Job Req ID: 866 Division: Budget Monitoring Salary Range: $184,205.00 to $184,205.00 Job Type: Unclassified Business Area: Department of Finance Personnel Area: Department of Finance Closing Date: 07/03/2026 Under the general direction of the Financial Operations Managers in the Department of Finance, the Principal Accountants are responsible for coordinating the accounting, budget, disbursements, and financial reporting functions in the Department. The City is recruiting for two Principal Accountant positions. One position will lead the Budget Development section and is primarily responsible for the planning and development of the City’s Proposed and Adopted Budgets. The second position will lead the Budget Monitoring section and is primarily responsible for administering the citywide quarterly budget monitoring process. Candidates may be considered for either assignment based on their qualifications and experience. This recruitment may be used to fill any future vacancies in the Department. Minimum Qualifications: <ul> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Possession of a Bachelor's Degree in accounting, finance, or business administration or a related field;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Two (2) years of progressively responsible management experience;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Municipal government experience, accounting, and grant management experience are highly desired; and</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Any combination of education and experience that demonstrates these qualifications may be qualifying.</li> </ul> Desirable Qualifications: The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications: <ul> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Experience in the preparation, administration, and monitoring of operating and/or capital budgets;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">A Master's Degree in a related field is highly desirable;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Experience in Government Accounting and Reporting;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Knowledge and experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning systems;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Strong quantitative analytical abilities, including a thorough understanding of common data analysis tools and programs;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Excellent writing and communication skills;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Strong interpersonal skills;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Ability to communicate complex and technical information in a simple, clear, and straightforward manner, including the use of graphs and tables as needed;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Ability to communicate effectively to different audiences, including elected officials, various levels of City management, and members of the public;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Ability to comprehend technical details and understand how they relate to and impact the “big picture”;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with tight time constraints;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Interest in municipal activities and services and how they impact the community;</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Highly ethical and objective, with the ability to navigate in a political environment without being political; and</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Energetic and motivated with the ability and desire to take initiative.</li> </ul> The Department: The Department of Finance is responsible for providing oversight of City fiscal management; financial reporting; internal controls review and monitoring; centralized accounts payable processing and payroll services; and budget preparation, administration, and maintenance for the City. The Department is made up of three divisions, Financial Planning, External Financial Reporting, and Debt Management & CIP, and consists of approximately 140 professional and administrative support services staff to carry out the duties of the office as outlined in the San Diego City Charter. For more information, please visit <a title="https://www.sandiego.gov/finance" href="https://www.sandiego.gov/finance">this link</a>. The City: With more than 1.4 million residents, the City of San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States and the second largest in California. The City of San Diego’s strong economy, diverse population, great educational institutions, unsurpassed quality of life, and world-renowned location make it the ideal place to work, live, and play. With its great weather, miles of sandy beaches, and major attractions, San Diego has something to offer for everyone. The City’s Mission, as stated in the <a style="color:#0078d7;text-decoration:underline" title="https://performance.sandiego.gov/" href="https://performance.sandiego.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strategic Plan</a> is “Every day we serve our communities to make San Diego not just a fine city, but a great City.” The City’s Vision is "Opportunity in every neighborhood, excellent service for every San Diegan". As one of the region’s largest employers, the City of San Diego employs nearly 13,000 highly dedicated employees and has a combined Fiscal Year 2025 operating and capital budget of approximately $5.65 billion. Additional information about the City of San Diego can be found on the <a style="color:#0078d7;text-decoration:underline" title="http://www.sandiego.gov" href="http://www.sandiego.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">City’s website</a>. Benefits: The City offers a robust benefits package that includes: <ul style="color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:400.0;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;white-space:normal"> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black"><a style="color:black" href="http://www.sdcers.org/Resources/Retirement-Plan-Summaries/City-of-San-Diego.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defined retirement plan</a>, including pension reciprocity, dependent on an employee’s eligibility status (new hire, rehire, etc.). </li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">A wide variety of cafeteria-style health and wellness plans or in-lieu cash waiver.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">11 paid City holidays per calendar year and 1 floating holiday per fiscal year.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Approximately 176 hours of paid annual leave for an employee’s first 15 years of service, and approximately 216 hours for 16+ years of service.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Up to 24 hours of paid discretionary leave per fiscal year.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Up to 320 hours of paid Parental Leave per childbirth or placement of a child.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave per fiscal year.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Tuition reimbursement up to $2,000 per fiscal year, and complimentary LinkedIn Learning professional development opportunities.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Free transit pass (including MTS Trolley, MTS Bus, and all Rapid and Rapid Express bus services).</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Access to premier City golf courses at a discounted rate. </li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">Reduced-rate fitness center memberships.</li> <li style="font-family:verdana, geneva, sans-serif;color:black">City-paid life insurance. </li> </ul> For additional details, please review the<a href="http://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/benefits-summary-unrepresented.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Benefits Summary for Unclassified Employees (Download PDF reader)</a> or contact the Benefits Division of the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-5924. Pre-Employment Requirements and Screening Process: Employment offers are conditional, pending the results of all screening processes applicable to the position. All the processes required by the City of San Diego must be successfully completed before employment begins. Please refer to the <a href="http://www.sandiego.gov/empopp/apptest/require" target="_blank" rel="noopener">City’s pre-employment requirements and screening process webpage</a> for additional information. Nothing in this job posting constitutes or should be construed as part of an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above and the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. The City of San Diego has an active Equal Opportunity/ADA Program for employment and vigorously supports diversity in the workplace.

Principal Accountant (CA, US) @ sandiego

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