Salary: $80,196.48 - $97,624.80 Annually
Location : San Jose
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number:
DEPART: Fire Department
Opening Date: 10/02/2026
Closing Date: 10/9/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Position Duties
The San José Fire Department is currently recruiting to fill one (1) Principal Account Clerk vacancy in the Bureau of Administrative Services. The Accounts Payable (AP) Principal Account Clerk will serve as the Fire Department's primary oversite for the procurement card program that consists of regular and emergency users. In addition, this position is responsible for performing the review and reconciliation of all cardholder accounts. The Principal Account Clerk will also oversee payment processing for all department utilities. Other assigned duties will include special payment demand request, petty cash reconciliation, and refund requests. Please note that the position may not include all the duties listed, nor do the examples cover all the duties which may be performed. The salary range for the Principal Account Clerk classification is $80,196.48 - $97,624.80 annually. This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates' qualifications and experience.

Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience

Completion of high school, General Educational Development (GED) Certificate, or

California Proficiency Certificate AND three (3) years of accounting clerical experience, including one

(1) year in the performance of reviewing and balances ledgers, processing and reviewing revenues, payments, or requisitions, or serving as a timekeeper and processing payroll.
Acceptable Substitution

A bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.

Communication Skills - Communicates and listens effectively and responds in a timely, effective, positive, and respectful manner; written reports and correspondence are accurate, complete, and current; well-organized, legible, concise, neat, and in proper grammatical form.

Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including, but not limited to, MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.

Customer Service - Demonstrates ability to anticipate internal and external customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently in a timely, accurate, respectful and friendly manner.

Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.

Flexibility - Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes, performance expectations, organizational culture, or work environment.

Problem Solving - Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem; collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.

Reliability - Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.

Team Work & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.
The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's for detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City's Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an to explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.
01

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• High School Diploma or the equivalent (GED)
• College (1 to 29 semester units/ 1 to 44 quarter units)
• College (30 to 59 semester units/ 45 to 89 quarter units)
• College (60 to 89 semester units/ 90 to 134 quarter units)
• College (90 to 119 semester units/ 135 to 179 quarter units)
• College (120 or more semester units/ 180 or more quarter units)
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Degree
• Other
• None of the above

02

If you selected other, please state the field of study and the Certification or Vocational degree received.
03

How many years of accounting clerical experience do you have?

• Fewer than 3 years
• Three (3) years or more

04

Out of the experience in the above question, how many years of experience include performance of reviewing and balances ledgers, processing and reviewing revenues, payments, or requisitions, or serving as a timekeeper and processing payroll?

• Fewer than 1 year
• One (1) year or more

05

An Acceptable Substitution for the Principal Account Clerk position is possession of a bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university can be substituted for the required experience. If you meet the Acceptable Substitution, please state the field of study and the issuing accredited college or university.
06

Please describe how you meet the minimum experience requirement of three (3) years of accounting clerical experience, including one (1) year in the performance of reviewing and balancing ledgers, processing and reviewing revenues, payments, procurement card or bank reconciliations, or purchase requisitions.
07

Please describe a project or situation where you were required to work with staff at various levels within your organization. Be specific about the nature of the work and staff examples. What techniques did you employ to ensure timely delivery of services and/or products?
08

Please describe your strategy for establishing and sustaining positive relationships with customers? Specifically, describe how you address customer complaints and how you ensure your interactions with customers are efficient and effective. Be specific and provide examples from your past and/or current experiences.
Required Question