Exam Bulletin - Senior Accounting Officer (Specialist)

State of California

Exam Code: EX-3042

Examination Plans Included:

  • SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST) - Open

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

Classification Details

SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST): $5,684.00 - $7,114.00 (A) per Month

View the SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST) classification specification.

Application Instructions

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.

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):

  • SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST) - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

    3042

For SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST), once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-03042

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.

00104567 - SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST)

Either 1

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

Or 2

Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible professional accounting or auditing experience in a governmental or private setting. For at least one year, this responsibility must have included the reporting and analyses of accounts, records, funds and financial operations of the entity. [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 Officer (Specialist) or Accounting Officer (Supervisor).] and

Education: Same as Accountant Trainee.


Accountant Trainee Education:

Either 1

Equivalent to graduation from college, with specialization in accounting. (Registration as a Senior Student in a recognized institution will admit applicants 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.)

Or 2

Completion of a prescribed professional accounting curriculum given by a residence or correspondence school of accountancy, including courses in elementary and advanced accounting, auditing, cost accounting and business law.

Or 3

Completion of the equivalent of 19 semester hours of course work; 16 hours of which shall be professional accounting courses given by a collegiate-grade residence institution, including courses in elementary and advanced accounting, auditing, and cost accounting; and three semester hours of business law.

(Persons who will complete work requirements outlined under II and III above 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

00104567 - SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST)

This is the second journeyperson level in the series. Incumbents, under general direction of an Accounting Administrator, independently perform the more difficult accounting duties which require an understanding of the entire accounting process, such as coordinate implementation of accounting for new programs/functions; review proposals to change accounting procedures; prepare cash analysis reports for management; coordinate completion of year-end reports. Assignments at this level may involve responsibilities which impact the entire accounting operation and may be given broad discretion in the solution of problems.

Incumbents may have considerable contact with the accounting administrators or the chief accounting officer for the department, departmental management, budget section, State control agencies.

Incumbents in this class have no supervisory responsibilities, but may serve as a lead for lower level accounting personnel.

Special Personal Characteristic

Ability to qualify for a fidelity bond.

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
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

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER (SPECIALIST) 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.

Senior Accounting Officer (Specialist) Training and Experience Exam 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, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your education, training, and experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. Possession of specific education is not required to be successful in this examination; however, such achievements may substitute for desirable levels of experience. 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. Reviewing and analyzing accounting records, including transactions and error reports, to ensure information is accurate and complete.
  2. Reviewing and interpreting accounting and financial policies, procedures, and/or manuals to inform and/or educate customers and other stakeholders on financial processes.
  3. Auditing and reviewing financial documents using spreadsheet or database software.
  4. Projecting and/or performing accruals, estimated expenditures, and receivables by using arithmetic computations, and statistical and mathematical analyses.
  5. Researching, analyzing, evaluating, and reviewing financial records, data, and reports to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance.
  6. Communicating with internal and external customers, including oral (e.g., by phone, in person) and written communication (e.g., word processing, spreadsheet software, e-mail) in order to exchange necessary information and provide customer service.

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)