Accountant II

Full Job Description

SCERA is currently recruiting to fill an Accountant II position in the Finance & Retiree Services Division.

Under general supervision, and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), and SCERA procedures, you will perform technical accounting work such as examining, analyzing, and verifying financial records.

You will also review and analyze transactions for completeness, accuracy, and proper classification. Additional responsibilities include:

• Reconciling and recording monthly investment statements and bank activity, tracking investment manager fees, performing monthly accounting functions, administering accounts payable and deposits
• Professionally collaborating with SCERA staff, custodian bank, and investment managers to identify and resolve irregularities
• Reviewing and processing accounts payable invoices, while ensuring expenses are properly authorized and coded
• Communicating with vendors and processing annual 1099-MISC & 1099-NEC
• Preparing account reconciliations for financial reporting and annual audits
• Developing and maintaining accounting procedures and assisting with procedure implementation
• Prepare financial reports, statements, analyses, and annual work papers
• Answering questions and assisting SCERA retirees and payees, as well as assisting with the process and review of retiree forms submitted
• Serving as a support resource to the Retiree Payroll Accountant

The ideal candidate will have excellent attention to detail, communication, and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships. They will also possess many of the following:

• A thorough understanding of GAAP and GASB principles
• Extensive experience preparing complex reconciliations and financial reports, including financial statements
• The ability to work independently, make recommendations when needed, and perform analysis and accounting tasks of a more complex nature
• Demonstrated ability to deliver outstanding customer service
• Knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or other similar financial management or general ledger software
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite products, particularly Excel and Outlook

About SCERA

The Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association (SCERA) is a public employee defined benefit retirement system established on January 1, 1946, and is administered by the Board of Retirement (the Board). SCERA is governed by the California Constitution, the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (CERL), the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), and the bylaws, regulations, resolutions, policies, and procedures adopted by the Board. SCERA employees are subject to the provisions of the County of Sonoma civil service system, and compensation and benefits are governed by the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and Salary Resolution (SalRes).

SCERA is responsible for establishing policies governing the administration of the retirement plan, setting actuarial funding policies, making benefit determinations, and managing the investments of the System's assets. SCERA maintains member records, receives contributions from participating employers (County of Sonoma, Sonoma County Superior Courts, and Sonoma Valley Fire District) and their employees, manages investment of Plan assets, disburses pension benefit payments to members and survivors, including some lump distributions. SCERA operates distinct accounting and pension administration systems and does not utilize the County’s Enterprise Financial System for its accounting operations.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities.

You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill an Accountant II position in the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Association (SCERA). This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Requirements

Education & Experience: Any combination of education and experience which would provide opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed.

Normally, either possession of a college degree in accounting, finance or business administration with at least 12 semester or 16 quarter units of Accounting, including Principles of Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Advanced Accounting, Governmental Accounting, Cost Accounting or Auditing;

OR

possession of a Certified Public Accountant Certificate, and one year of experience in a position comparable to Accountant I in a local government agency or one year of experience in a professional level auditing or accounting position which demonstrates exposure to the many different facets of accounting theory and application;

OR

six years of Account Clerk experience including three years as an Accounting Technician or higher with Sonoma County and at least 9 semesters or 12 quarter units of college level accounting credit, would provide such opportunity.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level, including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position(s) advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Qualifications

Additional Information

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination, which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: JT
HR Technician: PPB