FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT III

Position Details

Job Code #

JC-534582

Position #(s)

051-420-4193-013

Working Title

Manager

Classification

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT III

$10,527.00 - $11,953.00

New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions

1

Work Location

Sacramento County

Telework

Hybrid

Job Type

Permanent, Full Time

Facility

State Accounting and Reporting Division

Department Information

The Office of the State Controller (SCO) is the destination employer within the State of California. As California’s chief fiscal officer, the Controller’s Office ensures accountability and transparency of California’s financial practices while promoting fairness and opportunity for all. Here, you’ll work in a collaborative and supportive environment with diverse opportunities for professional growth and development. A career with the SCO offers meaningful work that directly impacts the state’s future.

The State Accounting and Reporting Division (SARD) of the California State Controller’s Office plays a crucial role in ensuring the transparency, accuracy, and efficiency of the state’s financial operations. As the backbone of California’s financial reporting, SARD is responsible for preparing and publishing essential financial statements, overseeing the state’s budgetary control, and providing vital fiscal information to policy decision-makers and the public. Working in this division means contributing to the financial stability and integrity of the fifth-largest economy in the world with opportunities to engage in meaningful work, learn from seasoned experts, and grow your career in public finance.

Take the next step in your career with an organization that values innovation, integrity, and the well-being of its employees. Apply today and build a California where everyone thrives!

Visit our website to learn more about the State Controller’s Office.

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Job Description And Duties

Under the direction of the Financial Accountant IV or Assistant Division Chief, the Financial Accountant III supervises financial accounting staff and serves as a technical subject matter expert (SME) in the Bureau of Fiscal Systems and Transactions (BFST) in Agency Transactions Unit. The incumbent represents the State Accounting and Reporting Division (SARD) in carrying out its statutory control agency functions within the Financial Information System for California (FI$Cal).

The incumbent participates in FI$Cal implementation, operations, and system enhancement activities with State Controller's Office (SCO) FI$Cal Functional Service Office team members, project staff, partner agencies, and state departments. The incumbent must understand the comprehensive system of centralized financial accounts and how those accounts support annual statewide financial reporting on the Budgetary/Legal basis and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

The incumbent also serves as a liaison between SARD staff and FI$Cal by communicating project and operational status, identifying risks and issues, reviewing decision and design documents, developing and providing training, and completing assigned activities.

Duties Performed

(Candidates must perform the following functions with or without reasonable accommodations.)

• Plan, organize, direct, and supervise financial accounting professionals responsible for complex analytical reviews and approvals. Assign and prioritize work, review work products, provide technical guidance, and evaluate staff performance. Manage the compilation of financial accounting records for governmental and non-governmental cost funds.
• Oversee assigned functions within the comprehensive system of centralized financial accounts, including automated financial accounting systems and tools used to record and analyze transactions and support the preparation of statewide certified legal financial reports. Review and approve financial transactions before posting to ensure conformity with legal authority, accounting principles, and applicable procedures. Direct ongoing risk assessments and evaluation of the Bureau's internal controls within the assigned area of responsibility.
• Analyze transaction data to identify process improvement opportunities, develop action plans, and monitor results to improve accuracy and efficiency.
• Perform the most complex and unique activities related to implementing and maintaining SARD's statewide financial control agency functions in FI$Cal. Conduct research and analysis to determine appropriate actions, develop alternatives, support recommendations, implement solutions, and prepare issue papers and reports.
• Analyze, design, develop, and test financial systems and components involving configurations, conversions, interfaces, extensions, forms, queries, reconciliations, and reports for critically sensitive and complex financial transactions. Prepare for and facilitate meetings concerning changes to departmental and statewide control agency business processes.
• Collaborate on the FI$Cal Chart of Accounts to ensure that account structures support cash, modified accrual, and full accrual accounting requirements. Analyze existing and proposed accounting and reporting standards and policies to identify opportunities to improve processes while maintaining system integrity.

The Financial Accountant III applies comprehensive knowledge of the following to assigned responsibilities:

• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) rules and guidelines;
• Accounting principles and practices
• Banking and investment transactions and records
• Federal rules and regulations
• Governmental Finance Officers’ Association (GFOA) subjects
• Budgetary/Legal Basis budgeting, accounting, and reporting requirements as prescribed by California government ode and the Governor’s budget
• Fiscal accounting rules and regulations contained in the State Administrative Manual.
• FI$Cal Chart of Accounts
• Procedures prescribed by the State Controller’s Office (SCO)

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .

Special Requirements

A resume is required.

A cover letter is required.

A copy of your degree, transcripts, or degree evaluation is required.

A Statement of Qualifications is required; please see ‘Required Application Package Documents’ for instructions.

Take the required examination here: Financial Accounant III Examination

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 10/20/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

State Controller's Office

Human Resources

Attn: Human Resources Office, C.B.

300 Capitol Mall 3rd Floor, Ste 300

Sacramento , CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

State Controller's Office

Human Resources

Attn: Human Resources Office, C.B.

300 Capitol Mall 3rd Floor, Ste 300

Sacramento , CA 95814

Applications dropped off in person must be received by 5 p.m. in HR, by the final filing date.

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Degree and/or School Transcripts
• Statement of Qualifications - The Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) can be no more than one page in length, must indicate "Statement of Qualifications" at the top of the page, must identify the candidate's name at the top of the page, and must specifically address the topic listed below. Resumes are not acceptable as a substitute for the SOQ. The SOQ must be typed in Arial font, 12-point size, and be single-spaced on 8.5" x 11" paper with one-inch margins.
• Please describe your experience leading or supervising the preparation of complex financial accounting analyses and reports and communicating results to management or other stakeholders.
• Other - Cover Letter

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.