reconciliations. Candidates with a Fundamental Payroll Certificate are highly desired. Work Schedule: This position offers a 9/80 work schedule. 5% added premium pay for those who possess a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and/or Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). ALL APPLICANTS MUST UPLOAD A COPY OF THEIR TRANSCRIPTS AS PROOF OF ACCOUNTING SPECIALIZATION COMPLETED AT AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. Meet the Team! The Riverside County Auditor-Controller is an independent, nonpartisan elected office established to provide accounting, audit, payroll, and property tax administration services to County government, cities, K-14 schools and special districts. The Auditor-Controller is the chief accounting and disbursement officer of the County. Riverside County is the fourth largest county in California and the eleventh largest in the United States.

Requirements

• 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.)
• One year of professional level accounting or auditing experience equivalent to the County of Riverside Accountant II classification.
• Possession of a valid certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Strong leadership skills
• Experience in payroll processing and/or tax reporting
• Familiarity with PeopleSoft Financials or a similar enterprise system
• Proficiency in account reconciliations
• Fundamental Payroll Certificate
• Senior Accountant positions assigned to the Internal Audits Division of the Auditor-Controller's Office are required to have knowledge of auditing principles, practices, and standards.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Overseeing daily warrant validation and Treasury Cash Receipts distribution, direct deposit transmissions and reports, and the processing of bi-weekly payroll tax deposits, California EDD payments and reports, and CalPERS retirement payments and reports.
• Preparing and reviewing journal entries for bi-weekly payroll general ledger activity, long-term disability (RSA), handling fringe benefit taxation such as the taxation of County-owned vehicles, reconciling Payroll Agency Funds, and preparing quarterly and year-end payroll tax reports including Forms 941, DE9, DE9C and W-2.
• Researching and interpreting federal and state regulations, County policies and procedures, and provides technical guidance and payroll accounting expertise to payroll department representatives and accounting personnel throughout the County.
• Serving in a lead capacity by overseeing the work of lower-level staff, providing training and technical direction, reviewing work for accuracy and compliance, and assisting management with workflow coordination and performance monitoring.

Benefits

• 5% added premium pay for those who possess a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and/or Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior