• Any editable section on the Exam Bulletin has been updated.

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

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):

• FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT IV - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

1704

For FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT IV, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

• EX-01704

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.

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.

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.

Either 1

Equivalent to graduation from college with a specialization in financial management or a closely related field.

Or 2

Equivalent to graduation from college with any major which shall include at least 24 semester units in financial accounting, managerial accounting, intermediate accounting, advanced accounting, taxes, cost accounting, auditing, business law, computer applications, or management information systems. 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.

Or 3

Completion of the equivalent of 60 semester units of course work which shall be given by a collegiate-grade residence institution, 36 units which shall include courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, intermediate accounting, advanced accounting, taxes, cost accounting, auditing, business law, computer applications and management information systems.

AND

Either 1

This examination consists of the following component(s):

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 practices.
2. Financial markets, banking, management of investment portfolios.
3. Investment transaction treatments.
4. Fair market and actuarial valuation.
5. Policy research and analysis.
6. Automated accounting systems. 
7. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Franchise Tax Board (FTB) tax regulations and policies.  
8. The functions of financial systems and information technology, configuration management, system support service levels and management.
9. Accounting and financial software. 
10. Mathematical and analytical methods. 
11. Manager/supervisor responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employee development and promotion.

Ability to:

1. Analyze and evaluate financial and accounting records.
2. Conduct risk assessment and internal controls.
3. Conduct financial analysis and reviews of actuarial analysis and investment portfolios for accounting compliance.
4. Conduct error and fraud detection.
5. Compile, record, and analyze financial information.
6. Prepare or assist in preparing financial statements with full note disclosures. 
7. Research and apply tax regulations designed for corporate compliance and pension compliance. 
8. Apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), governmental budgetary principles, practices, principles, and procedures of public finance and reporting requirements.
9. Appropriately present financial statements and related notes in accordance with all relevant Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) pronouncements.
10. Prepare or assist in preparing the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). 
11. Ensure data integrity, train and support other staff.
12. Develop and maintain reports and queries.
13. Identify and resolve issues related to various financial systems.
14. Successfully navigates various financial systems for research and analysis. 
15. Solve practical problems by choosing appropriately from a variety of mathematical and statistical techniques. 
16. Use technology in job performance (includes the integration and acceptance of new technology when appropriate). 
17. Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
18. Possess effective listening skills.
19. Provide and receive feedback.
20. Clearly articulate financial data to executives. 
21. Identify the information needed to clarify a situation.
22. Garner the support of business partners and stakeholders to achieve the desired outcome. 
23. Adapt and work in a variety of situations and with individuals and groups.
24. Be open to different and new ways of conducting business.
25. Modify one’s preferred way of doing things. 
26. Gain support for ideas, proposals, projects, and solutions. 
27. Improve technical and personal growth. understand the operations, structure, and culture of the organization.
28. Understand the political, social, and economic issues affecting the organization. 
29. Ensure the effective, efficient, and sustainable use of public service resources and assets, financial resources, real property, and business information. 
30. Focus personal efforts on achieving results consistent with the organization’s objectives. 
31. Effectively promote equal opportunity in employment and for maintaining a work environment which is free of discrimination and harassment.

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT IV 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.

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.

Instructions
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks. 

Respond to each of the following task statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples.  

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE , whether paid or volunteer, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed. 

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your training, and experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position.  

Tasks 

1. Developing and implementing organizational financial policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations. 
2. Managing the preparation of an organization’s annual audited financial statements in accordance with industry standards (e.g., Generally Accepted Accounting Principles [GAAP], International Financial Reporting Standards [IFRS]). 
3. Communicating financial, budgetary, and/or fiscal analysis to stakeholders (e.g., external parties, management, executive staff, board members).  
4. Identifying and resolving fiscal problems and issues through program oversight. 
5. Managing staff performing fiscal activities (e.g., accounting, budget, related systems support) and/or projects to ensure adherence to organizational and industry standards. 
6. Presenting recommendations to stakeholders (e.g., external parties, management, executive staff, board members) on sensitive fiscal issues (e.g., accounting, budgetary, related systems support).  
7. Providing expert analyses on strategies for resolving the most complex financial issues (e.g., changes in accounting guidance, investment transaction, strategic initiatives).  
8. Leading business process improvements and changes that may or may not use technology.  
9. Managing financial related (e.g., accounting, budgetary, related systems support) projects including risk and issue resolutions, status reports, and other duties in order to meet project deadlines.  
10. Overseeing the training and development of staff to ensure they can perform their financial related functions and be prepared for increasingly complex responsibilities.  
11. Participating in the development of a unit’s business and operational plans to ensure alignment with the organization’s strategic plan and/or vision.   

• State of California

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

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.

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.