Accountant I/II - Accounts Payable (Finance)

Job Description:

Accountant I/II - Accounts Payable (Finance)

Description

Application submissions are managed exclusively on the City of Ventura career site. To ensure your application and materials are submitted in a timely and complete manner, please apply through https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/Jobs . Submissions through other websites &/or methods will not be accepted.

Applications and supplemental questions will be accepted until Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Pay & Benefits

• Accountant I - $78,061.16 - $104,602.99 Annually DOQ
  
• Accountant II - $86,165.46 - $115,461.63 Annually DOQ
  

See Our Benefits

• Medical Insurance (HMO, PPO options)
  
• City Paid Dental and Vision Insurance
  
• Life Insurance
  
• Vacation & Holiday Compensation
  
• Deferred Compensation
  
• CalPERS Retirement
  
• Tuition Reimbursement & Bilingual Pay
  

A New Opportunity and what you’ll do...

The City of Ventura is hiring! We are excited to announce a new opportunity within our Finance Department! We’re seeking an Accountant I/II with a strong accounting background to support and enhance the City’s Accounts Payable (AP) operations.

In this position, you will play a key part in improving financial processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance, and providing support to both the AP team and departments citywide. This position offers the chance to work on meaningful projects, contribute to high-impact financial operations, and collaborate across teams to deliver efficient and reliable City services. If you're looking to apply your accounting skills in a dynamic environment with opportunities for growth, we invite you to join our team!

Your Role at a Glance

As the new Accountant in the Finance Department, your key responsibilities will include:

• Enhancing and streamlining the AP process post-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation.
  
• Working with the AP team on late payments, transaction errors, and adjustments, ensuring compliance with internal Administrative Policies & Procedures (AP&Ps), as well as local, state, and federal regulations.
  
• Creating and posting journal entries and performing account reconciliations, including liability accounts.
  
• Reconciling monthly health insurance invoices and supporting benefits-related financial reporting.
  
• Assisting with the City’s annual financial statement audit and contributing to the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
  
• Participating in ERP testing during semi-annual and periodic system upgrades, helping identify impacts and supporting training efforts for finance and end-user staff.
  
• Helping to coordinate and deliver AP cross-training for internal team members and onboarding training for new staff.
  
• Coordinating the integration between Accounts Payable and end-user departments within the new ERP system.
  
• Facilitating alignment and efficiency improvements between Accounts Payable, General Ledger Accounting, and Purchasing functions.
  
• Supporting the optimization of ERP systems to enhance performance and analytics capabilities.
  
• Ensuring a smooth transition and ongoing support for business processes affected by ERP implementation.
  
• Performing invoice processing and settlement runs and providing as-needed support to the Accounts Payable team.
  
• Other duties as assigned
  

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Accountant I: is the entry-level professional class in the Accounting series. Incumbents perform both technical and limited, well-defined, professional duties relating to the maintenance of accounting records. The Accountant I is distinguished from the Accountant II by the level of independence exercised, and the type of assignments handled. This is a flexibly staffed position, normally advancing to Accountant II after two years.

Accountant II: is the journey-level professional class in the Accounting series. Incumbents independently perform a wide variety of accounting assignments requiring skill in analysis and financial report preparation. This is a flexibly staffed position normally filled by advancement from Accountant I.

Who We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate for this position will be:

• Experienced in Public sector accounting, with a strong background working in Accounts Payable, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting
  
• Proficient in Accounts Payable operations, including invoice processing, payment settlements, and vendor account management.
  
• Tech-savvy, ideally with exposure to Workday Finance or similar ERP systems, and comfortable with system testing, troubleshooting, and user training.
  
• Collaborative and communicative, able to work cross-functionally with Finance, Purchasing, and departments citywide in a team-oriented environment.
  
• Analytical and process-oriented, with the ability to troubleshoot, improve, and streamline financial processes and workflows.
  
• Detail-driven, capable of performing accurate reconciliations and journal entries, while maintaining compliance with financial policies and regulations.
  
• Adaptable and reliable, a solutions-oriented self-starter who approaches challenges analytically and independently identifies opportunities for improvement.
  

Experience and Qualifications for Success!

A combination of education, training, and experience equivalent to a bachelor's degree in accounting, or business administration with emphasis in accounting, and one year of professional accounting experience are required.

Accountant II: In addition to that required of an Accountant I, two years of professional accounting experience equivalent to that of an Accountant I with the City of Ventura.

Desirable:

• Public sector accounting experience is highly desirable.
  
• Experience with the Workday Finance module, particularly in handling accounts payable processes.
  
• A strong foundation in accounting principles
  
• Demonstrated ability to analyze financial data sets and troubleshoot transactional issues within ERP systems
  

License: Depending on assignment, possession of a valid California Class C driver's license may be required.

Apply Now!

Submit an online City job application and supplemental questionnaire by the filing deadline or first review date at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs .

• It is important that your city job application show all the relevant education, training, and experience you possess. Resumes, CVs, and cover letters may be attached to your application but will not be accepted in lieu of a completed job application or supplemental questionnaire. Submitting an incomplete application or supplemental questionnaire may disqualify you from further consideration in the recruitment process.
  
• After you apply, all future correspondence from the city will be via E-Mail. Please check your messages regularly and keep your contact information up to date using your on-line application.
  

Start Your Journey... Follow the Process

Applications and supplemental questions will be accepted untilThursday, August 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

• All applications and supplemental questionnaires submitted will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this job announcement. Candidates will be reviewed, and only those candidates determined to be most qualified based on experience, training, and education, as submitted, will be invited to participate further in the selection process. Candidates will be notified about their status after the filing deadline.
  
• Those candidates whose qualifications most closely match the requirements of the position will be invited to a qualifying panel interview process. Candidates will be notified of specifics after the examination process has been completed. Initial panel interviews may be conducted in-person or via video teleconference. Candidates will be notified of specifics at the appropriate time.
  
  

The Eligibility List established for this classification may be used to fill other regular and temporary vacancies at the discretion of the City.

THE SCHEDULE

The timeline dates are subject to change. Candidates will be notified as necessary.

• Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. - Application Deadline. Applications and supplemental questionnaires must be submitted by this date to be considered for the position.
  
• Week of August 18, 2025 - Candidates will be notified by email of their status by this date.
  
• Week of August 25, 2025 - Oral Panel Interviews are tentatively scheduled for this date. Qualifying candidates will be notified by email or phone if they are invited to the panel interview process.
  
• Department Selection Interviews will be scheduled promptly after the oral panel interviews have been completed. Qualifying candidates will be notified by email if they are invited to the panel interview process .
  
• September 2025 - Candidates will be notified of the outcome of the interview by this date.
  

The Hiring Process

To learn about our hiring process, visit our City’s Career Page - Hiring Process page for a detailed overview.

Learn More - Essential Information

For additional information on the duties and responsibilities of the position, refer to the job descriptions located on the City’s Career Page at City of Ventura Jobs or by viewing here Accountant I/II.

If you have questions about the recruitment process, please contact any of the Human Resources Recruitment Team at recruitment@cityofventura.ca.gov .

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need an accommodation in a selection process, please notify the Human Resources Department in writing by the final filing date of the position you are interested in. The Human Resources address is: 501 Poli Street, Room 210, Ventura, CA 93001, (805) 654-7853, e-mail: recruitment@cityofventura.ca.gov.

The City is an equal opportunity employer and strives to attract qualified applicants from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. We aim to create an environment that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our workforce. We welcome you to join our team!

Salary:

$78,061.16 - 104,602.99 Annually