Senior Accountant

Salary: $7,335.00 - $9,364.00 Monthly
Location : Salinas City Hall, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26-00782
Department: Finance
Opening Date: 10/23/2026
Closing Date: Continuous

The City of Salinas invites applications for the position of Senior Accountant. This recruitment is open until filled and may close at any time. Priority screening will occur on Friday, November 6, 2026. Tentative date for interviews will be on Friday, November 13, 2026.
This position will give you an opportunity to work with various City Departments on assignments that include a range of complex technical and professional accounting work, including reviewing established financial systems, processes, and procedures and making recommendations.
Summary of Duties: This position performs professional accounting work, prepares financial reports, provides budgetary control for assigned funds, monitors grants, provides support to payroll, and monitors other fiscal information and records.
Distinguishing Characteristics: This is a Senior level position within the Finance and Accounting series of jobs. The Senior Accountant is distinguished from the Accountant position by its performance of more complex, large scale, and specialized accounting tasks. Performs financial accounting tasks requiring high level experience, responsibility, and expertise. Receives general supervision and may exercise supervision for other lower-level accounting staff.
Receives general supervision from the Accounting Manager. Functional or technical supervision may be provided by the Assistant Finance Director or Finance Director. Provides functional and technical supervision to accounting staff.

Essential Job Functions

1. Develops, prepares, and completes the monthly posting, balancing, and reconciliation of the general ledger and all other subsidiary accounts; provides departmental monthly reports for project accounting and cash balances.
2. Prepares, creates, and submits daily financial transactions including internally and online; monitors journals, processes financial disputes, and continually monitors the City's financial exposure.
3. Researches, evaluates, and analyzes transactions to resolve deficit budget, miscoded subledger accounts, and general ledger accounts; supports other departments by disseminating financial information and accounting analytics; generates reports and provides financial and accounting feedback.
4. Assists in preparation of City's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report; prepares working trial balances and other audit schedules.
5. Assists in the preparation of State Controller's Office, Public Financing Finance Authority Reports, Single Audit, and reports as required.
6. Supports, assists, and coordinates the development of the City's Annual Budget and Capital Improvement budget; updates schedules, formats documents, provides input, coordinates the distribution, and ensures transparency across departments and within the City.
7. Reviews, monitors, and reconciles bank and investment accounts for the City; clears checks and ACH payments for multiple accounts, handles wires,
8. Provides back up support to payroll staff.
9. Manages debt, ensures account accuracy, and provides financial accounting and analysis.
10. Implements changes and updates in accounting systems, procedures, policies, and methods.
11. Monitors and reports on status of grant and grant funds; prepares fund balance projections
12. Monitors business enterprises to ensure compliance.
13. Performs various non-routine business and administrative tasks within the Finance and Accounting Department.
14. Performs other duties as assigned.

Typical Decisions: The incumbent must be able to prioritize work and utilize accounting skills for professional accounting and review of departmental revenues, expenditures and procedures. Provides indirect supervision to Finance staff and ensures accuracy in accounting throughout the City Departments.

Minimum Qualifications
Knowledge of:

• Accounting and Auditing Principles
• GAAP and GASB
• Fiscal Record keeping laws and regulations
• Grant accounting and reporting
• Principles of Financial Administration, including budgeting and reporting
• Governmental Accounting
• Payroll
• Modern office practices, procedures, and administration
• Staff supervision, training, and performance evaluation

Skill to:

• Exam and verify financial documents and reports
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships
• Prepare complex financial statements, reports, and analyses
• Utilize accounting software and standard office software including spreadsheets, word processing, and electronic mail
• Implement personnel management and supervision

Education and Experience:

The minimum qualifications for education and experience can be met in the following way:

1. A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, plus two years of recent professional accounting, budgeting, and/or financial experience

or

1. An Associate's degree from an accredited college in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, plus three years of recent professional accounting, budgeting, and/or financial experience

or

1. Fifteen college units from an accredited college in accounting subjects preferred, plus four years of professional accounting experience. Governmental accounting is strongly preferred.

Supplemental Information
Physical Demands and Working Conditions: This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to twenty-five pounds.

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.
Employee must complete SB 1343 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training within six months of appointment and every two years thereafter.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills which may be required.
Veteran's Preference: A veteran is defined in accordance with California Government Code 18540.4. In order to exercise this preference, the veteran must submit the and provide a copy of the DD-214 form at time of application as proof of military status. Failure to submit the required forms will be deemed a waiver of veteran's preference. Military veterans shall be given preference in initial appointment to City service. Further details can be obtained from the Human Resources Department, at 831-758-7254.
Public Employee Disaster Service Worker: In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, all City of Salinas employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.
Selection Process: Applicants' qualifications will be evaluated based on the information provided on the employment application. The exam process may consist of an application appraisal, oral interview, assessment center and/or written exam. The City reserves the right to use alternate testing procedures if deemed necessary. CITY COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE SELECTION PROCESS WILL BE VIA E-MAIL. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE E-MAIL ON YOUR APPLICATION.Finalist interview/assessment will be held with the City of Salinas.
Oral Board Interview FAQ - Applicants who are invited to the oral board interview or have questions on what to expect during an oral board interview, are encouraged to review the City of Salinas Tips for a Sucessful Oral Board which can be found
Salary Steps: The following applies for Full-Time Regular positions only. Appointments are normally made at the first step. Consideration is given for increase to the second step after successful completion of the probationary period. (Employees appointed at a higher step will be eligible for consideration for the next step after one year, providing they successfully complete a probationary period.)
For a complete listing of benefits, please click to visit the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for this position.
01

Please describe your payroll experience with an organization that has multiple employee labor agreements. Include your role and the number of employees.
02

Discuss in detail your knowledge of governmental accounting.
03

Describe the complex financial statements, reports and analyses you have prepared, reviewed, or interpreted as part of your professional experience.
04

Please select which education and experience you meet for this position.

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field and at least two years of recent professional experience in accounting, budgeting, and/or finance.
• Associate's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field and last three years of recent professional accounting, budgeting or finance experience.
• Fifteen (15) college units in accounting subjects and at least four years of professional accounting experience.

Required Question