Accounting Assistant Two Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $61,443.20 - $106,454.40 Annually
Location : 11 English Street, Petaluma, CA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 2026-00505
Department: Administrative Services
Division: Finance
Opening Date: 07/15/2026
Closing Date: 8/5/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Summary/Class Characteristics
Accountant / Accounting Assistant II
The City of Petaluma is seeking qualified professionals to fill one (1) Accountant and one (1) Accounting Assistant II vacancy within the Finance Division of the Administrative Services Department. These positions offer an excellent opportunity to contribute to the City's financial stewardship by supporting essential accounting functions that help ensure responsible financial management and exceptional public service. This recruitment may also be used to fill additional vacancies that may occur within the next year.
SALARY AND BENEFITS PACKAGE
SALARY RANGES:

• Accountant: $87,588.80 - $106,454.40 (+2% COLA in July 2027)
• Accounting Assistant II: $61,443.20 - $74,734.40 (+2% COLA in July 2027)

FOR YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING:

• MEDICAL INSURANCE: Choice of a variety of CalPERS Health Plans. City pays ~95% of the Bay Area Kaiser premium for employee & eligible dependents; or alternative option to receive Medical Cash Back (if you have medical coverage elsewhere). Please see the 2026 Health Plan Contribution Memo.
• DENTAL & VISION INSURANCE: Coverage for employees & eligible family members, paid for by the City.
• LIFE INSURANCE: Competitive life insurance & Long-Term Disability benefits. Option to purchase additional life insurance.
• EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: Support and benefits, for you & eligible family members, paid for by the City.
• WELLNESS BENEFIT: $500 annual allowance (subject to the annual budget approval process and may change in the future)

FOR YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE:

• CALPERS RETIREMENT PACKAGE
  • 2% at 60 for Classic CalPERS members
  • 2% at 62 for PEPRA CalPERS members
• DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN: voluntary participation in your choice of three plan offerings.

FOR YOUR WORK / LIFE BALANCE (annual amounts):

• Vacation: 80 Hours, increasing with years of service (Accountant job classification can qualify for up to 5 years service credit toward vacation accrual rate for prior qualifying employment)
• Sick Leave: 96 hours
• Holidays: 13 fixed days
• Personal Leave: 20 hours (per fiscal year)
• Other Benefits:
  • Paid Parental Leave - up to 8 weeks of paid time for qualifying family bonding
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Employer

The Accountant classification is represented by the Petaluma Professional and Mid-Managers Association. Please refer to the Memorandum of Understanding for Unit 4 and the Employee Benefits website for additional details.
The Accounting Assistant II classifications are represented by AFSCME. Please refer to the Memorandum of Understanding for and the for additional details.
For a full, detailed job description for Accountant, please click here.
For a full, detailed job description for Accounting Assistant II, please clickhere.
Duties
Examples of duties may include:
Accountant
Participate in accounting tasks related to the maintenance of the City's financial record keeping, reporting, and control systems.
Reconcile and balance various records and ledgers, investigate discrepancies, and make appropriate adjustments according to existing policies and regulations governing the agency's fiscal record-keeping systems.
Perform a variety of accounting activities including the preparation of complex bank reconciliation, detailed calculations, record keeping, and reconciliation in various accounting areas.
Prepare for approval standard and adjusting journal entries.
Gather and compile a variety of numerical data and prepare statistical and financial reports for distribution internally and to outside agencies such as federal, state, and other local agencies.
Make recommendations regarding work processes and procedures in area of assignment.
Process and produce the City's bi-weekly payroll and perform related activities, including the review and verification of payroll documents, data entry for payroll records and information, maintenance of payroll records, and preparation of various payroll related reports, as assigned.
Monitor and ensure timely payment of all mandated state and federal payroll taxes; process bi-weekly payments for automatic deposits, deferred compensation, and other benefit plan payments, as assigned.
Maintain various payroll tables and databases; develop and maintain systems for monitoring and tracking payroll and employee benefits related information, as assigned.
Monitor and ensure compliance with payroll related City policies, Memorandums of Understanding, Compensation Plans and Agreements, and state and federal legislation affecting payroll.
Perform related duties as assigned.
Accounting Assistant II:
Process invoices for payment; match invoices and other requests for payment with purchase order or contract documents; issue checks; receive and review payment reports to ensure accuracy, proper authorization, and compliance with City policies and procedures.
Input information or prepare forms to produce warrants; reconcile and prepay payment requests for non-purchase order expenditures, including utility and telephone payments.
Reconcile and compute payments due for various benefit program providers.
Generate and process purchase orders and provide information to vendors regarding invoices and purchase orders.
Receive and screen visitors and telephone calls, assist the public in completing and filing applications and other forms, and provide factual information which may require the interpretation of policies and procedures; take messages or refer the caller to the proper person.
Research and compile a variety of informational materials from sources both inside and outside of the office; open and sort mail and attach pertinent back-up materials.
Type and draft a wide variety of finished documents from stenographic notes, brief instructions, or printed materials; may use word processing equipment; input and retrieve data and prepare reports using an on-line or personal computer system; initiate specified correspondence independently for signature by appropriate management, supervisory, or professional staff; review finished materials for completeness, accuracy, format, and compliance with policies and procedures, and appropriate English usage.
Organize and maintain various office files; follow up on projects, transmit information, and keep informed of unit activities; schedule and arrange for meetings; organize own work, set priorities and meet critical deadlines; may arrange for meetings, including preparing and distributing agenda materials and taking and producing minutes of actions or proceedings.
Prepare meeting agendas and distribute materials; attend meetings to take minutes; prepare and distribute minutes; compile, edit, package, and track reports.
Perform related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Education and Experience
Any combination equivalent to the education and experience likely to provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to gain such knowledge and abilities would be:
Accountant
Education:
A Bachelor's degree with major course work in accounting or a related field.
Experience:
Two years of professional accounting experience that demonstrates possession of the required knowledge and abilities. Two years of local government accounting is desirable.
Accounting Assistant II
Education:
Equivalent to graduation from high school, supplemented by some course work in bookkeeping or basic accounting.
Experience:
Two years of bookkeeping, financial clerical, or office assistant experience.
Physical Demands and Working Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use the computer keyboard and mouse, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and stand, walk, and stoop, or crouch. The employee will occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Duties require the ability to work in an office environment where the noise level is usually moderate.
The City of Petaluma offers a wide-ranging, comprehensive benefit package including CalPERS retirement, medical, dental, vision, life, LTD, etc. For more information regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website:
01
Describe your accounting and/or accounts payable/receivable work experience. Include job title(s), employers name(s), employment dates, and a description of your primary duties for each relevant position.
02
Describe your experience working with accounting/budget database systems and related software. For each system/software, list its name, your level of proficiency, and describe an example of the type of work product you generated.
03
Describe your experience providing customer service to internal and/or external customers.
04
Please describe why you are interested in working in Finance with the City of Petaluma.
Required Question