UTILITIES PRINCIPAL ANALYST

Salary: $106,080.00 - $163,536.00 Annually
Location : Riverside, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 26-8394-02
Department: Public Utilities
Division: PUB UTIL ADMIN-MGMT SERVICE
Opening Date: 09/17/2026
Closing Date: 10/4/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

The Position
The City of Riverside, Public Utilities Department (RPU) is accepting applications for the position of UTILITIES PRINCIPAL ANALYST to fill one (1) vacancy in the Administrative Division. The eligibility list established may be used to fill the current and/or upcoming vacancies within this classification for up to six (6) months.

**For positions indicating a salary range from 1N - 2X, the top 15% of the pay range cannot be offered upon hire or upon an employee promotion.
Under general direction, the Utilities Principal Analyst is to perform supervisory and/or lead supervisory professional, technical, analytical and related duties in the areas of accounting, budget administration, financial and economic forecasting for the Public Utilities Department and to do related work as required.

Work Performed
Typical duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Oversee the work of assigned staff; train employees on work methods and procedures, financial planning, economic and budget analysis, cost of service and rate design activities and procedures.
• Participate in the development of policies and procedures to improve the Public Utilities Department's financial and administrative operations, including developing section goals, objectives, policies and priorities.
• Provide highly technical expertise in the areas of budget administration, financial planning, cost of service, rate design and economic analysis.
• Provide oversight and training to Utilities Management in budget theory, methodology and techniques regarding budget planning.
• Analyze departmental financial and administrative systems and procedures; develop and implement new accounting and/or financial systems.
• Analyze a variety of monthly and quarterly financial reports and statements for the department, bond rating agencies, materials related to electric and water rates and fees, federal and state agencies, Board of Public Utilities and City Council.
• Oversee departmental accounting-related activities within the Department and with other City Departments, including the annual audit and the development of applicable reporting and monitoring systems.
• Analyze proposed water and electric projects, perform cost-benefit analysis, recommend course of action, and provide justification including fiscal reliability/risks of such projects.
• Oversee cash flow analyses, financial reports, planning models, and other analysis to assist in short and long-term financial planning for the electric and water utilities; develop, administer and monitor financial models; develop forecasts of revenues, expenses and fund balances for the Department.
• Monitor the five-year financial forecast for the water and electric utilities, modify complex computer models as necessary to reflect changes in supply plans, rate designs, consumption levels, capital plans and policies, economic conditions or other applicable factors.
• Ensure revenues, expenses and fund balances comport with budget and Department policy; develop changes in Department fiscal policy, as needed.
• Respond to financial and rate surveys and requests for information from other utilities, governmental and outside agencies.
• Make presentations to the Public Utilities Board and City Council when necessary.
• Monitor recording of Utility revenues.
• Prepare the revenue budgets for the electric and water utilities.
• Testify as an expert witness before the Public Utilities Board and City Council regarding cost of service studies and on revenue requirements and rate design.
• Prepare rate case testimony by analyzing financial and rate information; developing charts and graphs.
• Serve as Utilities Finance/Rates Manager as required.

Qualifications
Education:

• Equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with major work in accounting or business administration.
• A Certificated Public Accountant licensure is highly desirable.

Experience:

• Six years of responsible experience in governmental or commercial accounting and/or auditing, preferably with utilities. One year of supervisory experience is desirable.

Highly Desired Qualifications:

1. Experienced in leading cash flow analyses, financial reporting, and planning models to support both short- and long-term financial planning.
2. Skilled in developing, administering, and monitoring financial models that incorporate utility operations, facility cash flows, and budget assumptions.
3. Strong accounting background including journal entries, trial balance work, reconciliations, and support for year-end audit processes.
4. Experienced in managing property and facility financials, including budgets, cash flows, lease administration, payment tracking, and revenue forecasting.
5. More than three years of experience supervising and developing staff, improving workflow efficiency and strengthening team capability.
6. Advanced Excel capability (Pivot tables, v-lookups, other complex formulas).

Selection Process
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION:
1) Completed Employment Application
2) Completed Supplemental Questionnaire

3) Resume and Letter of Interest
FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ON COMPLETING YOUR ON-LINE APPLICATION, CLICK HERE: (Application Guide).
The selection process will begin with an employment application package screening, with the best qualified candidates being invited to participate further in the assessment process. This process may include any combination of written, performance, and oral assessments to evaluate job-related education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Those who successfully complete the selection process will be placed on the eligibility list for this classification.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON SCHEDULING ASSESSMENTS:

If you are selected to move forward in the assessment process, you may be required to self-schedule your appointment. You will be notified via email of your status and provided with self-scheduling instructions. Please check your email regularly following the closing date of this recruitment.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Proof of education listed in your application will be requested at the time of conditional offer. Acceptable documentation consists of transcripts or degree, if applicable, by the accredited U.S. college or university.

Education obtained outside the United States (US) require one of the following options:

1. An equivalency statement from an evaluation company certified by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) at http://www.naces.org/members.html or the Association of International Credential Evaluators Inc. (AICE) at http://aice-eval.org/members/.
2. An advanced-level degree from an accredited US college or university.

All applicants will be notified via e-mail or telephone of their application status and the assessment dates/times/locations after the closing date of this announcement.

Benefit Level II includes Senior Management, Management and Professional classifications (Exempt)

The City offers an attractive benefits package, the central provisions of which are as follows:

• Retirement for Classic Members - For employees hired after 1/1/2013 who are CLASSIC MEMBERS of California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) or a reciprocal agency as of 12/31/12 and have not been separated from service from such agency for six months or more, the retirement benefit shall be 2.7 % @ age 55; 3-year final compensation. The required employee contribution is 8%. The City does not participate in Social Security; thus, employees do not bear this additional 6.2% expense.
• Retirement for New Members - For employees hired 1/1/2013 or later and who ARE NOT a member of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) or a reciprocal agency as of 12/31/12, or those who have been separated from a public agency which contracts with CalPERS or a reciprocal agency for six months or more, the retirement benefit shall be 2% at age 62; 3 year final compensation. The required employee contribution is 50% of the normal cost. And is subject to change per CalPERS every fiscal year. The City does not participate in Social Security; thus, employees do not bear this additional 6.2% expense.
• Health Insurance - The City offers six health insurance plans and contributes up to $1,734 per month for HMO plans (family coverage).
• Dental Insurance - The City provides three dental insurance plans and contributes up to $85 per month.
• Vision Insurance - The City provides vision coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP) for employees and their dependents that are enrolled in medical coverage.
• Life Insurance - The City provides and pays for term life insurance with accidental death and dismemberment equal to two times the annual salary rounded to the next highest $1,000 (up to $700k) plus AD&D. Additional Life Insurance is available and voluntary for employee and eligible dependents (up to $300k).
• Deferred Compensation - The City will contribute the following amounts per month, with a minimum employee contribution of $12.50 per check:
  
  • Management and Professional Units: $150/month
  • Senior Management Unit: $175/month
• Leave Benefits - Includes vacation leave, sick leave, bereavement leave, and holiday benefits. Please refer to the Fringe Benefits and Salary Plan for specific details.
• Flexible Spending Account - The City offers a Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Plan for optional participation.
• Long Term Disability - The City offers optional enrollment in the Long-Term Disability Plan.
• LegalEase Plan - Optional legal services plan for employees and eligible dependents.
• Critical Illness Plan - Optional critical illness insurance plan for employees and eligible dependents.
• Vacation Accrual - 0-9 yrs. = 144 hrs., 10+ yrs. = 184 hrs.
• Administrative Leave -
  
  • Management and Professional Units: 64 hrs. per fiscal year.
  • Senior Management Unit: 80 hrs. per fiscal year.

For additional benefits information, please visit the following website:

For part-time, benefitted positions the insurance and other benefits (leave accruals, holidays, etc.) are pro-rated based on ½ or ¾ time status.
01

Instructions: The information on the application and your responses to the following supplemental questions will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum and/or highly desirable qualifications for the position in which you are applying. Detailed responses must be provided for each question in order to ensure qualifications are properly considered.
(*Do not refer to a resume in lieu of completing the supplemental questions).
Employers listed on this questionnaire must also be listed and fully detailed in the work experience section of your application.

• I understand.

02

Please indicate the highest level of education you have completed.

• Less than High School Diploma or GED
• High School Diploma or GED
• Some college coursework completed
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• PhD

03

Please indicate the amount of responsible experience you possess in governmental or commercial accounting and/or auditing.

• Less than 6 years
• 6 years, or more

04

In reference to previous question, was the experience you indicated within utilities?

• Yes
• No

05

Indicate the amount of experience you possess supervising and developing staff, improving workflow efficiency and strengthening team capability.

• None
• More than 1 year, less than 3 years
• More than 3 years, less than 5 years
• 5 years or more

06

Indicate the amount of experience you possess in leading cash flow analyses, financial reporting, and planning models to support both short and long term financial planning.

• None
• More than 1 year, less than 3 years
• More than 3 years, less than 5 years
• 5 years, or more

07

Indicate the amount of experience you possess in developing, administering, and monitoring financial models that incorporate utility operations, facility cash flows, and budget assumptions.

• None
• More than 1 year, less than 3 years