Accountant, Accounting Manager, Accounting & Finance

Salary

$78,156.00 - $94,999.32 Annually

Vista City Hall - 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, CA 92084

Full-Time

26-20-O

Finance

Opening:
February 19, 2026 | Closing:
March 1, 2026 5:30 PM Pacific

Accountant (Confidential) - (C31)
$6,513.00 to $7,916.61 per month

This classification performs journey‑level professional accounting work. The incumbent will oversee and supervise accounts payable, purchasing, payroll, cash management, and capital asset operations of the City. Additional duties include developing complex spreadsheets, auditing, analyzing, and reconciling accounting records, completing special projects, and other related responsibilities. The role supervises a small team of employees.

Audits accounting records; prepares, verifies, adjusts and balances control accounts for budget processing; maintains and assures the accuracy of journals and ledgers; reviews vouchers and makes necessary adjustments; produces information to staff regarding accounts and records; independently prepares reports and correspondence; prepares a variety of detailed and analytical accounting, statistical and narrative reports; monitors and prepares financial reports of City grants;

assists in the preparation of budgets; assembles, reviews and evaluates supporting accounting and statistical data; may supervise and/or assist in the various business license functions, including billing, receipting, data entry, auditing, and compliance; posts legal notices; contacts citizens and collects amounts owed; may administer centralized purchasing system; assists departments in preparation of competitive bids and prepares competitive bids for routine purchases;

assigns and reviews work of clerical and technical staff; makes ledger entries and may maintain payroll records, and performs other fiscal record‑keeping work; assists in conducting cost surveys and accounting systems and procedural studies; prepares reports of findings, including recommendations for modifications or other actions; researches related rules and regulations; participates in the implementation of recommendations; maintains filing systems for record storage and retrieval;

answers questions that require searching for and abstracting technical data; operates a variety of office equipment such as a typewriter, calculator, word processor and computer terminal; may supervise clerical and/or technical staff; and performs related work as required.

Any combination of training, education and experience which demonstrates an ability to perform the duties of the position is qualifying.

Typical qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, or a closely related field and two years of professional level accounting and purchasing experience, preferably for a governmental agency. Lead or supervisory experience is desired.

Principles and practices of general and governmental accounting and purchasing including debits, credits, encumbrances, journal entries and auditing; office practices, procedures and machines; computer terminal operating methods;
English usage, spelling, grammar, punctuation and report writing; advanced business mathematics; accounting cycle and the interrelationships and significance of data contained in various accounts; principles and procedures used in the preparation of financial statements and bank reconciliations; accounting procedures and transactions used in controlling a subsidiary account, accruals, deferrals, estimated items, sales and collection, the closing process and receivables and payables;

mathematical techniques and concepts involved in collecting, organizing, interpreting, summarizing, analyzing and graphically presenting numerical data; electronic data processing techniques related to accounting procedures and practices; codes and regulations of the City of Vista; basic supervisory methods.

Operating a computer and a calculator quickly and accurately.

Perform professional accounting work; plan, organize and perform accounting and reporting work…