Assistant State Auditor 4 - BARS Technician - LGS - Internal Only

Full Job Description

Assistant State Auditor 4 - BARS Technician (Kennewick)

Closing Date: January 23, 2026

Join Team LGS’s Assessment Audit Team!

Duty station:

Flexible / Hybrid. Occasional travel to a local SAO Office, SAO main office in Olympia, and
training locations throughout the state.

About Team Local Government Support:

The Local Government Support (LGS) Team offers a unique opportunity for team members to participate in a variety of functions and duties.

The team is responsible for the GAAP and Cash Budgeting, Accounting and Reporting System (BARS) Manuals, the Annual Report Filing System, nearly 600 assessment audits, the compilation and quality control review of audit reports, and financial statement and ACFR reviews.

Team LGS also serves as the agency expert on topics related to accounting, budgeting, and reporting for both GAAP and cash reporting local governments.

LGS members provide technical accounting services for the Office.

Within the agency, LGS members support government transparency and accountability, foster collaboration across teams, and promote the Office’s mission and values, and a professional, respectful, and constructive work environment.

With external parties, LGS members present a positive, professional image, and represent the Office’s interests and mission.

Requirements

As a member of the LGS team, this position will provide accounting technical services and support; training of audit staff, agency clients, and professional associations; and provide support for the audit and reporting functions of the Team.

Specific duties of this role may include; depending on qualifications:

• Providing technical assistance relating to accounting, budgeting and reporting to audit staff, state and local government officials and staff, and others.
• Perform research and analysis of new GASB standards and supporting the BARS Team in the determination of the impact on accounting requirements for local governments.
• Assist in writing articles for SAO audit connections, newsletters and other professional governmental organizations.
• Performing ACFR and financial statement reviews. Communicate the results to the auditors and assist them with resolutions of the deficiencies.

Assist in the preparation of accounting and reporting trainings.

May develop and deliver presentations under the guidance of the LGS Assistant Manager on a variety of accounting, budgeting and reporting topics to the audit staff, state and local government employees and to other professional organizations.

Training sessions include up to all day training sessions scheduled across Washington State, as well as conference sessions for various state associations, and internally to agency audit teams.

Training sessions maybe live in-person, live virtual, or recorded.

• Assist in preparing and delivering presentations stakeholders on upcoming changes to governmental accounting standards as they relate to the BARS manual.
• Performing audit reports reviews to ensure compliance with professional standards prior to final LGS processing and release of reports, communicating the results to the audit teams and helping them resolve deficiencies.

This position will include all the duties above, as well as support the Assessment Audit and Annual Filing programs: The required duties of this role include:

Assessment Audits: responsible for leading other staff assigned to assessment audits, makes work assignments, reviews workpapers, and provides mentoring and coaching to audit staff.

Under minimal supervision, performs assessment audits, assuming full responsibility for the planning, conducting, and documentation of risk-based audits.

Leads other staff assigned to the audit, makes work assignments, reviews workpapers, and provides mentoring and coaching to audit staff to ensure they meet the requirements of SAO quality control and professional standards.

The ASA4 may, in the absence of the LGS AAM, also overseeing the assessment audit inventory and process, serving as the first line supervisor for audit staff.

Annual Filing: May assist the AAM of the annual report filing system, supporting the processes and duties related to the annual report filing process for local governments.

Qualifications

This is a transfer opportunity for an existing ASA 4 or promotional opportunity for existing ASA 3 depending on qualifications.

Please note staff wishing to be considered for an ASA 4 promotional opportunity must have the minimum two years of experience as an ASA 3.

The successful candidate will have:

• Demonstrated experience using sound judgment, problem solving skills and making recommendations on complex issues.
• Demonstrated professional maturity, innovation and initiative.
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated the ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines.
• Demonstrated the ability to work well in groups.
• Demonstrated experience working independently for extended periods of time.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, Generally Accepted Governmental Auditing Standards and Governmental Accounting Standards.

This position will report to the Local Government Support Assistant Audit Manager for the BARS Team.

Additional Information

To Apply:

If you are interested in being considered, please provide a letter of interest discussing how you meet the expectations.

MUST be submitted through the NEOGOV system. All applications must be submitted by January 23, 2026.

Questions:

If you have questions about the position, please contact Olivia Crouch, LGS Assistant Audit Manager at croucho@sao.wa.gov.