Retirement Accountant III

 THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.  Applications will only be accepted on-line.

Supplemental Questionnaire:  A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire  must be submitted with each application.  Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resources Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day For Filing.  Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

THE DEPARTMENT

The Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association (ACERA) is a retirement system organized under the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, which provides retirement, disability and death benefits to the employees, retirees and former employees of the County of Alameda, and certain other participating public employees. The retirement plan provides lifetime benefits to members of the retirement system who meet the minimum age and length-of-service requirements and is a significant and fundamental part of the comprehensive benefits package ACERA provides to eligible employees . Current Services Over the years, ACERA has expanded its member services to include employees of the Alameda County-based Superior Court of California and the five special districts of the County, as well as to administer retiree health care, dental care, vision care, and supplemental cost-of-living benefits.

MISSION

To provide ACERA members and employers with flexible, cost-effective, participant-oriented benefits through prudent investment management and superior member services. Commitment (Board and Staff) To carry out our Mission through a competent, professional, impartial and open decision making process. In providing benefits and services, all persons will be treated fairly and with courtesy and respect. Investments will be managed to balance the need for security with superior performance. We expect excellence in all activities. We will also be accountable and act in accordance with the law.

THE POSITION

The Retirement Accountant III is located in the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association and reports to the Retirement Assistant Accounting Manager. It is a professional level position, which includes responsibility for continuous project management, advance problem solving skills and responsibility for integration of numerous reports and systems to complete assigned tasks. Retirement Accountant III’s leads and trains accountants and fiscal-clerical personnel.

Under general direction creates timely and accurate financial statements, administers financial systems and analyzes financial data to complete reports and to make recommendations and other related duties.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a track record of success in the following areas:

Demonstrated expertise in preparing financial statements and audit reports, bank and account reconciliation, inventory management, and financial analysis review and report writing.

Accurately complete assignments and tasks, while paying attention to detail and processes.

Consistently manage time and resources to appropriately prioritize and complete goals and objectives.

Maintains effectiveness while experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; and the ability to adjust within new structures, processes, requirements or cultures.

Initiative to learn and apply accounting processes and procedures to keep step with advancing accounting methods and computer technology.

Strong knowledge of general and governmental accounting, auditing principles and practices. Ability to establish and maintain an effective process to monitor, collect and review information while vigilantly managing quality to ensure freedom from errors.

 

Either I

The equivalent of three years in the class of Retirement Accountant II in the Alameda County classified service.

Or II

The equivalent of three years full-time experience in the class of Senior Accountant or Auditor II in the Alameda County classified service.

Or III

Education:

Education equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in accounting, finance or business administration, AND

Experience:

The equivalent of five years full-time increasingly responsible professional accounting or auditing experience (which included accounting/fiscal duties and responsibilities). Experience must also include two years of supervisory responsibility.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Project management techniques
• Leadership principles.
• Accounting software programs.
• Spreadsheet and word processing software.
• Generally accepted accounting principles and financial record keeping practices.
• Both manual and automated systems.

Ability to:

• Read and interpret complex employee benefit and pension plan regulations and plan documents, including the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937.
• Prepare comprehensive financial reports and budgets.
• Explain complex procedures to coworkers and coach staff in new skills and procedures.
• Identify emerging risk issues and trends and present analysis to management.
• Establish priorities, analyze problems and identify solutions under pressure.
• Meet deadlines and follow-up on responsibilities.
• Lead work groups and protect teams effectively.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to groups.
• Resolve service-related conflicts and to consistently deliver quality service to internal and external customers.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

The examination will consist of the following steps:

1. A review of candidates' application to verify possession of minimum requirements.  Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
2. A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine the best qualified.
3. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score.  The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment. 

 WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process please visit the "What You Need to Know" section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.  The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Last Day To File:                                                                                Monday, July 16, 2018

Review of Minimum Qualifications:                                                   Monday, July 23, 2018

Review of Supplemental Questionnaires for Best Qualified:            Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Panel Interviews:                                                                                Week of August 13, 2018

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing.   Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes. For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Employee Mortgage Loan Program
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Anna Montoya, Human Resources Analyst III
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
510-272-6459
www.acgov.org/hrs

ALAMEDA COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER