What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal Accountant position at CITY OF FRESNO, CA?
Principal Accountant
Full Time
Accounting and Finance
Planning and Development
The City of Fresno is currently recruiting a Principal Accountant for the Accounting Unit. Under general direction, the Principal Accountant is responsible for cash management, including all activities relating to bank reconciliation with the general ledger, developing and administering vendor contracts for financial services such as banking, credit card services and armored car services. Additionally, the Principal Accountant will be responsible for supervision of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Reporting (ACFR) team.
The Principal Accountant must exercise considerable independent judgment relating to the development and deployment of Treasury procedures, processes, and policies.
The current vacancy exists in the Accounting Unit of the Finance Department. Immediate and future vacancies will be filled from this eligible list for a period of three (3) months from the date the eligible list is created, with the option of extending that period for up to a maximum of two years at the City's discretion. If the examination process is suspended for this recruitment, the eligible list may be limited to three (3) months. Please note that future vacancies may have a different assignment and varied duties than listed above.
Full job description available to be viewed at:
https://www.fresno.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/JS-Principal-Accountant.pdf
Pay,Benefits, & Work Schedule
BENEFITS: UNIT 13 Classification City of Fresno Professional Employees Association (CFPEA)
HEALTH INSURANCE: The City contributes toward monthly premiums for PPO medical, dental and vision for employee and dependents.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT: IRS 125 Plan for health and dependent care expenses.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary 457 plan with Fidelity Investments to increase your retirement savings.
MANAGEMENT LEAVE: 60 hours per fiscal year for exempt employees.
ANNUAL LEAVE: Accrue 15.5 hours per month with cash out provisions.
SUPPLEMENTAL SICK- 40 hours per fiscal year. 80 hours lifetime maximum
HOLIDAYS: Ten (10) City-observed annual holidays plus birthday and two (2) personal days.
LIFE INSURANCE: Benefit equal to annual salary; premium paid by the City.
LONG-TERM DISABILITY: Benefit equal to 66.66% of monthly salary up to $7,500 per month after 30 days of disability; premium paid by the City.
BILINGUAL PREMIUM: PAY: $100 per month
HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENT: Eligible retirees can use remaining Sick Leave balance at 80% of hourly rate and other leave balances, if applicable, to reimburse medical insurance and qualified medical expenses, tax free.
RETIREMENT: City of Fresno Retirement Systems, one of the best funded public systems in the state. Reciprocity with other CA public agencies. Vested in Retirement benefits after 5 years of service. City employees do not participate in Social Security.
DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Program): an optional, voluntary program that allows an employee to deposit retirement benefits in a special savings account within the Retirement System while continuing to work for the City of Fresno for up to 10 years. Participation minimum is age 50 and vested. Benefits includes ownership of accumulated funds, compound interest earnings, and alternative distribution options.
Additional information regarding the City of Fresno benefits is available at
https://www.fresno.gov/personnel/human-resources-support/#tab-1
The Requirements
Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications on or before the posted filing deadline in order to qualify for the examination and does not assure a place on the eligibility list:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in accounting, business administration, public administration, or a related field;
AND
Two (2) years of supervisory experience, preferably in a public sector organization.
Applicants MUST ATTACH A COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS for education verification (instructions below on how to attach documents). Applications lacking the attachment may be rejected.
Additional Requirements
Possession of a valid license as a Certified Public Accountant issued by the State of California Board of Accountancy is preferred.
Eligibles certified for consideration for this position will be required to successfully pass a department interview and a Department of Justice fingerprint process prior to employment with the City of Fresno.
How To Apply
APPLICANTS MUST COMPLETE AN ON-LINE APPLICATION. PLEASE VISIT www.fresno.gov/jobs. TO APPLY. For information on how to complete an on-line application, please view "Instruction Guide" on the City's website, Personnel Services Career Opportunities page, or call (559) 621-6950 for assistance. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed employment application.
ALL CORRESPONDENCE regarding this recruitment and exam process will be sent via e-mail. All applicants will acknowledge such understanding when they complete their on-line application. Verify we have your correct e-mail address before you submit your application. It is an applicant's responsibility to check their email frequently to ensure they receive all pertinent communication from the Personnel Services Department on a timely basis. Applicants will receive an automatically generated confirmation e-mail upon a successful application submittal. The e-mail is the only proof of submittal.
It is an applicant's responsibility to check their email account and to ensure it is set up to accept emails from the City of Fresno. Dependent upon your settings, notices from the City of Fresno may be directed to junk mail or spam folders. It is the applicant's responsibility to check these folders as well.
Applications must be submitted by midnight on the filing deadline or they will not be accepted for any reason. FOR THIS RECRUITMENT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT PERMANENT FRESNO CITY EMPLOYEES APPLY THROUGH PEOPLESOFT SELF SERVICE.
Selection Process
The examination process may consist of the following:
APPLICATION REVIEW - Qualifying Only: Applications which meet the minimum qualifications will be reviewed and a limited number of the MOST qualified candidates will be invited to the oral examination. Selection of the most qualified candidates will be based upon those applications demonstrating the greatest breadth and depth of applicable education, experience, skills, and training. Therefore, applicants are urged to submit sufficiently detailed information in their application materials for a proper evaluation.
Oral Examination - 100%: A panel of subject matter experts will conduct a job-related oral examination to evaluate a candidate which may include, but is not limited to, knowledge of accounting principles and office technology, and skills of leadership and interpersonal relationships.
The oral exam is tentatively scheduled for the week of April 7th, 2025.
Candidates must achieve a passing score to qualify for the eligible list.
Veteran Preference Regulations
Qualified veterans who pass the examination may obtain five (5) additional points.
Candidates applying for veteran's preference are required to submit a copy of their DD214 with their application during the specified filing period. Evidence must be presented to indicate that the candidate was discharged honorably from the military service. Veterans, including City employees, must resubmit proof of honorable service for every examination for which veteran's preference credit is requested.
Additional Information
HOW TO ATTACH DOCUMENTS TO OUR ONLINE APPLICATION:
1. Your document must first be scanned and saved to a computer or thumb drive (save as the document name.)
2. Then go to www.fresno.gov/jobs > City of Fresno Jobs > Apply On-Line.
3. Enter the same Login Information (Username & Password) that is going to be used for the job you are applying to.
4. Under the section My Career Tools (located towards the top of the page), Select Cover Letters & Attachments, and then Add Attachments towards the bottom.
5. For Attachment Type, choose the most appropriate option (i.e. DIPLOMA/TRANSCRIPTS or DD214.)
- If you do not see an appropriate choice, you may use Reference Attachments. Under Attachment Purpose, you can TYPE a description.
7. Once you have selected your attachment, select Open, hit Upload and then Save & Return.
8. After you confirm your attachment has been uploaded, then proceed to fill out your online application.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Fresno is an equal opportunity employer. Should you need a special accommodation due to a qualifying disability, please contact the Personnel Service Department at (559) 621-6950 in advance of the examination.
Closing Date/Time: 03/17/2025
City of Fresno
The City of Fresno is the largest city in the San Joaquin Valley and the fifth largest city in California, with a population of more than 545,000 residents. Fresno is the financial core of the San Joaquin Valley, and its economy relies on its large-scale agricultural production. Revitalization of Downtown Fresno's core and the construction of High Speed Rail are two of many exciting projects that continue to successfully support Fresno's growing economy.
Click HERE for a video about the great City of Fresno.
Located in the geographical center of California, Fresno offers many sights. From fertile agricultural fields, an abundance of lakes, and the snowy Sierra Nevada mountain range, the scenic variety in Fresno is large. Fresno also features a diverse selection of dining, shopping, farmers markets, vibrant arts and culture, wineries, as well as a variety of attractions. With 300 days of sunshine a year, the climate in Fresno is the source of its agricultural productivity, and allows year-round recreational activities including sailing, snow and water skiing, fishing, backpacking, and golfing.
Los Angeles is approximately four hours south and the San Francisco Bay Area is approximately three hours north. Fresno is located in proximity to three sites of natural beauty: Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park. Residents and visitors alike enjoy these scenes and others, including the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
Another advantage to living in Fresno is the exceptional housing that is available at lower price levels than California's other large metropolitan areas. There are four large school districts in the Fresno area: Fresno Unified, Central Unified, Sanger Unified and Clovis Unified. Fresno is the home of California State University, Fresno, as well as a number of other colleges and universities.
The people of Fresno enjoy a wide variety of social, cultural, athletic, educational and recreational activities in an affordable and clean living environment.
City Government
Fresno is a full-service charter city operating under a strong mayor form of government. There are seven Council Members. The Council appoints the City Attorney and the City Clerk. The Mayor is elected at- large and does not serve on the Council, but has veto power over certain actions taken by the City Council. The City Manager, who is appointed by the Mayor, is responsible for appointing all other department heads in the City
Salary : $100 - $7,500
