Accountant III (1654)

Company Description

The Controller is the City’s chief financial officer. Our team includes financial, technology, analytical and other professionals who work hard to secure the City’s financial integrity and promote efficient, effective and accountable government. We hold ourselves to high standards and strive to be a model for good government. We value the diverse backgrounds, perspectives and lived experiences of our teams and clients in everything we do. We work in a collaborative and inclusive environment, promote equal opportunity, and invest in the professional development and wellbeing of our team members. You can expect to work alongside colleagues who are committed to serving the public with integrity and want to see positive impacts from their work. We are looking for smart, motivated individuals who want to make a difference and use government to play a role in solving our City’s problems, including addressing long-standing and harmful disparities in our communities. For a career with purpose and professional growth, join us in the Controller’s Office.

This 1654 Accountant III position works on the accounting activities in the Controller’s Accounting Operations and Supplier Division (AOSD). 

AOSD’s primary mission is to control the financial activities of the City. The division certifies contracts, pays vendors, approves personnel requisitions and reviews, monitors, controls, and projects departmental expenditures on a continuous basis to assess overall fiscal condition. The division assists departments to achieve fiscal compliance, accuracy, timeliness and meaningfulness for the resulting financial information. The division is also responsible for the producing the City's annual audited financial statements including the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), the Single Audit Report, and other reports required by federal, state, and local regulations, as well as the Countywide Cost Allocation Plan (COWCAP). Other functions include developing and maintaining citywide financial systems, system policies, procedures, training, security, and documentation.

Job Description

Application Opening: May 16, 2025
Application Filing Deadline: June 1, 2025
Annual Salary:$119,444 to $145,158 Annually
Role type: Temporary Exempt Role Description
Schedule: Full-time

The Controller's Office manages the City's bonds and debt portfolio, including providing low-cost debt financing for large-scale capital infrastructure improvements while balancing market and credit risk with appropriate benefits, mitigations, and controls.

In addition to the utilization of traditional debt instruments like General Obligation Bonds, Commercial Paper (CP), Lease Obligation Bonds, and Certificate of Participation, the City is increasingly utilizing Mello-Roos Community Facilities Districts (CFDs), Infrastructure Financing Districts (IFD), and other special tax districts.

The 1654 temporary position will assist with the ongoing accounting and reporting process for all debt instruments, including General Obligation Bonds (GOB), Commercial Paper (CP), Certificates of Participation (COP), Community Facilities Districts (CFDs), and Infrastructure Financing Districts (IFDs) Bonds.  In addition to developing and implementing Citywide accounting policies and procedures, the 1654 position will assist departments with the timely closeout of these projects and infrastructure improvements built using bond financing. By so doing, the position will reduce the City's administrative burden and interest costs. As an example, the debt team successfully closed out completed projects under the 2010 ESER Bonds, and returned $1 million of unspent cash, which will be applied towards debt service.  Furthermore, the position will ensure that the City accounts for all debt instruments in a manner consistent with new Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) pronouncements.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Performs complex accounting functions in connection with budget preparation, purchasing activities, payroll analysis and grants management.
2. Processes and pre-audits accounting documents and transactions in conformance with established procedures and controls.
3. Reviews, prepares, reconciles and supervises the preparation of complex financial reports.
4. Reviews, reconciles and audits accounting records of receipts, disbursements and encumbrances to ensure fiscal accuracy and control.
5. May supervise subordinate staff by delegating, planning, directing and assigning accounting work. Includes training, coaching, and evaluating staff performance.
6. Performs fiscal year-end closing activities.
7. Analyzes, recommends new or updated fiscal policies, procedures and internal controls and re-aligns business practices to improve operations.
8. Maintains current knowledge of applicable ordinances, rules, regulations, policies and standards.
9. Presents and explains reports to financial and non-financial managers, co-workers, and clients.
10. May coordinate, define, develop and maintain financial data extracts, reports and interfaces.
11. Participates in the identification of functional processing and reporting requirements, end-users testing and documentation, implementation support for financial processing and reporting systems.
12. Participates in the identification, creation and maintenance of accounting codes and structures to ensure accurate recording, reporting and control in financial systems.
13. Performs special projects and other duties as assigned.

Desirable Skills & Qualifications:

• Experience with PeopleSoft and Excel
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Exceptional people skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships that foster engagement and creative problem-solving as a member of a diverse staff team.

Qualifications

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, preferably with major course work in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field. Such education must include eighteen (18) semester units or twenty-four (24) quarter units of coursework in accounting. AND

Four (4) years of professional accounting which includes analysis or problem solving. Experience must include: Working with an automated financial system, (preferably a government system) performing difficult and responsible accounting, as well as preparing financial records and reports. OR

2. City and County of San Francisco Employees with four (4) years of professional accounting experience including experience as a 1652 Accountant II.

Substitution:
A Master's degree in accounting, business administration, computer information systems, public policy, or a closely related field may be substituted for one year of work experience.

Verification of Minimum Qualifications:
Please submit a copy of your degree reflecting the required eighteen (18) semester units or twenty-four (24) quarter units of coursework in accounting.  Failure to due so may lead to disqualification from the applicant process.

Interviews:
Selected candidates will be invited to participate in one or more interviews at the Controller’s Office.

Additional Information

Additional information

Information About The Hiring Process

• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Recruitment Analyst Information:
If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact Kira Sanchez, the recruitment analyst at [email protected] 

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.