Senior Accountant

Salary : $81,301.00 - $121,951.00 Annually

Location : San Bernardino, CA

Job Type : Full Time

Remote Employment : Flexible / Hybrid

Job Number : 2025-00029

Department : Finance

Opening Date : 05 / 21 / 2025

Closing Date : 7 / 31 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific

ABOUT THE JOB

OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Led by a Board of Directors made up of elected officials from each of the 24 cities and towns and the five county supervisorial districts, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) staff is focused primarily on freeway, interchange, and transit enhancements to the region that first and foremost benefit the taxpayer of San Bernardino County. Coupling that effort with various non-transportation related objectives from the Council of Governments role of the agency brings the mission of providing quality of life improvements to the residents, business operators, and commuters of our region to the forefront.

For more than four decades, SBCTA (previously known as SANBAG) has taken pride in delivering on its commitment to the voters through the implementation of Measure I. This half-cent sales tax that generates transportation dollars that are from the region and for the region is a critical element in the agency's goal to keep people and goods moving effectively. SBCTA calls the historic San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot home. Our headquarters not only positions the agency in the heart of the county, but is symbolic of our longstanding commitment to transportation.

Under general direction, performs a variety of complex professional accounting work, including auditing, analyzing, and verifying fiscal records and reports, preparing reimbursement billing for federally and state funded projects, preparing various financial and statistical reports, and reviewing and approving transactions prepared by accounting staff; provides information to SBCTA staff regarding accounting practices and procedures; and performs related duties as assigned.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives general direction from assigned supervisory or management personnel. Exercises no supervision over staff.

Class Characteristics

This is the advanced journey-level classification in the Accountant series. Positions at this level are distinguished from the Accountant by performing the most complex work assigned to the series. Incumbents regularly work on tasks which are varied and complex, requiring considerable discretion and independent judgment. Positions in the classification rely on experience and judgment to perform assigned duties. Assignments are given with general guidelines and incumbents are responsible for establishing objectives, timelines, and methods to deliver services and complete assignments. Work is typically reviewed upon completion for soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to policy and requirements.

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Prepares billing invoice packages for federally and state funded projects by analyzing and identifying billing expenses, current and past expenditures, and unbilled and retained retention; runs various reports and gathers project information from various sources; prepares and updates summaries, worksheets, and logs; creates invoices with supporting documentation and submits for management review and approval.
• Actively participates in or facilitates project meetings with SBCTA staff and management, consultants, and other projects stakeholders to review project funds, expenditures, and status.
• Reviews and approves billing invoice packages prepared for locally funded projects; ensures availability of funds; recommends adjustments as needed; maintains internal control procedures and ensures accuracy and accounting standards are met.
• Researches and interprets cooperative agreement terms and conditions to comply with audit requirements and federal, state, and local funding guidelines; works with project managers to ensure compliance for projects with multiple funding sources.
• Records and posts accounts receivable, cash receipts, invoice adjustments, and journal entries in the financial system; prepares and processes checks; reviews and approves automated clearinghouse (ACH) deposits, transfers, and wires.
• Prepares and posts journal entries or reviews and approves journal entries posted by other accounting staff.
• Researches and analyzes technical transactions to resolve questions and validate data; ensures fiscal accountability and fund integrity for transactions.
• Supports preliminary and annual audits by reviewing and updating audit reports based on previous findings, preparing audit schedules, footnotes, documentation, and reports, and / or coordinating staff and management review; provides information and works with auditors to resolve issues.
• Prepares year-end accruals, reconciliation, and tie-outs for federal and state projects including the Schedule of Expenditure and Federal Awards (SEFA); approves year-end estimates and reversals for local and other projects prepared by accountants.
• Coordinates monthly and year-end general ledger closing; prepares journal entries with proper documentation; posts and balances general ledger accounts; ensures compliance and accuracy in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and procedures.
• Monitors processes and workflows in areas of assigned responsibility; identifies opportunities for improving processes and / or procedures; provides recommendations concerning changes; revises, maintains, implements, and ensures adherence to SBCTA accounting procedures.
• Performs various complex analyses and reconciliations of accounts / funds; researches and analyzes accounting and financial data from various sources and prepares financial reports and statements, including reports submitted to funding and / or government agencies and auditors.
• Researches, interprets, explains, and applies general and governmental accounting / auditing principles and procedures, laws, and regulations affecting financial operations.
• Organizes and maintains accurate and detailed databases, spreadsheets, files, and records; verifies accuracy of information, researches discrepancies, and records information; ensures compliance with established records retention policies, procedures, and schedules.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; monitors legal, regulatory, technology and societal changes, and court decisions and stays abreast of new trends and innovations in accounting and finance.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to requests for information and / or questions in a professional manner; refers matters requiring policy interpretation to supervisor for resolution.
• Provides training and guidance to lower-level accounting staff as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of :

Ability to :

Education and Experience :

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be :

Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, business or public administration, or a closely related field and four (4) years of responsible professional accounting experience, preferably in the public sector.

Licenses and Certifications :

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Physical Demands

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; operates a motor vehicle and visit various SBCTA sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. 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. 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 up to 25 pounds.

Environmental Conditions

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 policies and procedures.

Benefits & Retirement

The following is a listing of some of the benefits that are offered to regular full-time and part-time employees.

Holidays : There are 13 (eight-hour) paid holidays granted to all regular employees.

Vacation Leave : Starts at 10 days per year and increases based on years of service. There is potential vacation credit for prior public service employment.

Sick Leave : Regular employees accrue 96 hours of sick leave per year.

Administrative Leave : Regular full-time exempt employees accrue 40 hours of administrative leave per year.

Employee Leave Sharing Program : SBCTA offers an employee leave sharing program to assist with income protection for full-time regular employees when an employee must be absent from work due to catastrophic medical hardship to the employee. SBCTA employees may voluntarily donate sick leave hours to a qualified employee.

FMLA : In compliance with the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act, SBCTA provides employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a calendar year for eligible family and medical conditions.

Civil Leave : Any regular employee who is summoned for jury duty or is subpoenaed in an official capacity during a regularly scheduled work day will be given paid time off.

Military Leave : Any regular employee who is a member of the National Guard or the Reserves will receive a maximum of 30 (eight-hour) paid days per calendar year.

Medical and Dental Coverage : Six medical insurance plans (effective 7 / 30 / 22) and two dental insurance plans are available to cover regular full-time and regular part-time employees and any eligible dependents they wish to cover. Coverage is effective the day after the end of the first pay period.

Flexible Benefit Plans : To assist employees with the cost of insurance premiums, a fund of $8,473 is allocated for each employee at the beginning of the fiscal year for health, dental, and supplemental life insurance. An additional $10,357.14 is available as a Medical Premium Subsidy for employees who elect health and dental coverage through the various SBCTA medical and dental plan options.

Vision Coverage : Vision care provided for employees and eligible dependents at no cost to the employee.

Life Insurance : Life insurance is provided to regular employees in the event of death. The basic benefit is $50,000 provided by SBCTA and is at no cost to the employee.

Flexible Spending Accounts : Regular employees have the option to participate in the Flexible Spending Account. This program allows employees to increase their take home pay by using pre-tax dollars to pay copays and other out-of-pocket expenses. This program also allows employees to increase their tax savings by making pre-tax deposits to a Dependent Care Spending Account to pay for work-related dependent care expenses.

Retirement : All regular full-time and part-time participate in the San Bernardino County Employees' Retirement Association (SBCERA). As defined by the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) :

Retirement Medical Trust Fund : Employees with 10 or more years of service who retire or separate from SBCTA participate in this plan which assists eligible employees with the cost of medical and dental expenses upon retirement.

Deferred Compensation : Participation in a Deferred Compensation program through SBCTA is available on a voluntary basis. Deferred Compensation provides pre-tax savings to employees who participate through automatic payroll deductions. The program assists in saving additional monies for retirement. You pre-tax dollar investment(s) grow each payday while interest accumulates.

Short Term Disability : After a 7 day waiting period, Short Term Disability (STD) replaces 55 percent of lost income up to a weekly maximum of $1,442 for a total of 26 weeks due to lengthy absences caused by non-occupational medical conditions that prevent the employee from performing his / her job duties. This benefit may be integrated with the employee's available leave accruals.

Long Term Disability : When an employee cannot work for a prolonged time because of serious injury or illness, Long Term Disability Insurance (LTD) can supplement 60 percent of an employee's salary while he / she is unable to work due to the disability. Regular full-time and part-time employees must be unable to work for 6 months before being eligible to draw LTD.

Employee Assistance Program : A confidential counseling and referral program for employees and family members which provides unlimited phone access to legal, financial and work-life services and up to six free counseling sessions per problem per year for crisis counseling and work / life resources.

Employee Alternative Transportation Incentive Program : SBCTA will reimburse eligible employees for the cost of using transit, rail, and / or vanpool rides to work, not to exceed the amount established by the IRS. The SBCTA office is located just steps away from the San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot Metrolink Station.

Other Exciting Benefits :

Social Security : SBCTA does not pay into Social Security.

The following supplemental questions may be used as an evaluation of your knowledge, skills and experience. Please be sure that the information you provide corresponds to the information you have provided on your application / resume. By completing this supplemental evaluation you are attesting that the information you have provided is accurate. Any misstatements or falsification of information may eliminate you from consideration. "See resume" is not an acceptable answer to questions. Do you understand this statement?

Which of the following best describes your skill level utilizing Microsoft Excel?

What type of financial software do you have experience using? If none, respond N / A.

Do you have experience with fund accounting?

If you answered yes above, please describe your experience in fund accounting. If you do not have any experience, please indicate "N / A."

Describe your experience relating to grant reporting, budgeting, and contract management. If you do not have any experience, please indicate "N / A."

Required Question