Accounting Specialist II

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. 

Application and 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 Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.  Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted online.

THE COUNTY:

Established in 1853, Alameda County has a population of over 1.6 million residents making it the second largest county in the Bay Area and the seventh largest in the State. The County encompasses 14 cities including Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, and Union City as well as six unincorporated communities and rural areas that span a total of 738 square miles.

 

Alameda County employs approximately 9,000 employees working in 21 different agencies and departments and has an annual budget of over $3 billion. As a major urban County, Alameda delivers a full spectrum of services, including general government and internal services, health care, social services, public works, criminal justice, and other public safety services for its community.

 

The County celebrates the rich diversity of its workforce, which in large measure, reflects the cultural and ethnic diversity of the community it serves. The County’s mission is to enrich the lives of its residents through visionary policies and accessible, responsive, and effective services. Its vision is to be recognized as one of the best counties in which to live, work, and do business.

THE POSITION:

Under general supervision, to provide accounting and financial support of County departments and agencies; to reconcile, maintain, monitor and control major groupings of funds, budget units, or revenue and expenditure accounts; and to do related work as required.

 

This is bridge class between the clerical accounting series including Accounting Specialist I and Accounting Technician and the professional-level of Accountant. This class is distinguished from the lower level Accounting Specialist I in that the former works with and is expected to show proficiency in multiple accounting systems and performs work involving county-wide financial processes and/or processes that have significant financial impact on the County. Employees are assigned the most complex, difficult, and/or specialized accounting, financial and/or budgetary work requiring analysis and evaluation of financial records to ensure accuracy and the interpretation of financial guidelines to ensure that fiscal operations are in compliance.

This class is distinguished from Accountant series by latter’s knowledge of and skill in applying generally accepted accounting principles and practices and requirement for preparing analytical, narrative, statistical, and accounting reports. The professional level classes normally involve independent decision-making, development or oversight of a program or function, the more limited availability or nature of supervision received and a greater scope and complexity of activities, regulations and guidelines.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE    

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications below, the ideal candidate will possess the following critical attributes:

• Demonstrated expertise in analyzing data, reconciling accounts, contract billing, preparing deposit journals/transfers and running/preparing reports; 
• Ability to put new knowledge, understanding or skill to practical use on the job;
• A keen attention to detail - vigilantly watching over job processes, tasks and work products ensuring freedom from errors, omissions or defects;
• A strong knowledge of general and governmental accounting and auditing principles and practices;
• Ability to work cooperatively with others inside and outside the organization;
• Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Excel;
• Ability to multitask and manage competing work priorities, time and resources; and
• Skill as a clear and effective communicator.  

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit: Accounting Specialist II (#1316)

THE VACANCIES:

We are currently recruiting to establish a countywide eligible list that will be used by any County department or agency needing to fill a vacancy in this classification. The immediate vacancies are within the Health Care Services Agency, Public Works Agency, Office of Child Support Services, Social Services Agency and the Treasurer-Tax Collector.

Experience:

The equivalent of one year of experience as an Accounting Specialist I in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

Education:

Equivalent to completion of two years of college (90 quarter units or 60 semester units) from an accredited college or university in a bookkeeping or accounting curriculum. (Additional experience as outlined below may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.)
Experience:

Equivalent to two years of full-time bookkeeping experience at a level equivalent to the Accounting Specialist I classification and which has included some combination of document review and processing, administrative or financial recordkeeping and/or office management.

License:

Specified positions may require possession of a valid California driver's license.

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.

Knowledge of:

• Practices and techniques of automated accounting and financial record keeping and report preparation.
• Accounting principles and bookkeeping practices
• Principles and practices of auditing and reconciling a variety of financial and accounting documents and records
• Computer applications related to the work, including spreadsheet and data base applications
• Procedures, terminology and forms related to the functional area to which assigned.
• Techniques used to reconcile subsidiary accounts, to control accounts, and to maintain books through trial balance
• Basic budgeting and cost accounting practices and procedures.
• Microsoft Excel and Access Database.

Ability to:

• Audit and reconcile financial, accounting and budgetary documents and records; maintain journals and reports.
• Read, interpret and apply rules, regulations, policies and procedures involved in fiscal recordkeeping and accounting functions
• Compile fiscal and financial data.
• Learn accounting structure, financial guidelines, systems, and procedures of the department, fiscal program or agency.
• Learn basic budgeting and funding regulations, practices, and procedures.
• Interpret, explain and apply regulations and procedures in varying situations.
• Organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines.
• Maintain accurate records and files.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

1. A review of applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire to verify possession of minimum qualification.  Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process;
2. A pass/fail written test. Those candidates who pass the written test will move to the final step in the process;
3. A pre-recorded video oral interview, weighted at 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.

For more information on the Civil Service Selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of 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) 
• 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

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• 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.

 

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @jobaps.com, @acgov.org, Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com 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 ensure 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 boxes Noreply@jobaps.com and noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to unmonitored mailboxes. 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 job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

 

Monique Hill | Personnel Services Program Manager, Recruitment and Selection
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
510-208-4841 or email Monique.Hill@acgov.org
www.acgov.org/hrs

 

 

 DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect.  Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.