Our dynamic Finance Department is looking for their next team member. Do you have professional accounting, budget preparation, or financial analysis experience? Take a look at this incredible opportunity!

Upcoming Salary Increases and Incentives:

3% COLA effective July 1, 2025

3% COLA effective July 1, 2026

2.5% Education Incentive (Bachelor's Degree)

5% Education Incentive (Master's Degree)

The Financial Analyst III is responsible to perform a variety of complex professional accounting and budgeting duties, financial analysis, and research relevant to economic financial data for both internal and external customers.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants will be assessed on the application submitted. It is the applicant's responsibility to fill out the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application with complete information and adequate detail. Applications will be screened to the most qualified. Please do not substitute any part of the application with the words "see resume".

The following information is provided for use as a reference and as a planning tool. Human Resources is unable to schedule make-up examinations. Applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be invited to continue in the testing process. The Human Resources Department reserves the right to revise the testing process to best meet the needs of the City.

Tentative Schedule

Online Exam

4/10/25 - 4/17/25 at 5pm

The City of Modesto is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Perform a variety of professional accounting and budgeting duties in support of departments within City government, including payroll, accounts payable, capital assets, investments and budget preparation, utilities, and internal service operations.

Prepare and analyze monthly, annual, and special financial statements and other documents; develop forecasts and projections; explain variances as directed.

Maintain a variety of complex and detailed records and logs related to the accounting and budgeting functions of an assigned department.

Review and update the City’s budget manual and supplemental procedures; originate communication and distribute budget preparation materials to departments.

Schedule budget preparation tasks to meet established deadlines; coordinate budget related matters with departments for both operating and capital improvement budgets; providing training and guidance as necessary.

Calculate cost and revenue forecasts; maintain statistical and economic data, influencing estimates; prepare proformas, worksheets, schedules, and exhibits comprising the formal budget documents; create and update datasets to track expenditures, revenues, procurements, receivables, and customer service requests.

Evaluate the budget during the execution phase; identify variances requiring corrective action; recommend appropriate corrective action and carry out said action, as directed.

Prepare staff reports, state mandated financial reports, and special analyses as required.

Verify availability of funds to finance intended departmental and Council actions; research and evaluate potential revenue sources.

Review financial documents for accuracy and completion; assure transactions are charged to correct account.

Maintain general ledgers and sub-ledgers; prepare journal entries; reconcile accounts and balances; account for transfers to other funds.

Prepare complex statistical and narrative reports to provide financial information regarding the operation of assigned department.

Perform a variety of routine duties in the annual budget preparation process of one or more City departments; monitor a variety of financial transactions affecting the budget; assure availability of funds and proper account coding.

Prepare a variety of reports and other written materials regarding costs, capital outlay, revenues, cash flow projections, budget preparation procedures, fiscal impact, and financial trends.

Perform routine accounting analysis of costs, fund balances, financial statements, budget worksheets, and other data.

Assure compliance with established accounting policies, generally accepted accounting principles for municipal enterprises and governments, and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

Monitor a variety of data processing reports regarding cash balances, billing, production, profit and loss, revenues, expenses, and/or expenditures, and other accounting data.

Perform routine fiscal and program analyses and make appropriate recommendations to supervisors.

May maintain and update the accounting system, including developing, maintaining, and updating chart of accounts and creating and closing new funds, costs centers, accounts, and activities; troubleshoot any issues as necessary.

May assist with the preparation and review of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and audit processes.

May prepare grant reimbursement requests for assigned division, ensuring expenditures are eligible.

May supervise and review the work of other staff; review and approve journal entries; monitor and ensure staff meets deadlines and financial and grant procedures are followed.

Serve as a resource for other staff on various accounting and budgeting inquiries, including financial and/or grant policies and procedures and budget adjustments.

Communicate effectively with all levels of staff.

Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees, and the public using principles of good customer service.

Observe and maintain a safe working environment in compliance with established safety programs and procedures.

Marginal Functions:

May assist in the review and updating of financial and grant policies.

Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

Principles and practices of budget preparation, analysis, and administration.

Various professional accounting standards such as generally accepted auditing standards and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAS, GAAP), generally accepted governmental auditing standards (GAGAS), and standards set by the governmental accounting standards board (GASB), financial accounting standards boards (FASB), general accounting office (GAO), and other regulatory agencies.

Technical report writing procedures.

Statistical methods.

Data processing applications related to routine accounting procedures.

Principles and practices of municipal accounting, grant administration and reporting, and budget preparation and control.

Methods and techniques involved in conducting analytical studies of administrative and management practices and procedures.

Laws and regulations impacting City financial activities.

Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, rules, and regulations.

Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

Ability to:

Analyze, verify, prepare, and maintain financial statements, documents, records, and reports.

Apply various professional accounting standards to the maintenance of the City’s financial transactions.

Learn governmental accounting principles and practices.

Perform fiscal and program analyses.

Meet schedules and timelines.

Apply accounting principles to the maintenance of financial transactions.

Reconcile and maintain records and files.

Work and control sensitive, confidential information on assignments.

Interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, codes, and regulations.

Understand general relationships between federal, state, and local governments, public interest groups, and private enterprise as they affect the City.

Read, interpret, and apply complex laws and regulations impacting City financial activities.

Prepare and deliver clear and concise written and oral presentations.

Supervise, train, and evaluate a limited number of staff.

Analyze and prepare complex and technical financial documents and reports.

Perform fiscal and program analysis.

Provide instruction and assistance to others in resolving complex and unusual accounting and budget related problems.

Train and provide effective supervision or lead direction on accounting projects and activities.

Create and update datasets, charts, and dashboards.

Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.

Experience and Training Guidelines:

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

Two years of increasingly responsible experience equivalent to Financial Analyst II with the City of Modesto. Experience including public sector accounting and budgeting is desirable.

Training:

Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business administration, public administration, accounting, finance, economics, or a related field.

License or Certificate:

Possession of, or the ability to obtain, a valid California driver’s license.

Possession of a Certified Public Accountant license or Certified Management Accountant license is desirable.

Mobility: frequent use of keyboard; frequent sitting for long periods of time; occasional bending or squatting. Lifting: frequently up to 10 pounds; occasionally up to 25 pounds. Vision: constant use of overall vision; frequent reading and close-up work; occasional color and depth vision. Dexterity: frequent repetitive motion; frequent writing; frequent grasping, holding, and reaching. Hearing/Talking: frequent hearing and talking, in person and on the phone. Emotional/Psychological: frequent decision making and concentration; frequent public and/or coworker contact; occasional working alone. Environmental: frequent exposure to noise.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed in a typical temperature-controlled office environment subject to typical office noise and environment. Positions may require occasional overtime or weekend work and travel is rare.

City of Modesto

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Financial Analyst III