What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Accountant - Controller's Office (Open and Promotional) position at County of San Mateo, CA?
Salary : $107,868.80 - $134,908.80 Annually
Location : County of San Mateo, CA
Job Type : Regular
Job Number : E009AR
Department : Controller's Office
Opening Date : 02 / 05 / 2025
Closing Date : 2 / 19 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit : 35
Description
Are you interested in enhancing your accounting skills in a comprehensive work environment that provides high quality training, welcomes diversity, and strives for inclusion? Are you open to working in a constant learning environment and enhancing your accounting skills? Do you want a "bird's eye" view of the accounting processes across a complex government organization with distinct departments?
If the answer to any of these questions is "yes" this position may be for you. The County of San Mateo is seeking well-qualified candidates for the position of Senior Accountant - Controller's Office .
Senior Accountants in the Controller's Office exercise a high degree of independent judgment on diverse and specialized projects, and have significant accountability, and ongoing decision-making associated with their work. While overseeing a significant accounting functional area, Senior Accountants perform complex professional accounting work relative to centralized and / or departmental County accounting procedures and records and may direct the work of accounting professionals and support staff.
The current vacancies are in the General Accounting and Accounts Payable Division of the Controller's Office. This division is responsible for preparing Countywide financial reports, the State Controller's Transactions report, and Budget Schedules, reviewing capital assets, and completing journal entries and month-end and year-end closing. The Division also responds to accounting questions from County departments. The Senior Accountant - Controller's Office position offers an exceptional opportunity to be a part of an office that is committed to ethics, equity, and accountability.
The ideal candidate for the Senior Accountant - Controller's Office position will have :
- Three to five years of journey level accounting experience.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and a proven ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers and stakeholders.
- Excellent technical skills in accounting, internal controls, and research analysis.
- Knowledge of GAAP.
- Experience in day-to-day governmental accounting and reporting.
- Experience supervising fiscal staff.
- Experience with project management.
- Ability to identify and implement process improvements.
- Ability to work independently, problem solve, and exercise sound judgment within established guidelines.
- Experience in accounting including financial statements and auditing.
Because of the comprehensive work completed in the Controller's Office, Senior Accountants are often able to leverage their experience toward promotional opportunities throughout the County. Controller's Office experienced employees are highly desired by other County departments. The County of San Mateo offers competitive salaries and benefits, including an extensive wellness program and a solid pension plan. The County of San Mateo is a leader in addressing many pressing issues including the response to Covid-19, homelessness, health care inequity, and the disenfranchisement of underrepresented populations. County employees play a key role in helping to solve these issues which positively impacts the lives of County residents.
Note : The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.
Examples Of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following :
Qualifications
Experience and Education :
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and skills is :
Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, business administration or a closely related field and one year of journey level accounting experience. This classification requires the successful completion of a minimum of twelve semester units of college level accounting coursework.
Knowledge of :
Skill / Ability to :
Application / Examination
Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help / limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score.
Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
The examination process will consist of an application screening based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions (weight : pass / fail). Candidates who pass the application screening may be invited to a panel interview (weight : 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.
IMPORTANT : Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to http : / / jobs.smcgov.org to apply.
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date : Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 11 : 59 PM PST
Application Screening : Week of February 24 - 28, 2025
Civil Service Panel Interview : March 11 and / or 12, 2025
About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.
The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.
San Mateo County is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.
Analyst : Sedrick Dixon (01312025) (Senior Accountant - Exempt E009)
Please visit for a complete listing of all benefits for this classification.
Benefits are offered to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. All benefits are subject to change.
NOTE : Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 may be subject to new Pension Reform retirement laws.
As an additional benefit, the County offers extensive training and development programs designed to improve skills and enhance career opportunities. Most programs are offered on County time at no cost to you.
County employees are also covered by the federal Social Security system and earn benefits for retirement based on salary and time worked.
IMPORTANT : Applicants for this position are required to submit responses to the following supplemental questions. Your responses will give us additional information about your background and experience related to this position and will be used in the selection process. Be concise and specific. Neatness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses to these questions.
This classification requires the successful completion of at least twelve (12) semester units of college-level accounting coursework. Do you have 12 college level units of accounting coursework? (A "No" answer will disqualify you from this recruitment.)
This classification requires the successful completion of at least twelve (12) semester units of college-level units of accounting coursework. Please provide the following information regarding your course work : a) Course Titlesb) Units received c) Institution d) Completion date (Failure to list information regarding your coursework may disqualify you from this recruitment.)
Describe your specific experience with research and / or financial analysis.
Describe two of your experiences specially to the areas below. 1. Reviewing and process journal entries for : a) Reclassificationb) Interfund transferc) Distribution from trust fund2. Capital assets : a) Work-in-Progress (WIP) or Software Project-in-Progress (SPIP)b) Building, Equipment, Software
Describe your experience with system or software implementation(s) that you have implemented (as the lead) or a member of the implementation team specifically to the areas below. a) Objective of the System or softwareb) Your rolec) Project development and implementation
Describe your experience with Accounts Payable process specifically to the areas below. 1. Reviewing and Payment of these two forms of invoices : a) Invoice for goodsb) Invoice for Services2. Communication to a County Department or Requestor (not vendor) of the payments.
Describe your supervising experience specifically to the areas below. a) Number of staff and position.b) Monitoring of staff performance.c) Feedback to staff for improvement.d) Disciplinary actions and recruitments.
Required Question
Salary : $107,869 - $134,909
