Career Opportunity

Accountant III - Citywide Examination (1654)

Recruitment: RTF0119312-01134900

Published: August 17, 2022

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

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 is a Citywide Examination under Class Based Testing (CBT).  The eligible list resulting from this Citywide Examination will be utilized to fill current and future vacancies in job class 1654 Accountant III for City & County of San Francisco Departments. 

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below:

• Application Opening: February 1, 2022
• Application Deadline: March 15, 2022
• Compensation Range: $101,140 - $122,954
• Recruitment ID: 119313

Role description

Under general direction, this class performs complex accounting duties including but not limited to:

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.

How to qualify

Education and Experience:

1.    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 (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.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

HOW TO APPLY

Please include the following items with your online application:  

1. All University transcripts with University Letterhead in PDF format. NOTE: Verification of qualifications will be collected prior to appointment for all finalists. Verification of education in the form of a college transcript must be submitted with the application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable but must contain the college letterhead. Please include all transcripts from the colleges you have attended (i.e. junior colleges and universities). Copies of diploma(s) will not be accepted in lieu of transcripts. Course descriptions may be requested. Applicants who possess a degree that is from a foreign college or university will be required to provide an equivalency certification of the degree. Equivalency certifications and all transcripts must be submitted upon completion of the Written Examination in order to move forward in the process.   You will be able to upload transcripts to the online application OR email to Karena.Phung@sfgov.org and include CBT-1654 in subject line of email - (DO NOT email more than one copy)
2. Updated Resume Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Verification of Education and Experience:

All applicants, including City employees, must provide written verification of qualifying education needed to meet the minimum qualifications.  Copies of transcripts must be submitted to verify college education.  Incumbency in a class with the same education requirements may be reason to waive this requirement for current city employees. Verification of qualifying experience may be required.  If requested, verification must be signed by the employer or the employer’s authorized representative on the employer’s business letterhead, and must include the name of the applicant, job title(s), dates of employment, and description of job duties performed. If the qualifying experience was performed on a part-time or as-needed basis, the total number of hours worked, or average hours worked per week must also be included. City and County employees shall receive credit only for the duties of the class to which appointed or assigned unless sufficient and credible documentation is provided to verify performance of other duties.  Employees may receive credit for duties not usually performed by incumbents in a class if their employee file contains contemporaneous documentation that the duties were assigned and performed.  By way of example but not limitation, records that describe and verify the out-of-class assignment that may be accepted as documentation include a valid performance appraisal completed during the normal evaluation period, payroll records filed at the time of the assignment and Notice of Assignment.  Credit for duties not usually performed by incumbents in a class based on non-contemporaneous documentation shall require the certification of the Appointing Officer and the approval of the Human Resources Director.  Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. 

Notes regarding Verification of Education and Experience:

1. A degree from a U.S. or foreign college or university not currently listed on accreditation websites may require that an evaluation of the degree must be received before placement on the eligible list.  The evaluation must state that the degree has equivalency as described in the minimum qualifications. For information on "How to obtain equivalency certification", please visit: http://sfdhr.org/index.aspx?page=456
2. Experience must be professional in level and scope.  Experience as an Account Clerk, Sr. Account Clerk, Principal Account Clerk, for example, may not qualify unless it meets the guidelines defined in Civil Service Rule 109 and 110.
3.  Incumbency in Class 1652 Accountant II or admission to a previous examination administration does not guarantee admission in this process.  This determination is governed by the terms of this announcement.

Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process.

Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow instructions on the screen

Official Public Health Order -Shelter in Place: In line with the Official Public Health Order to slow the spread of COVID-19, “shelter-in-place” has been issued for all San Francisco residents that is expected to be in effect until further notice. As a result, Department of Human Resources (DHR)’s office (located at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103) is currently closed to the general public. If you have any questions, please feel free to email the Exam Analyst listed at the end of this job ad.

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

What else should I know?

SELECTION PROCEDURES

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (Qualifying): Candidates will be prompted to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire as part of the online employment application. This Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications or this position. Applicants must also complete the official application. It is essential that applicants provide complete information in identifying their education, experience and training. The Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Written Multiple-Choice Examination (Weight 50%): Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in a written multiple-choice examination designed to measure their relative knowledge, skill and ability levels in job- related areas including:  Comprehensive knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); comprehensive knowledge of Government Accounting; Analytical and Decision-Making Ability; and Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in writing.

Qualified applicants will be notified by email of the exact time, date and location of the examination.  Requests for an alternative test date may be considered in limited circumstances and must be submitted to the analyst listed in the announcement within five (5) calendar days of the test date.  Candidates must pass the written exam in order to move forward in the examination process. 

Oral/Performance Examination (Weight 50%): Candidates who achieve a passing score on the written examination will be invited to participate in an Oral/Performance Examination designed to measure their relative knowledge, skill and ability levels in job-related areas including: Skilled in the use of personal computers; Interpersonal Skills; Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in writing; Oral communication Skills; Analytical and Decision Making Ability.   

Total weight for Written Multiple-Choice Examination and Oral/Performance components: 100% Candidates must achieve passing scores on all selection procedures in order to be ranked on the eligible list.

Tentative Written Examination Administration Dates: April 2022

Tentative Oral/Performance Examination Administration Dates: Late April 2022/Early May 2022

Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be (12) months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/ASO-Level-Chart.pdf?documentID=21246.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:  

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations.  [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ .] The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4.  Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement.  Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at http://sfgov.org/civilservice/rules.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• 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

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst Karena Phung at karena.phung@sfgov.org. 

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

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.