Grants Accountant-County Executive Office

WHAT WE OFFER
The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. In addition to the salary of approximately $78,245.65 - 125,975.50 annually an employee within this position will also be eligible for the following:

• A general salary increase of 3.5% effective December 22, 2024.
• Bilingual Incentive - Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational needs and certification skills.
• Annual Leave - The candidate selected for this position will earn 208 hours per year, increasing to 288.08 hours after 5 years of service.
• Annual Leave Redemption - The ability to "cash in" or redeem up to 100 hours of Annual Leave per year after using 80 hours of annual leave within the previous 12 months (Management Resolution, § 1205).
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. If you participate in the County sponsored 401(k) plan, the County will match a part of your contribution up to 3% of your salary, on a per pay period basis. Following five (5) years of continuous County service, an additional 2% non-elective contribution will be made to the 401(k) plan.
• Health Insurance Plans - Medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your dependents. A maximum flexible credit allowance of up to $23,530 annually.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Increase your spending power by reimbursement with pre-taxed dollars for IRS- approved dependent care and health care expenses.
• Holidays - 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Pension Plan - Both you and the County contribute to the County's Retirement Plan. If you are eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems, such as PERS.
• Additional Benefits - Professional Memberships, Disability Plans, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Wellness Program.

THE POSITION
Under general direction, the Grants Accountant, plans, leads, schedules, assigns and monitors the work of assigned professional and technical staff; This position is responsible for performing highly complex and time sensitive financial duties involving budget, cost accounting, projections, rate development, grant reimbursement requests, and financial reporting. This positions coordinates accounting and budgetary needs between multiple groups, including but not limited to Program Management staff, CEO Budget and Finance, GSA Procurement, and the Auditor Controller's Accounts Payable, Financial Planning and Financial Reporting staff.
Forecasts, analyzes and prepares financial statements, cash flow projections, variance analyses, cost benefit analyses, time studies and financial data analyses affecting program budgets. Assigned oversight of financial activities of agencies with complex and diverse funding streams; responsibilities including but are not limited to reviewing and monitoring grants, special funding sources, current financial activities based on current trends and historical data; recommends adjustments, if necessary; making sure that the financial activities are in compliance with GAAP or GASB, and in accordance with existing legislation, ordinance or any board actions.
Prepares disclosures for the County's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) including leases, long-term liabilities, and subsequent events related to financing activities. Advises and coordinates with departments/agencies on new accounting structure, classifications, internal controls and reporting requirements.
PAYROLL TITLES and APPROXIMATE SALARIES
Senior Accountant-MB: $78,245.65 - $109,543.91 annually
Principal Accountant-MB: $89,982.50 - $125,975.50 annually
NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbent may be promoted to the higher level without further exam upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Senior Accountant-MB - This is the advanced journey level in the Accountant-MB series; positions at this level perform more complex duties and responsibilities exercising a significant level of independent judgment in the performance of their duties; work assigned to this advanced level requires a specialized technical or functional expertise beyond the journey level such as diverse accounting systems, extensive labor cost allocations and considerable financial analysis/reporting requirements. Positions may also be assigned lead duties over lower level staff.
Principal Accountant-MB - This the fourth and highest working level in the Accountant-MB series performing working supervisory accountant functions which are highly complex but less policy focused than accountabilities assigned to management level positions. Functional areas of responsibility include the supervision and direction of staff performing professional or technical accounting work in an assigned department or agency fiscal program area; some positions may not directly supervise staff but instead may have expert-level responsibility for planning, organizing and directing a major department finance program or function; some positions may also direct and supervise fiscal staff and operations within smaller department settings.
Senior Accountant-MB and Principal Accountant MB are Management classifications and are not eligible for overtime compensation.
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS COMPLETE: on or about February 28, 2024
ORAL EXAMINATIONS: end of the week of March 4, 2024Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Analyzes fiscal data for various divisions;
• Assists with and controls the department/program budget to assure conformance with revenue expectation, expenditure plans and determines the level and appropriateness of year-end closing accruals, prepayments, deferrals, depreciation, or adjustments.
• Assists/develops various service fee rates based upon cost analysis, utilization and cost trend analysis, and departmental financial objectives.
• Prepares analysis, financial statements, ad hoc reports including, but not limited to, quarterly/monthly financial reports, payroll reports and internal service funds reports. Assists with Board Agenda Items and determines fiscal impact on department's finances and operations. Advises managers and executives accordingly and assists with strategies; and assists in the development of fiscal policies and procedures and oversees implementations of new operational programs or automated systems.
• Acts as liaison to state and federal agencies and client organizations/departments regarding operational issues and policies.
• Assists with Auditor-Controller's Officer/State Controller's Office in the preparation of financial statements, audits and cost allocation plans.
• Provides technical expertise and information to auditors, local, state and federal agencies, supervisors, managers and others regarding assigned functions.
• Manages assigned grant programs including a review of monthly program reports, and communications with all service providers/grantees on fiscal and program operations.
• Performs funding allocation analysis and ongoing audits of multiple grant sub-recipients to ensure their fiscal and program compliance.
• Prepares grant billings and reports in accordance with grant contract provision and agreements.
• Serves as a fiscal grand administrator for multi-agency grants or capital projects. Review and track costs and claims to ensure compliance with funding agreements. Prepares consolidated claims/reports and allocates funds accordingly.
• Plans and administers compliance review programs on contractors or lessees to assess financial and grant compliance.
• Performs other related duties as required.

The following tasks are performed at the Principal Accountant Level:

• Recommends long- and short-term strategic plans in support of agency or department goals and objectives.
• Plans, directs and supervises the work of professional, technical and clerical fiscal staff engaged in fiscal (i) transactional processes, (ii) reconciliation and balancing of fiscal accounts; (iii) budget development and reporting (iv) rate development; (v) time studies; (vi) grant claim processing and related accounting transactions and (vii) financial reporting.
• Develops and oversees fiscal programs.
• Develops and oversees implementation of financial policies and procedures in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the County's Administrative Manual.
• Assists with developing and implementing financial policies and procedures and ensures that activities are conducted in accordance with laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.

These are entrance requirements to the exam process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
EDUCATION,TRAINING,andEXPERIENCE

Any combination of education and experience which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills and abilities. An example of qualifying education and experience includes:
Bachelor's degree with at least eighteen (18) semester units of college-level accounting coursework, including two (2) semesters of Intermediate Accounting, PLUS:
Senior Accountant-MB
Four (4) years of progressively responsible professional accounting experience, including preparation of financial statements: OR two (2) years as an Accountant II for the County of Ventura.
Principal Accountant-MB
Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional accounting experience with one (1) year as a lead or supervisory level; OR two (2) years as a Senior Accountant for the County of Ventura.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Intermediate proficiency/skills in working with financial management systems.
• Intermediate proficiency/skills in Microsoft Excel.
• Budget accounting experience.

DESIRED

• Intermediate experience with Ventura County Financial Management System (VCFMS).
• Experience setting and developing service rate and fee schedules.
• Experience serving as a liaison between various departments, Executive Leadership and/or high-profile political figures.
• Experience in cost accounting, financial management of State, and Federal Grants.
• Experience reporting/presenting complex financial information to Executive Leadership, and/or Program Managers.
• Experience handling federal and/or state grants and/or audits.
• Experience with the completion of Schedule of Federal Expenditure of Awards (SEFA)

Education/ExperienceSubstitution
Professional level accounting experience may be substituted for up to two (2) years of undergraduate education on a year- for-year basis, provided the candidate possesses at least eighteen (18) semester units of college-level accounting coursework, including two (2) semesters of Intermediate Accounting.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Verification of the required college degree and college-level coursework is required. Transcripts or grade reports from an accredited college or university which reflect the date your degree was conferred and passing grades in the required subject areas must be submitted to County of Ventura, Human Resources within three (3) business days of recruitment closing date. If transcripts or grade reports are not submitted, your application will be screened out and you will not be allowed to continue in the process.

You may submit transcripts using one of the following options:

• Attach the transcripts or grade reports to your application
• Email the transcripts to lorin.calderon@ventura.org
• Mail to Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L#1970, Ventura, CA 93009

Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. Degree(s) from a foreign institution require an academic credential evaluation to determine the U.S. equivalency.
You must submit this documentation with your application, a hard copy with a paper application or a scanned PDF copy as an attachment for an online application. If you submit a hard copy with a paper application, be sure it's a copy. Whatever you submit will not be returned to you. To attach a PDF scanned copy to an online application, use the Add Attachment(s) link in the Attachments section of your application.
If the name on this documentation is different from the name on your application, include documents that show the name change.
KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS,andABILITIES:
Thorough knowledge of: operations, services and activities of a comprehensive fiscal program in assigned area; Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, practices, and standards; governmental accounting and auditing standards and guidelines; principles and practices of cost accounting; laws and regulations affecting the financial operations of governmental and departmental operations; principles of business management; data processing systems applicable to accounting operations; principles of supervision and management (Principal Accountant); project management principles and techniques.
Some knowledge of: principles of supervision, training, discipline and performance evaluation.
Skill in: effectively planning, organizing and directing work to meet workload demands (Principal Accountant); preparing and reviewing complex fiscal documents and reports; research and analysis; analyzing financial/accounting data and draw logical conclusions; using initiative, prudence and independent judgment within general policy, procedural and legal guidelines; use of computers and related technology including software app...