Accountant I/II - Department of Finance (Payroll)
Salary
$91,990.00 - $122,063.76 Annually
Location
San Jose
Job Type
Full-Time
Job Number
202601691
DEPART
Finance
Opening Date
07/24/2026
Closing Date
7/30/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.
The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY), or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov.
About the Department
The Finance Department is currently seeking to fill one (1) full-time Accountant I/II vacancy in the Accounting Division. If you are interested in this position, please apply!
The mission of the Finance Department is to manage, protect, and report on City of San José financial resources to enhance the City's financial condition for residents, businesses, and investors.
The Finance Department has five core divisions:
The Finance Department works in partnership with the departments of Human Resources, Information Technology, and Public Works as the City's Strategic Support City Service Area to effectively develop, manage, and safeguard City fiscal, physical, technological, and human resources to enable and enhance the delivery of City services and projects. The Finance Department has a $27.6 million operating budget and 126 budgeted full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.
Position Duties
The City of San José Finance Department is seeking to hire one Payroll Accountant to perform critical payroll accounting functions within the Accounting Division. This position is responsible for ensuring all payroll transactions and related activities are accurately recorded in the Citys general ledger to support timely and accurate financial reporting. Responsibilities include monitoring and reconciling payroll taxes, retirement contributions, employee benefits, and other payroll deductions between the Citys Oracle PeopleSoft Payroll System and the Citys Financial Management System (FMS), while ensuring compliance with applicable accounting standards, policies, and reporting requirements.
The Accountant performs a variety of professional accounting duties, including but not limited to:
Minimum Qualifications
(These qualifications are typically required. An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to satisfactorily perform the duties of the job may be substituted.)
Education and Experience
Accountant I
Completion of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Business, Accounting or related field, which must include twelve (12) semester units in accounting subjects.
Accountant II
Completion of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Business, Accounting or related field, which must include eighteen (18) semester units in accounting subjects AND two (2) years of progressively responsible accounting or auditing experience.
Acceptable Substitution
Accountant I
Experience in the maintenance of financial records, systems or transactions may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis. There will be no substitution for the twelve (12) semester units in accounting subjects.
Other Qualifications
Competencies:
The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for these positions may include:
Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other peoples ideas and thoughts.
Analytical Thinking - Approaches a problem or situation by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach.
Flexibility - Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes, performance expectations, organizational culture.
Problem Solving - Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem; collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.
Reliability - Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.
Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
Social Awareness - Demonstrates the ability to read or sense other people's emotions and how they influence the situation of interest or concern; demonstrates empathy and organizational awareness.
The salary range for Accountant I is $91,990.08 - $111,908.16 annually; Accountant II: $100,442.16 - $122,063.76 annually. The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates' qualifications and experience. Employees in the Senior Accountant classification receive an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation pay, which is included in the range above.
Selection Process:
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicants training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all the following supplemental questions to be considered, or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews. For questions, please reach out to Michelle R. Harrison at hr_finance@sanjoseca.gov.
Additional Information:
Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.
Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.
Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.
AI and the Hiring Process
We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.
The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the Citys benefits page for detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.
For information on the City's Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.
In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks site to explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.
01
We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect the candidate's own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.
02
What is the highest level of education you have completed?
03
The minimum qualifications are a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Business, Accounting or related field. What is the field of study for your bachelor's degree?
04
How many semester units have you completed in accounting subjects.
05
Please list each accounting subject and include the number of semester units earned for each.
06
To qualify for the Accountant II position, applicants must possess a bachelors degree, at least 18 semester units in accounting subjects, and two (2) years of progressively responsible professional accounting or auditing experience. How many years of progressively responsible professional accounting or auditing experience do you have?
07
Experience in the maintenance of financial records, systems, or transactions may be substituted for the education requirement for the Accountant I position on a year-for-year basis. How many years of full-time (40 hours per week) experience do you have maintaining financial records, financial systems, or financial transactions? If you meet by substitution, please indicate how many years of experience you have maintaining financial records, financial systems, or financial transactions. Please list your experience in years and months. If you meet the minimum qualifications through a bachelors degree and the required semester units, please enter "N/A".
08
Please describe your experience administering payroll under multiple Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs), labor agreements, or similar payroll policies. Include your role, the types of agreements you worked with, and how you ensured payroll calculations, premium pay, leave accruals, overtime, or other compensation elements were processed accurately and in compliance with the applicable agreements.
09
Please describe a complex discrepancy, reconciliation issue, or compliance problem that you identified and resolved. Include the steps you took to analyze the issue, coordinate with others as needed, and ensure the problem was corrected accurately and timely.
Required Question
Employer City of San Jose
Address 200 E Santa Clara St
San Jose, California, 95113
Phone (408) 535-1285
Website https://www.sanjoseca.gov/