"Senior Accountant"

Senior Accountant

Salary: $87,929.00 - $108,142.00 Annually

Location: SCCCD District Office - Fresno, CA

Job Type: Permanent

Division: DO Finance & Administration

Job Number: 2025037

Closing: 9/17/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

General Purpose

Under general supervision, performs a full range of complex, professional accounting in the review, preparation and maintenance of District financial records, reports and systems for District-funded, categorical and grant-funded operations and programs; prepares reconciliations, projections, analyses, financial statements and reports regarding general ledger and expenditure and budget issues; ensures compliance with all federal, state and District regulations, policies and procedures; provides technical support for the District-wide enterprise finance and accounting system; provides District-wide financial oversight of categorical and grant-funded programs and expenditures; and performs related duties as assigned.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

• Performs complex, technical accounting work in the maintenance of District financial records; prepares and posts journal entries for financial transactions; analyzes and researches variances and discrepancies and processes correcting and adjusting entries; performs ongoing analyses and reconciliations of general ledger accounts; prepares schedules, financial statements and cash flow/cash balance statements; produces accurate financial reports and statements; reconciles various payroll-related accounts; prepares journal entries to make adjustments and correct discrepancies involving pay, benefits, taxes or entries omitted from the Payroll system; generates labor distribution and other reports.
• Participates in the budget development process; runs budget prep programs to calculate projected salary and benefit costs; prepares revenue projections; calculates non-payroll general ledger accounts costs; following budget approval, reconciles, validates and posts budget amounts to the general ledger; updates the general ledger chart of accounts.
• Creates and maintains the chart of accounts for various District, categorical, grant-funded and bond-funded programs, projects and activities in the general ledger system; assigns new account numbers and accounting strings according to established procedures and sets up accounts in the enterprise finance and accounting system; creates/modifies queries to analyze or correct financial data or transactions for various programs; creates and maintains a library of SQL queries to reconcile general ledger accounts and research and resolve accounting and system problems.
• Prepares and maintains general ledger and subsidiary accounting records for fixed assets; enters capital purchases to fixed asset inventory records; deletes items removed from inventory through surplus sale, trade-in or loss; reconciles capital purchases to fixed asset inventories; calculates depreciation of all fixed assets and updates schedules accordingly; prepares audit schedules and assists auditors as needed; recommends to management appropriate updates to fixed asset policies as needed.
• Provides District-wide oversight of categorical and grant-funded programs to ensure compliance with all federal, state and district requirements including in-lieu contributions and maintenance of effort; reviews forecasted personnel costs including potential salary increases and increases in retirement and other benefit costs to ensure multi-year projections will cover expected costs; with grant program and budget staff, reviews grant proposals and makes recommendations regarding submission; assists in preparing grant applications and performing post award functions; reviews contracts to be sent to the Board of Trustees for approval; reviews expenditures for compliance with District policies and procedures and consistency with grant contract provisions and budgets; verifies the accuracy of program personnel time and costs; works with grant staff to resolve concerns and/or approve budget modifications if required; assists Accounts Receivable in the cash draw down process; tracks outstanding accounts receivable balances and follows up on delinquent accounts; prepares quarterly cash/expenditure reconciliation reports for programs.
• Performs accounting for bond construction and other special funds; capitalizes and transfers costs to fixed asset general ledger accounts for completed projects; books expenditures, interest and other transactions; codes payment advices and reconciles general ledger balances with pay estimate balances; prepares schedules for bond construction fund balances and bond commitments; conducts special expenditure analyses and audits to ensure full reimbursement of District costs in connection with bond construction.
• Participates in year-end close activities by preparing year-end accruals and closing entries for general ledger accounts; sets up accounts receivable and current liabilities; makes adjustments to all suspense or liability accounts; prepares journal entries to close books; prepares schedules for audit purposes; assists with the District-wide annual external audit process.
• Aggregates and compiles data to prepare a variety of reports including the Comprehensive Annual Financial and Budget Report (CCFS-311) for submission to the State Chancellor's Office; prepares quarterly reports and the annual Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) report; performs final review of all financial reports and billings and certifies final reports to funding agencies.
• Prepares and maintains records and files.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to and understanding of historically minoritized groups and participates in professional development activities to increase cultural competency to enhance equity-minded practices within the District.

OTHER DUTIES

• Prepares enterprise financial reports, statements and schedules for bookstore, cafeteria and residence hall operations for presentation to management and the Board of Trustees; prepares journal entries and invoices for allocated costs for utilities for bookstores and food service operations.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Employment Standards / Minimum Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices and procedures of general and governmental accounting, including financial statement preparation and methods of financial control and reporting, preferably in a community college environment.
• Generally accepted accounting principles, Government Accounting Board standards and other standards and requirements applicable to community colleges.
• Principles, practices and procedures of internal control and audit.
• Scripting languages applicable to the work including SQL.
• Principles and practices of public agency budget development and management and grant tracking and monitoring.
• Federal, state, local and District laws, regulations and policies governing fiscal requirements of community colleges and educational institutions, including those related to categorical programs and payroll.
• District organization, functions, rules, policies and procedures applicable to assigned areas of responsibility.
• Principles and practices of sound business communication including proper English usage, grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Principles and practices of public administration, including budgeting, purchasing and maintaining public records.
• Research methods and financial analysis techniques.

Skills and Abilities to:

• Operate a computer and use standard business software and complex enterprise accounting systems.
• Analyze, post, balance and reconcile complex financial data and accounts in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and legal requirements.
• Analyze information and issues, evaluate alternatives, reach sound conclusions and make appropriate recommendations on complex financial data.
• Understand, interpret, explain and apply District accounting policies and procedures, state and federal law, codes, ordinances and regulations and professional accounting standards regulating District financial accounting, reporting and recordkeeping.
• Organize, set priorities and exercise sound, independent judgment within areas of responsibility.
• Prepare clear, concise and comprehensive financial and other written materials.
• Make advanced uses of enterprise accounting system software.
• Effectively engage and support historically minoritized groups by addressing issues of equity and improving culturally responsive service-oriented practices.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all those encountered in the course of work.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or a closely related field, and at least three years of progressively responsible professional accounting experience, preferably in a community college or other public agency; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Certain assignments may require a California driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the Districts vehicle insurance program.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to sit; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands repetitively to finger, handle, feel or operate computers and standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms. An employee is frequently required to stand and walk; and lift up to 10 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret complex data, information and documents; analyze and solve problems; use math and mathematical reasoning; learn and apply new information and skills; perform highly detailed work on multiple concurrent tasks; and interact with directors, managers, employees and others encountered in the course of work.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential duties of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Employees work under typical office conditions and the noise level is quiet.

The employee may be required to travel to locations other than assigned work site and to adjust to work schedule changes and requirements to work overtime.