Principal Accountant - ACO Payroll Unit

Full Job Description

Currently, the position offers the opportunity to telework part-time, but is subject to business needs and is not guaranteed. Telework may change at any time and you will be expected to report to the office on a full-time basis.

The Riverside County Auditor-Controller (ACO), Payroll division seeks a Principal Accountant located in Riverside, CA. The position will report to the Deputy Auditor-Controller.

This position will have general oversight of the Payroll division, which will Include primarily Payroll Tax and Reconciliations, and/or Payroll Operations, and the Employer reporting groups. The Payroll Division is part of the Auditor-Controller's Office and operates within PeopleSoft Human Resource Management System/ Human Capital Management (HRMS/HCM) environment. Activities within the group will include, but not limited to processing bi-weekly county-wide payroll; reporting payroll related tax Information to the appropriate Federal, Stole, and local government agencies; reconciliation of bi-weekly payroll for county departments, agencies, and special districts; reporting employer/employee contributions to the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS).

The Principal Accountant will also monitor negotiated changes to employee benefits that Impact payroll and ensuring adjustments/corrections ore completed as needed; interview, select, train, assign, and evaluate staff; interpret lows, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and regulatory updates; examine, analyze, and approve transactions involving the transfer of funds and charges between deportments; assist with the preparation of County payroll tax returns; monitor the PeopleSoft HRMS Payroll North America and Time and labor Modules. Additionally, the Principal Accountant will provide support and backup for general payroll activities, which include the processing of bi-weekly payroll (e.g., garnishments and tax/benefit related deductions); prepare training for and work collaboratively with payroll stakeholders; preparation of professional level correspondence and reports as well as the review and approval of payroll related documents; help to affect and implement strategic directives identified for the group.

Candidates must have the following:

• Extensive professional level accountant experience for payroll within a Public Organization or Non-profit Agency.
• A minimum of one year direct supervisory level experience over other professional level public accountants within a public agency.
• Knowledge and experience with 1937 Act County Retirement Systems. Defined benefit pension experience, such as CalPERS or CalSTRS.

Competitive candidates will possess the following:

• Experience in enterprise solutions, such as Oracle or PeopleSoft is highly desired. Experience in SAP and/or another enterprise solution.
• Successful candidates will possess an American Payroll Association CPP designation or have the ability to obtain designation within a year of the position's start date.

This class has been deemed eligible for the Performance Recognition Plan as set forth under Article 3, Section 311(C) of the County Management Resolution. Program eligibility requires employees to be in a leadership position, manage other employees or programs, and have significant influence on the achievement of organizational objectives.

Meet the Team!

The Riverside County Auditor-Controller is an independent, nonpartisan elected office established to provide accounting, audit, payroll, and property tax administration services to County government, cities, K-14 schools and special districts. The Auditor-Controller is the chief accounting and disbursement officer of the County. Riverside County is the fourth largest county in California and the eleventh largest in the United States.

Requirements

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate through subordinate supervisors the establishment, review, revision, and daily operation of a departmental accounting function or a major division of the Auditor-Controller's Office.

• Determine how the departmental or division accounting management program should be structured and how accounting principles should be applied.

• Supervise specialized audits in the Auditor-Controller's Office of the fiscal records and accounting procedures in various County departments, divisions, and agencies.

• Participate in the selection, training, and evaluation of subordinate professional accounting and fiscal clerical personnel; coordinate accounting functions with data processing systems.

• Evaluate, develop, recommend, and coordinate implementation of computer applications to accounting systems and procedures.

• Supervise and participate in the development and maintenance of systems forms for fiscal transactions, recordkeeping and budgetary controls; supervise and perform analysis of complex fiscal recordkeeping systems and procedures.

• Provide technical guidance, direction, and training to subordinate staff performing complex accounting and auditing work, including computer applications.

• Review laws, legislation, and policies to ensure compliance and to determine impact on accounting procedures and recommend changes where appropriate.

• Coordinate the work of subordinate staff with other sections, departments, or outside fiscal intermediaries; assist in the budget preparation process.

• Confer with and advise department and other officials on a variety of accounting and budgetary matters.

Qualifications

OPTION I
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting, or another field of study that included at least 18 semester or 27 quarter units in accounting, finance, auditing, taxation, financial reporting, business finance, financial statement analysis, or external and internal reporting, or closely related coursework. (One year as a professional accountant with the County of Riverside may substitute for the 18 semester or 27 quarter units of specialized coursework.)

Experience: Three years as a professional accountant, including one year in a supervisory or lead capacity over other professional accountants.

OPTION II
Certificate: Possession of a valid certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor.

Experience: Three years as a professional accountant, including one year in a supervisory or lead capacity over other professional accountants.

ALL OPTIONS
Knowledge of: The principles and techniques of supervision; the theory, principles, and practices of general and governmental accounting, budgeting, and auditing; state and local codes, rules, and regulations influencing County fiscal operations; data processing systems and their application to accounting operations; the methods of developing systems forms for various types of accounting records and reports; the principles, methods, and techniques of public administration, personnel, and business office management.

Ability to: Plan, organize, and direct a complex accounting or auditing program; evaluate and supervise the work of subordinate staff; apply legal and administrative accounting policies to general County accounting systems; analyze data, draw logical conclusions, and recommend effective courses of action; communicate effectively in oral and written form; establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Additional Information

Who May Apply:

This recruitment is open to all applicants.

Application Status

How to confirm your application was received or check on the status of your application, log-in to www.GovernmentJobs.com, click on your name in the upper right corner, and click on “Applications & Status.”

Due to the nature and volume of this recruitment you may only receive correspondence if you are referred for an interview or when the event is complete.

HIGHLY IMPORTANT – ALL CANDIDATES MUST HAVE A COPY OF THEIR TRANSCRIPT(S) OR CERTIFICATE UPLOADED BEFORE SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION.

Sign Up for Job Alerts

Go to www.RC-HR.com, click on “Careers,” click on “County Job Openings,” and click on “Subscribe to Job Alerts” icon.

For Questions Regarding This Recruitment:

Contact Christopher Recinos Crecinos@rivco.org or at 951 - 955 – 9883. Please allow 1 – 3 business days for a response for your inquiry.