Exam Bulletin - Accounting Administrator II

State of California

Exam Code: EX-1483

Examination Plans Included:

  • ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II: $7,420.00 - $9,219.00 per Month

View the ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed examination. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation, your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the examination until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1483

For ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01483

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00104542 - ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II

Either 1

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a professional accounting or auditing class equivalent in level to Accounting Administrator I (Specialist) or Accounting Administrator I (Supervisor).

Or 2

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible professional accounting or auditing experience. For at least one year, this responsibility must have been at a level equivalent to supervising a staff in the operation of a complex accounting system. [Experience in the California state service applied toward this requirement must include at least one year performing the duties of a class at a level of responsibility not less than that of Accounting Administrator I (Specialist) or Accounting Administrator I (Supervisor).] (Experience in the California state service may be applied toward the total experience requirement on a proportional basis.) and

Education: Either:

1. Equivalent to graduation from college, with specialization in accounting; or

2. Completion of the equivalent of 45 semester units given by a collegiate-grade residence or correspondence institution, of which 24 units must include courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, intermediate/advanced accounting, fund/governmental accounting cost accounting, auditing, business law, computer applications/management information systems. (Persons who will complete course work requirements during the current quarter or semester will be admitted to the examination, but they must produce evidence of successful completion of the curriculum and the prescribed courses before they may be considered eligible for appointment.) Successful completion of the State Fund Accounting Course administered by the Department of Finance, shall receive credit for three semester hours toward the required accounting courses.

Position Description

00104542 - ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II

This is the full supervisory level in the series where the majority of the time is spent on administrative and supervisory activities. Positions at this level supervise a group of professional or analytical and semiprofessional accounting staff performing accounting and other fiscal related work or direct a variety of specialized or central control fiscal activities, typically through subordinate supervisors at the Accounting Administrator I (Supervisor) level.

This level, under general direction, either: (1) performs as the Chief Accounting Officer in a medium-complex or large-standard accounting office; or (2) performs as a multisection supervisor in a large-complex accounting office; or (3) performs as a sectional manager in a very large-complex accounting office.

Special Personal Characteristic

Ability to qualify for a fidelity bond.

Additional Desirable Qualifications

Preferred additional education includes courses in statistics, business finance, mathematics, college composition, speech/oral communications and/or business composition.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing the examination.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
  1. Accounting principles and procedures
  2. Governmental accounting and budgeting
  3. The uniform accounting system and financial organization and procedures of the State of California and related laws, rules, and regulations
  4. Principles of business management, including office methods and procedures
  5. Principles of public finance
  6. Business law
  7. Principles and techniques of personnel management and supervision
  8. Planning, organizing, and directing the work of others
  9. The department's Affirmative Action Program objectives
  10. A manager's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives
Ability to:
  1. Apply accounting principles and procedures
  2. Analyze data and draw sound conclusions
  3. Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
  4. Prepare clear, complete, and concise reports
  5. Make sound decisions and recommendations in regard to the professional accounting problems in maintaining control of a departmental budget
  6. Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the work
  7. Speak and write effectively
  8. Plan, organize, and direct the work of others
  9. Effectively contribute to the department's affirmative action objectives

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR II Classification will be established for:

  • State of California

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Accounting Administrator II Training and Experience Examination Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. All components of this examination have been carefully validated by tying them directly to job requirements and documenting their relevance to the position.

Tasks
  1. Approving reconciliations of various accounts (e.g., general ledger, cash reconciliations, claims filed, federal and state revenue, funds reconciliations, bank reconciliations) to ensure accuracy of data.
  2. Overseeing preparation of year-end accruals and financial statements in compliance with uniform reporting standards.
  3. Reviewing accounting reports and reconciliations with stakeholders to ensure funds/appropriations are properly spent.
  4. Reviewing accounting records in various accounting subsystems to report the financial position of the organization.
  5. Overseeing and enforcing accounting policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
  6. Providing financial data and reports to management for decision making purpose.
  7. Preparing cash flow projections for budgeted appropriations (e.g., Federal Grants, Special Funds, trends, costs, financial commitments).
  8. Oversee funds and funding sources to ensure compliance with regulations, statues, and standards.
  9. Supervising staff performing accounting work to ensure fiscal activities are executed according to organizational and industry standards.
  10. Overseeing staff performing accounting projects to ensure efforts are completed accurately and on time.
  11. Providing input and recommendations as a Subject Matter Expert on the design and/or enhancement of accounting systems.
  12. Reviewing proposed legislation or enacted laws to determine the fiscal impact on the organization’s accounting processes or programs.
  13. Presenting recommendations to stakeholders and/or upper management on high level or sensitive accounting issues or processes.

Testing Departments

  • State of California

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

State of California
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@calhr.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

State of California reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)