Accounting Technician



Accounting Technician

Salary

$54,056.41 - $65,723.41 Annually

Location

Santa Rosa, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

21/08-0404-O

Department

Permit Sonoma (PRD)

Opening Date

08/26/2021

Closing Date

9/20/2021 11:59 PM Pacific

Bargaining Unit

95

Position Information

Grow your careering in accounting with the County of Sonoma!
 
Starting salary up to $30.64/hour ($63,949/year), a cash allowance of $600/month, and a competitive total compensation package!*

Positions are currently available in Permit Sonoma and the Department of Health Services (DHS).
 
At the County, Accounting Technicians perform highly complex technical accounting work that requires the interpretation and processing of financial records and transactions. They work independently and diligently to solve complicated transactions and accounting problems. Through cooperation with internal departmental personnel and representatives of other departments and agencies, Accounting Technicians coordinate, evaluate, modify, and/or integrate the records and systems for which they are responsible. They may also hire, train, and supervise clerical staff. 

In Permit Sonoma, the Accounting Technician is responsible for being the liaison for grant accounts, assisting clerk staff with transaction-level details, processing complex accounting analysis journal entries, completing the at-cost monthly billing cycle, and other related duties. Please visit the Permit Sonoma website to learn more about the services they provide our communities.

In DHS, Accounting Technicians primarily work with Health Care Services financial systems. This position is responsible for Medi-Cal, Medicare, and third-party billing; processing and adjudicating professional fee and Short Doyle claims; performing monthly/quarterly/annual reconciliations; and other related duties. Please visit the DHS website to learn more about the services they provide our communities. 
 
The ideal candidates for both positions are self-starters that have extensive experience with Enterprise Financial Systems (EFS) and other general ledger accounting platforms; and:
 
  • Experience accurately creating, reviewing, and maintaining financial, statistical, and operational records and reports
  • The ability to analyze and interpret federal, state, and local policies and regulations
  • Experience leading, training, and reviewing and assigning work to clerical staff
  • The ability to skillfully communicate, work well with others, and provide effective customer service support to a diverse customer base
  • Strong organizational skills and excellent attention to detail
  • An instinct for how to best analyze fiscal conundrums and find effective solutions - all while exhibiting a teamwork mentality
  • Compassion, empathy, tact, patience, and a sense of humor!

What We Offer
 
When you join the County of Sonoma, you become part of a challenging and rewarding work environment where you gain the satisfaction of knowing that you are working to better your community. You can also look forward to a competitive total compensation package, including*;

  • An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
  • Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
  • A significant portion of health care premiums paid by the County and access to several health plan options
  • County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
  • Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
  • May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment
  • Eligibility for 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

*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 Accounting Technician positions in Permit Sonoma and DHS. 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. County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
 
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education, training, and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include completion of a two year course of study in accounting, financial analysis, statistics, or a closely related field, and two years of increasingly responsible full-time experience in the review, processing, and maintenance of fiscal transactions and accounts, or statistical data and records, including at least one year interpreting financial data and solving complex financial problems;

OR

Completion of at least six semester or eight quarter units in accounting, financial analysis, statistics, or a closely related field; and four years of increasingly responsible full-time experience in the review, processing, and maintenance of fiscal transactions and accounts, or statistical data and records, including at least one year interpreting financial data and solving complex financial problems.

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.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of: methods, practices, and terminology used in financial and statistical clerical work, including considerable knowledge of cost, basic accounting, and budgetary accounting principles; double entry bookkeeping; government and departmental policies, regulations, and procedures in order to satisfactorily perform assigned account or statistical record keeping functions, resolve related problems, or assess acceptability of work performance and procedures; department services, organization, and functions to proficiently plan, prioritize, coordinate, implement, direct, review, evaluate, and perform work assigned to a clerical accounting section.

Working knowledge of: principles and techniques of supervision, training, and performance evaluation; intermediate mathematics to include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, fractions, percentages, decimals, and derivatives in order to count, calculate, balance, check, and adjust fiscal and/or statistical data; modern office methods and procedures; database, spreadsheet, and word processing applications.

Ability to: understand, coordinate, maintain, and monitor an entire accounting system; exercise judgment and technical accounting skill in performing assigned duties independently; establish, evaluate, and modify clerical accounting systems, procedures, records, and forms; review, code, post, adjust, and summarize fiscal transactions or statistical data; maintain and reconcile control records; prepare financial and statistical reports, statements, charts, and graphs; review, analyze, and evaluate data and reports for accuracy and conformance to standards and procedures; train and supervise others; plan, schedule, and assign work; establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, coworkers, and administrative and professional personnel; read and interpret laws pertaining to departmental accounting practices and procedures; use and understand common database, spreadsheet, and word processing applications; operate office equipment such as adding machines, calculators, and computers in order to post, balance, summarize, and adjust data.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

  • 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 and should 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 BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses which state "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & 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. 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 & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as 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 are 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.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: As the largest employer in Sonoma County, the Board of Supervisors has adopted a vaccination and testing policy to help mitigate transmission of COVID-19. All County employees will be required to either have documented proof of full COVID-19 vaccination on file or consent to weekly COVID-19 testing.

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: CG
HR Technician: KC

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:
 
Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.
 
Health Plan: Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution toward the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit. For specific details, please refer to the applicable MOU). A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.

Cash Allowance: In addition to monthly salary, a cash allowance of approximately $600 per month.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired.
 
IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.
 
Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution. For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

01
This eligible list may be used for future bilingual (English/Spanish) positions. Please indicate if you are interested in bilingual positions, and your level of proficiency.
  • Yes, I have basic (conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
  • Yes, I have fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
  • No, I do not have English/Spanish bilingual skills, and/or I do not wish to be considered for a bilingual position
02
Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Check all that apply.
  • I would also like to be considered for future part-time positions
  • I would also like to be considered for future extra-help positions
  • I am only interested in full-time positions
03
How did you first learn about this opportunity?
  • American Accounting Association
  • American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB)
  • American Payroll Association (APA)
  • Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
  • California Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA)
  • California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
  • CalJobs
  • CareerBuilder
  • Careers in Government
  • College or University
  • Craigslist
  • Craigslist Mendocino
  • DiversityJobs
  • Employee of Sonoma County
  • Facebook
  • Glassdoor
  • GovernmentJobs.com
  • Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County
  • Indeed
  • Job Fair
  • La Voz
  • Latino Service Providers
  • LinkedIn
  • Los Cien
  • Minority Organization or Group
  • Monster
  • Press Democrat
  • sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
  • Sonoma County Human Resources Office
  • Sonoma County Job Line
  • Twitter
  • Veterans Services Office
  • Women's Organization or Group
  • Workplace Diversity
  • ZipRecruiter
  • Other Internet Site
  • Other Publication
04
For this question and all subsequent questions, provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.

Please describe your qualifying coursework, training, and related systems knowledge in accounting, financial analysis, statistics, and/or a closely related field. List the:
  • Relevant certifications, coursework, and/or degree(s) you have completed which meet or exceed this position's minimum qualifications.
  • EFS/accounting/fiscal related applications you are proficient with (i.e. Excel, enterprise financial/payroll/timecard systems, etc.)
05
Please describe your qualifying years of work experience in the review, processing, and maintenance of financial transactions, accounts, statistical data, and/or records, which included at least one year of interpreting financial data and solving complex financial problems.
  • For each relevant position you list, include job title(s), employers name(s), dates of employment (mm/yy - mm/yy), list of EFS systems used, a description of your primary responsibilities, and the types of projects you worked on.
06
Please describe a complex financial problem you solved that required you to review, analyze, and evaluate data and reports for accuracy and conformance to standards and procedures. Explain the situation, how you determined which data needed to be evaluated and the standards that should apply, and what steps you took to solve the problem.
07
Please describe your experience leading and/or training others. Describe the number and type(s) of positions you led/trained, the type of support you provided, and highlight if you were responsible for the assignment and/or evaluation of their work.

Required Question

Agency
County of Sonoma (CA)
Address
575 Administration Drive, Suite 116B

Santa Rosa, California, 95403
Phone
(707) 565-2331