Summary
This role involves supporting the city's top financial officer by managing accounting teams, improving financial processes, and helping with a major upgrade to the city's financial software system.
You'll rotate through different accounting areas to provide hands-on help, prepare reports for audits, and use your budgeting skills to guide better money decisions.
It's a great fit for someone with strong experience in finance and budgets who enjoys leading teams and tackling system improvements in a government setting.
Full Job Description
Job Appointment: Regular, Full Time
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, alternate schedule may be available.
Work Location: Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave. All manager and supervisor positions will be expected to report to their worksites full time. Remote workdays remain an option, to accommodate travel, or occasionally focus on major work projects.
Benefits: Please check our benefit tab for an overview of benefit for this position
Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position may be eligible for
Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.
Union Representation: Non-represented, no union affiliation.
Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need respond to the supplemental questions and attach a resume.
Position SummaryThe Assistant Controller supports the Controller in managing the Accounting Management Division and rotates through its three sections to provide targeted support wherever needed. The ideal candidate brings strong budgeting experience, a solid understanding of financial systems, and hands-on involvement with ERP installations or major system migrations.
You will get to:- Provide assistance with the reporting, operations and financial systems, and training teams wherever needed, including supporting system enhancements and ERP-related activities.
- Apply your budget background to strengthen financial decision making, forecasting, and analysis throughout the Division.
- Look for opportunities to improve workflow, process, and policies across the Division, ensuring alignment with both budgetary needs and system capabilities.
- Coordinate the development of a variety of policies related to accounting activities at the City.
- Assess problematic procedures, and recommend, document and implement solutions in partnership with the Controller and City technical staff. This work will expand significantly as the City migrates to SAP S/4HANA and completes related ERP implementation phases.
- Prepare and oversee the preparation reports required by the auditors for the City’s financial and single audit.
- Stay current on changes in technology, accounting, grants management, and ERP best practices, sharing knowledge with teams, leadership, and partners across the City.
Have a question?Contact Information:Tamela Ressler, Senior Recruiter
Bureau of Human Resources
Tamela.Ressler@portlandoregon.gov
Requirements
The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:
- Experience in the areas of government audits.
- Experience in information technology including major ERP implementations, including the ability to learn and adapt to the ever-changing environment of accounting and technology.
- Experience applying the principles of management, supervision, training and performance evaluation.
- Experience analyzing and making sound recommendations on complex financial operations, accounting systems, procedures and controls, and development of financial policies.
- Experience communicating effectively, orally and in writing, to a diverse variety of internal and external audiences.
- Experience developing and maintaining effective working relationships to gain cooperation through discussion and collaboration.
Applicants must also possess:- A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification by date of hire.
Preferred QualificationsAlthough not required, you may have one or more of the following: - Four years of progressively responsible experience in accounting or finance.
- Two years of supervisory experience.
- Experience with SAP or other large ERP system.
Qualifications
STEP 1: Apply online between December 1, 2025 – December 29, 2025
Required Application Materials:
- Resume
- Note: Do not include your age, date of birth, or the dates you attended or graduated from school. Only provide this information if it is specifically requested to meet job requirements or to follow federal, state, or local laws or rules.
- Answers to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions).
Optional Application Materials:
- If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc.) by the closing date of the recruitment.
Application Tips:- Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained, which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
- Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
Salary Range/Equity Pay Analysis: Please note per the Oregon State Pay Equity Law your salary is determined based on the experience and education listed in your resume/application.
It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience.
- Do not attach any additional documents.
- Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
- You can use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please make sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage using AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills.
- All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process.
- E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.
Step 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: December 30, 2025 - January 2, 2026- An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
- Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
- You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
- Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.
Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of January 5, 2026- Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.
Step 4: Selection (Interview): Mid-to-Late January 2026- Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview
Step 5: Offer of Employment: February 2026Step 6: Start Date: TBD
- A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.
*Timeline is approximate and subject to change.
Additional Information
Click here for additional information regarding the following:- City of Portland Core Values
- Recruitment Process - Work Status
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Veteran Preference
- ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer