The City of Artesia is conveniently located in southeast Los Angeles County.  Artesia was incorporated on May 29, 1959 and is one of Los Angeles County's Gateway Cities. The City has a 2010 census population of 16,522.  

The City Artesia takes great pride in being a fiscally responsible public agency and has implemented accounting processes and financial reporting procedures to monitor expenses, encumbrances, grant funds, and project budgets, and accurately document various types of financial transactions. The City is debt free. 

The Finance Department is searching for professional candidates who are detail-oriented and organized, with a positive attitude and helpful disposition. Excellent communication skills, problem solving skills, and the ability to utilize sound judgment, discretion and confidentiality. It is anticipated that career development will occur while working on the types of duties and responsibilities described below and through mentoring and close collaboration with the Finance Manager. 

The City of Artesia offers great benefits including a 9/80 work schedule, generous vacation and administrative leave time, CalPERS pension plan, tuition reimbursement, and medical, dental and vision plans.  Additionally, the City does not participate in social security.

Under the direction of the City Manager, performs professional accounting work, including auditing, analyzing, and verifying fiscal records and reports, preparing financial and statistical reports, providing information to City staff regarding accounting practices and procedures, and reconciling general ledger accounts; assists in preparing the City's annual budgets; prepares year-end audit reports and schedules; and performs related work as required.  Ensures collection of city revenue.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Receives general supervision from City Manager and has personal accountability for carrying out assigned functions, programs or projects within established guidelines and objectives. May exercise technical and functional supervision over lower-level staff in the day-to-day operations of the payroll, accounts payable/receivables, cash receipts, revenues and expenditures functions. Supervises in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities may include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
 

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. The list that follows is not intended as a comprehensive list; it is intended to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities.  Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed, and may be required to perform additional, position-specific tasks.

• Provides responsible professional and technical assistance in the administration and implementation of the City's financial, auditing, and accounting programs.
• Prepares a wide variety of financial and statistical reports, including year-end reporting, budgetary reports, assisting in the preparation of the Comprehensive Annual Finance Report (CAFR), and preparing other legal documents and management analysis.
• Monitors expenditures, revenues, and budget allocations to determine the City's financial status and prepares custom reports, graphs, and schedules as needed.
• Prepares journal entries and reconciles general ledger and subsidiary accounts related to postings from payroll, accounts payable, cash receipts, and accounts receivable; prepares monthly financial statements, including distributing monthly revenue and expenditure reports to departments; prepares numerous monthly financial reports.
• Manages business license program (HdL) including ensuring revenue collection, auditing, reconciling, and reporting.
• Ensures billing and collection of all sales taxes and local city business taxes.
• Provides assistance to new and existing businesses with sales taxes, local city business taxes, etc.     
• Interprets, explains, and applies general and governmental accounting/auditing principles and procedures, laws, and regulations affecting the financial operations of municipal government.
• Analyzes and reconciles expenditure and revenue accounts; reviews and processes appropriation transfer requests between accounts; reconciles bank statements to the general ledger.
• Participates in and assumes responsibility for various departmental programs including financial statements, general ledger, monthly statements, and special projects accounting; conducts and prepares special studies and reports.
• Records and maintains appropriate controls for fixed assets, including City-owned vehicles and land; assists in the City's purchase orders and accounts payable system, auditing and financial analysis, grant accounting, and special reports.
• Maintains and monitors the City's grant funds and ensures compliance with rules and regulations governing the use of each grant.
• Receives and tracks property tax payments; ensures that property tax bills are remitted to the proper City departments for payment authorization.
• Tracks Capital Improvement Program expenditures and allocates funds to the appropriate Capital Improvement Project account.
• Assists in the coordination of the annual audits.
• Assists with investments, portfolio management, cash management, debt management, new financing, annexations and subdivisions, and revenue and expense projections.
• Participates in the compilation and preparation of the annual budget, including assisting other departments with budget preparation, providing personnel cost projections and estimated grant revenues and expenditures, monitoring expenditures to ensure compliance with adopted budget, and assisting in publication of the budget.
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops, and training sessions as assigned.
• Reviews publications to remain current on principles, practices, and new developments in the field of accounting.
• May supervise or provide mentoring guidance to subordinate staff in payroll, accounts payable/receivables, cash receipts, revenues and expenditures, training and scheduling and evaluation of finance division staff include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, business or administration, or a closely related field and three (3) years of responsible professional accounting experience in a public agency. A master's degree, certification as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of California, and fund accounting experience are desired but not required.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
A valid California Class C Driver License, and the ability to show proof of, or obtain, certification in CPR and First Aid. 
 

WORK STYLES

• Judgment and Confidentiality - Job requires being highly confidential on sensitive projects.
• Professionalism – Job requires using good judgment and awareness using of appropriate political acumen when working with a wide range of stakeholders. 
• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations, meeting deadlines, and maintaining excellent communication.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being nimble and flexible in anticipating, embracing and managing change and being constructively adaptive to considerable variety in the work place.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting direction and criticism, and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Integrity - Job requires being honest, forthright and ethical.
• Assertiveness - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
• Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about details and thorough in completing work tasks correctly, accurately, and to a high professional standard.
• Drive For Results - Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
• Ethics and Values – Adheres to an appropriate (for the setting) and effective set of core values and beliefs during both good and bad times; is properly aligned with the City and Council's vision and values; acts in line with those values; rewards values that positively affect the organization while disapproving of others; practices what he/she preaches; functions well on teams by being collaborative; shares credit where credit is due; acts responsibly toward others and the greater good of the City; thinks independently and critically; practices self-management; maintains high performance standards.
• Integrity and Trust – Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can craft approaches (especially when in disagreement) likely to be seen as appropriate and positive; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn't misrepresent him/herself for personal gain; displays loyalty by showing commitment to the organization and management; aligns personal and organizational goals.
• Dealing with Ambiguity – Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; functions well under stress and during periods of rapid change; serves as a change agent and champions change; is not upset when things are up in the air; does not have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty; seeks information from appropriate sources.