Senior Accountant

The San Elijo Joint Powers Authority is an award-winning public agency dedicated to serving our communities through safe, reliable recycled water and wastewater services that protect public health and the environment. Located along the beautiful coastline of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, near the ocean and lagoons, the agency is committed to innovative and sustainable practices that produce clean water in an environmentally, socially, and fiscally responsible manner.

With a strong culture of collaboration, stewardship, and community focus, the Authority takes pride in enhancing the quality of life for the residents and ecosystems it serves.

Under the general direction of the Director of Finance and Administration, the Senior Accountant performs complex, advanced-level professional accounting and financial analyses. The position is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the Authority’s general ledger, maintaining internal financial controls, and providing essential data for operational and financial planning. This role focuses on the fiscal management of wastewater and recycled water operations, with a heavy emphasis on month‑end reconciliation, grant administration, and operational budget monitoring.

This is an advanced journey‑level professional classification. This position is distinguished from lower‑level accounting roles by the requirement for an increased level of technical knowledge and the ability to exercise significant independent judgment in performing complex financial functions. While this position is a high‑level individual contributor and does not have direct personnel supervisory responsibilities, it may serve as a technical lead on specific projects, audits, or division initiatives.

No supervision is exercised.

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The exact duties performed will depend on the needs of the SEJPA.

• Support the Director of Finance and Administration in carrying out agency’s mission and vision;
• Participates as a lead contributor to the monthly and year‑end closing processes; prepares and reviews journal entries and performs reconciliations of general ledger accounts, bank statements, and subsidiary ledgers in coordination with the finance team;
• Prepare and analyze specialized financial reports focused on wastewater and recycled water operations, contributing to monthly financial packets for Board and management review;
• Conduct regular monitoring of operating and capital budgets, analyzing variances and identifying spending trends to provide departmental managers with accurate data;
• Collaborate with project managers to monitor construction contracts, maintain job cost records for the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and track spending against authorized budgets;
• Compile and prepare data to assist in the development of annual operating and capital budgets;
• Serve as the primary technical resource for grant administration, including tracking expenditures for capital projects, ensuring compliance with terms, and preparing documentation for reimbursement;
• Work closely with the Accounting Supervisor and Director to coordinate the annual financial audit, preparing assigned schedules, work papers, and data for the final report;
• Act as a technical lead on specific projects or division initiatives and maintain organized record management;
• Complete all assigned duties accurately and on time in accordance with established deadlines and business practices;
• Other duties as assigned;

• Advanced knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), including general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, transaction recording, balancing, and reconciliation;
• Experience with financial management and accounting systems, including general ledger activity, report generation, and financial analysis;
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel (sorting, formatting, formulas, pivot tables, and lookups) and working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications;
• Strong…