Annual Salary Range: $ 41,787.20 - $73,694.40 First Review of Applications: January 27, 2025 Expected Start Date: February/March 2025
Description
Overview of Accounting and Finance Department
SANDAG has great pride in being a fiscally responsible public agency and has implemented rigorous accounting processes and financial reporting procedures to monitor expenses, encumbrances, grant funds, and project budgets, and accurately document various types of financial transactions.
The department supports the day-to-day business operations of SANDAG through a team organized into two functional areas: Accounting & Finance and Revenue & Project Control. As part of the Accounting & Finance group, this position supports payroll duties and the department plays a critical role in supporting all agency programs. The team is highly regarded for their ability to maintain an exceptional level of accuracy and for providing outstanding customer service.
Role
The Limited-Term Accounting Specialist position will be a reliable individual who is detail-oriented, organized, and has the flexibility to meet changing priorities and workload demands. This position requires a high-level of initiative in order to gather and verify information, frequent interaction with employees and other customers, and adherence to control processes developed to ensure quality and timeliness of payroll processing.
The Accounting Specialist is an integral member of the Payroll team that supports a staff group of approximately 400 employees. This position ensures the timely and accurate processing of bi-weekly payroll for the agency.
This position will be filled as an Accounting Specialist I, II or III depending on experience.
This limited term position is funded for 1 year.
Typical Qualifications
The minimum education, training, and experience qualifications include a high school diploma or equivalent and one to five years of recent experience providing support for payroll, preferably with a government-related organization. Specialized training or college level course work in accounting, business, finance, or a related field is desirable.
Demonstrated experience performing payroll duties for a mid-sized organization including processing payroll, auditing payroll reports, processing tax forms, and setting up voluntary deductions; experience using software for the processing of payroll including data entry, analysis, and report generation and generally accepted accounting principles. Experience with defined benefit plans, specifically, California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) is desirable.
Demonstrated knowledge of the principles and techniques involved in payroll administration and payroll related accounting practices; awareness of state and federal laws related to payroll practices, record keeping, retirement funds, and garnishments.
Experience preparing general ledger journal entries is desirable.
Candidates must pass a pre-employment criminal background check; periodic background checks will be a condition of ongoing employment. The selected candidate also can anticipate a driving record check upon hire, and approximately annually thereafter.
Benefits
SANDAG offers comprehensive benefits, to include health, dental, and vision insurance as well as employee assistance, wellness, and work/life balance programs. Additionally, SANDAG offers the following:
Hybrid work options
9/80 flexible work schedule
Pay-for-performance merit increases
Retirement - Defined Benefit Plan with the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
Retirement - 457 Defined Contribution Plan with Voya
Excellent health insurance options for employees and their eligible dependents
Free dental and vision insurance for employees and their eligible dependents
Education Assistance of up to $5,250 a year for regular employees
Free transit pass for use throughout the San Diego region, bus, Rapid Express, Trolley, and COASTER
Paid time off including 12 paid holidays, 2 floating holiday days, generous paid time off (PTO) per year, depending on length of service
SANDAG is one of the most recognized regional agencies in the nation with responsibilities that cover a broad range of complex, interrelated program areas connected by a Quality of Life theme. We are best known for our efforts related to transportation and this role continues to expand as we push beyond traditional boundaries to deliver a state-of-the-art transportation system for the region. In recent years SANDAG’s leadership in areas such as comprehensive land use and environmental planning, public safety, and modeling and data systems, also have earned us much acclaim. With an employee group about 300 strong, we work for our Board of Directors - mayors, councilmembers, supervisors, and other leaders representing the jurisdictions within the San Diego region and neighboring areas. They play the important role of making policy decisions that shape the future of the region. Our collaboration with stakeholders, partners, and the community, the precision of our data, the completeness of our reports and studies, and our sound recommendations are essential components of the regional decision-making process.