Accountant
City of Santa Clara Santa Clara, California, United States
- Location: Santa Clara, California, United States
- Categories: Accounting and Finance
- Job Type: Full Time
- Posted: Jan 10, 2026
Job Description:
Accountant
Description
DescriptionThe Department:
The Finance Department administers the financial affairs of the City of Santa Clara, including City-owned public utilities. The department is comprised of five divisions, Administrative Services, Budget and Treasury, Accounting, Municipal Services, and Purchasing. Together these divisions carry out the mission of the Finance Department to ensure that the financial/fiscal activities of the City are performed, recorded, and presented in compliance with professional and ethical standards.
The Position:
This position supports the Accounting Division within the Finance Department. The position will be responsible for the Accounts Payable, Purchase Cards, Capital Assets, Grants, and General Ledger functions.
This classification performs numerous, varied, and complex accounting and financial activities requiring independent judgment and the ability to research, analyze, investigate, and report on technical issues handled by the Finance Department.
Additional Information:
Applications must be filled out completely (e.g. do not write “see resume, NA, or personnel file.”). To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Resume and 2) Completed Supplemental Questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application packets may be submitted online through the “Apply Now” feature on the job announcement at www.santaclaraca.gov . Applications must be submitted by the filing deadline of Friday January 23, 2026 at 4:00 PM.
THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE POSITIONS LISTED ABOVE. 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. MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW. APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR POSITIONS ADHERING TO ALL APPLICABLE CITY POLICIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CMD 033- EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES .
The annual salary range for this position is $111,436.32 - $142,073.76 . This position may be filled at or near the minimum of the salary range.
Minimum Qualifications
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Minimum Requirements:
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelors or Masters Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or an approved related field, with a minimum of 12 semester units of specialization in accounting
• Four (4) years full time responsible, professional accounting experience
• Experience with PC electronic spreadsheet and word processing programs
• Experience with ten-key by touch, and
• Experience with on-line financial systems
Possible Substitution :
• A state CPA license may be substituted for two (2) years of experience.
LICENSE
Possession of an appropriate, valid Class C California driver's license is desirable.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
• Must be able to perform all of the essential functions of the job.
• Incumbents must have a willingness to work overtime as required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Follow this link to view the entire Class Specification, which includes more information on Typical Duties and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
Candidates must attain a passing score on each phase of the examination process to qualify for the Eligible List. A department interview may be required prior to appointment.
Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
VETERAN’S PREFERENCE POINTS: This position qualifies for Veteran’s Preference Points. Applicants who have separated from service (Active Duty Status) must submit proof of honorable discharge (Form DD214) with their application at time of filing or will be ineligible to have points added to their final score.
The City of Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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) 615-2080 or HumanResources@santaclaraca.gov .
City of Santa Clara Benefit Summary Overview for Bargaining Unit #5, 7, & 8
Employees Association
This summary provides a brief overview of the City of Santa Clara's benefits available to Bargaining Unit #5, 7, & 8 employees in 2025. In the event of any conflict between the information in this summary and the applicable official plan documents, City Manager's Directives (CMDs), Personnel and Salary Resolution, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the applicable official plan documents, CMDs, Personnel and Salary Resolution, or MOU will prevail over this summary. Benefits are subject to change.
Retirement:
- Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
- Classic Employees: 2.7% @ age 55 formula - employee pays 8.00% of gross pay, minus $61 bi-weekly
- New Employees: 2.0% @ age 62 formula - employee pays 7.00% of gross pay
- Medicare and Social Security (FICA)
- Employee pays 6.20% up to $10,918.20 (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) of gross pay
- The City contributes up to 100% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan for Employee Only and Employee + 1 Dependent plans, and up to 90% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan of the Employee + 2 or More Dependents plan
- Employees electing health coverage with premiums above the City health contribution will pay additional premium costs from salary on a pre-tax basis
- No cash difference is paid if an employee elects a plan cheaper than the max City contribution
- To be eligible for the City’s contribution toward health, employees must be on a paid status for at least 80 hours in the month prior to the month of coverage
- The City’s contribution is prorated based on scheduled hours for part time employees
- Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
- Employees hired on or after 1/1/2022 who opt-out of City-offered health insurance and provide annual attestation and acceptable proof of alternative required coverage for themselves and their tax family, if applicable, are eligible for a cash-in-lieu amount of $250/month. Contact Human Resources for more details
- Choice of two Delta Dental plans; enrollment is mandatory
- City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
- Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
- Choice of two VSP plans
- City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
- Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
- City contributes $50.00 a month toward employee's VEBA account
- Account funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses after separation from the City and after age 50 (pre-tax)
- City pays for $15,000 of Basic Life Insurance coverage
- Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
- Additional optional insurance may be purchased by the employee for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and/or dependent children
- Employee pays 1.2% of gross pay (includes Paid Family Leave)
- 7 day waiting period. Weekly paid leave for absences due to non-work related injuries/illnesses. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information
- Up to 8 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period to care for a family member or to bond with a new child
- No waiting period. Weekly paid leave benefit. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information
Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance:
- Benefit is 2/3 of basic wage up to $7,500; max of $5,000/month
- City pays $.558/$100 of insured earnings
- 30 calendar day waiting period
- Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
- Voluntary plan through Nationwide Retirement Solutions
- Employee may contribute up to the lesser of the IRS maximum or 100% of gross compensation into a pre-tax 457(b) account or a post-tax Roth 457(b) account (or a combination of the two accounts) subject to IRS rules
- Employee may contribute up to $3,300 per year in pre-tax dollars to a health care spending account
- Employee may contribute up to $5,000 per year in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care spending account
- Employee may contribute up to $325 per month in pre-tax dollars to a commuter benefit plan
- Vacation is accrued bi-weekly, cannot use vacation during first 6 months of City service
- For 1 - 4 years of service: 10 days (80 hours)/year
- For 5 - 9 years of service: 15 days (120 hours)/year
- For 10 - 15 years of service: 21 days (168 hours)/year
- For 16 - 20 years of service: 22 days (176 hours)/year
- For 21+ years of service: 24 days (192 hours)/year
- Maximum vacation accrual is 420 hours
- Once per year, employees can elect to convert up to 40 hours of accrued vacation to cash to be paid out the following calendar year
- Sick leave is accrued bi-weekly for equivalent of 96 hours per calendar year with no maximum accrual
- Up to 48 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness
- Up to 40 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for personal leave
- Employee may convert sick leave to vacation once per calendar year (annual maximum conversion is 96 hours sick to 48 hours vacation)
- Partial sick leave payoff provision on retirement depending on years of service
- 40hours of non-management leave credited to employees each January 1st
- New employees hired between January 1st and June 30th receive 40 hours of non-management leave their first year
- New employees hired between July 1st and December 31st receive 20 hours of non-management leave their first year
- Unused non-management leave may not be carried over from one calendar year to the next
- Employees may accrue CTO in lieu of overtime hours (maximum accrual is set by department)
- 16 hours of CTO is credited to employees each January 1st (prorated if hired after January 1st)
- Seventeen paid eight-hour holidays per year (13 & 4 holidays between 12/25 to 1/1 of following year)
Reimbursements/Allowances (for specific classifications):
- Raingear: $150 per fiscal year for eligible classifications
- Safety Boots: $275 per fiscal year for eligible classifications
- Walking Shoes: $120 per fiscal year for eligible classifications (See MOU for details)
- Tools: $500 per fiscal year reimbursement for Auto Foreperson classification
- Phone allowance of $80/month for Senior Key Customer Representative(s) and Key Customer Representative(s) job classifications
- Certified bilingual employees are eligible for $55/bi-weekly bilingual pay
- Librarians and library support employees whose regular assignments are to City libraries are eligible for 5.0% night differential pay for all hours worked between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. so long as they work a minimum of 2 consecutive hours between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
- All other employees are eligible for 5.0% night differential pay for all hours worked between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. so long as they work a minimum of 2 consecutive hours between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
- Employees in the classification of Electric Utility Programmer Analyst, Electric Utility Network Administrator, and Senior Energy Systems Analyst are eligible for standby pay of $100/week when assigned to work standby
- Up to $2,000 per fiscal year for tuition reimbursement
- Confidential counseling to employees and dependents. Up to maximum of five (5) consultations per family member per incident per year
- City paid benefit
- Employees who retire from the City with at least ten (10) years of service shall receive reimbursement to help cover retiree single health insurance premiums. The reimbursement maximum includes the PEMHCA minimum.
- Up to age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $425/month in 2025 (amount adjusted annually)
- After age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $254/month in 2025 (amount adjusted annually)
Closing Date/Time: 1/23/2026 4:00 PM Pacific