What are the responsibilities and job description for the Accounting Technician - Confidential position at City of La Mesa?
Position Summary
The City of La Mesa has an exciting opportunity for an Accounting Technician (Confidential) in the Finance Department!
This is an in-person position, located in La Mesa City Hall. The position works a 9/80 schedule: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and alternating Fridays 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. La Mesa City Hall is closed on alternating Fridays.
Future Scheduled Salary Increases
5% increase effective July 2026
5% increase effective July 2027
About The Department
The Finance Department is a collaborative and service-oriented team comprised of the Finance Director, three managers, and six professional staff members dedicated to supporting the City’s financial operations and long-term financial health. The department provides a wide range of high-quality services to internal City departments, City employees, and members of the public, with a strong commitment to responsive and excellent customer service. Core responsibilities include accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, purchasing, business licensing, general accounting, budget monitoring, financial planning and forecasting, preparation of the City’s annual operating and capital budgets, and preparation of the annual comprehensive financial report.
About The Position
The Accounting Technician (Confidential) performs specialized technical and administrative support with work focused primarily on payroll processing and payroll related accounting functions within the Finance Department. Responsibilities include processing and reviewing payroll transactions, maintaining payroll records, preparing and reconciling quarterly and annual payroll tax returns, balancing payroll reports, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and labor agreements.
The position works closely with Human Resources, department representatives, employees, retirement agencies, and benefit providers to support accurate and timely payroll operations. The Accounting Technician (Confidential) is also responsible for maintaining confidentiality of sensitive employee and payroll information and exercising discretion and sound judgement in daily work activities.
The Ideal Candidate
The City of La Mesa is seeking a dependable, detail oriented, and collaborative professional with at least 4 years of experience in payroll processing, payroll accounting, and related financial reconciliations and reporting. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of payroll procedures, payroll related journal entries, benefit and deduction processing, and account reconciliation practices.
Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to analyze and resolve discrepancies, maintain accurate financial records, and communicate effectively with employees and departments regarding payroll matters. Experience preparing payroll journal entries, reconciling payroll accounts, and working with payroll and financial software systems is highly desirable. Public sector payroll experience, including familiarity with retirement reporting, labor agreements, and governmental accounting practices is preferred.
The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, customer service oriented, and able to maintain confidentiality while handling sensitive payroll and employee information.
Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.
To perform difficult and complex technical accounting work in the preparation, maintenance, and processing of accounting records and financial transactions; to prepare and process the City payroll and various fiscal reports; to verify, balance and adjust accounts and journal entries; to provide information and assistance to employees and City departments; and to perform a variety of tasks related to assigned area of responsibility. Positions assigned to this class may perform specialized or generalized duties depending on departmental needs.
Key Responsibilities
Supervision Received and Exercised
Receives general supervision from the Finance Manager.
May exercise technical and functional supervision over accounting clerical staff.
Representative Duties
The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.
Education and Experience Guidelines
Education/Training
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade, including or supplemented by courses in accounting and business practices. AND
Experience
Four years of increasingly responsible experience in the maintenance of financial, fiscal and related statistical records.
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.
Knowledge Of
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Environment: Standard office setting.
Physical: Incumbents require sufficient mobility to work in an office setting; stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; operate office equipment including use of a computer keyboard; ability to verbally communicate to exchange information.
Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens, printed documents, and overhead presentations and to operate assigned equipment.
Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
Examination Process
Interested applicants must submit an online application, cover letter, resume, and supplemental questionnaire by the closing deadline of Monday, June 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.Only those candidates whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the City will be invited to participate in the examination process. The examination process may consist of any or all of the following components: written examination, oral interview, and/or practical skills evaluation. Eligible candidates will be notified when testing dates have been established.
NOTE: Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background (Livescan) and employment verification.
The City of La Mesa has an exciting opportunity for an Accounting Technician (Confidential) in the Finance Department!
This is an in-person position, located in La Mesa City Hall. The position works a 9/80 schedule: Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and alternating Fridays 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. La Mesa City Hall is closed on alternating Fridays.
Future Scheduled Salary Increases
5% increase effective July 2026
5% increase effective July 2027
About The Department
The Finance Department is a collaborative and service-oriented team comprised of the Finance Director, three managers, and six professional staff members dedicated to supporting the City’s financial operations and long-term financial health. The department provides a wide range of high-quality services to internal City departments, City employees, and members of the public, with a strong commitment to responsive and excellent customer service. Core responsibilities include accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, purchasing, business licensing, general accounting, budget monitoring, financial planning and forecasting, preparation of the City’s annual operating and capital budgets, and preparation of the annual comprehensive financial report.
About The Position
The Accounting Technician (Confidential) performs specialized technical and administrative support with work focused primarily on payroll processing and payroll related accounting functions within the Finance Department. Responsibilities include processing and reviewing payroll transactions, maintaining payroll records, preparing and reconciling quarterly and annual payroll tax returns, balancing payroll reports, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and labor agreements.
The position works closely with Human Resources, department representatives, employees, retirement agencies, and benefit providers to support accurate and timely payroll operations. The Accounting Technician (Confidential) is also responsible for maintaining confidentiality of sensitive employee and payroll information and exercising discretion and sound judgement in daily work activities.
The Ideal Candidate
The City of La Mesa is seeking a dependable, detail oriented, and collaborative professional with at least 4 years of experience in payroll processing, payroll accounting, and related financial reconciliations and reporting. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of payroll procedures, payroll related journal entries, benefit and deduction processing, and account reconciliation practices.
Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to analyze and resolve discrepancies, maintain accurate financial records, and communicate effectively with employees and departments regarding payroll matters. Experience preparing payroll journal entries, reconciling payroll accounts, and working with payroll and financial software systems is highly desirable. Public sector payroll experience, including familiarity with retirement reporting, labor agreements, and governmental accounting practices is preferred.
The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, customer service oriented, and able to maintain confidentiality while handling sensitive payroll and employee information.
Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.
To perform difficult and complex technical accounting work in the preparation, maintenance, and processing of accounting records and financial transactions; to prepare and process the City payroll and various fiscal reports; to verify, balance and adjust accounts and journal entries; to provide information and assistance to employees and City departments; and to perform a variety of tasks related to assigned area of responsibility. Positions assigned to this class may perform specialized or generalized duties depending on departmental needs.
Key Responsibilities
Supervision Received and Exercised
Receives general supervision from the Finance Manager.
May exercise technical and functional supervision over accounting clerical staff.
Representative Duties
The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.
- Perform difficult and complex technical accounting work involved in the preparation of payroll, accounts payable, fixed asset accounting, accounts receivable, financial reporting and/or budget monitoring.
- Utilize various computer programs; enter data, maintain and generate reports from a database or in-house system; create spreadsheets, enter data and generate reports using spreadsheet software; create documents using word processing software.
- Prepare and process the City payroll; verify and process time sheets; prepare related reports and journal entries; prepare and distribute W-2 forms and 1099 forms.
- Prepare and process the City's accounts payable and file records.
- Confer with City departments and individuals regarding changes and corrections.
- Provide technical information and instruction to departmental personnel regarding procedures and methods; interpret and explain rules and regulations.
- Reconcile bank statements.
- Process accounts receivable; prepare invoices; log receipts; coordinate accounts receivable activities with other City departments; prepare the daily bank deposit.
- Identify and resolve problems and inconsistencies, determining corrective entries involved in maintaining accounting controls.
- Prepare a variety of statements, reports and tax returns from a variety of data and records.
- Prepare and submit account information for input into computerized system; reconcile differences between accounting records and computerized reports.
- Coordinate accounting activities with other City departments, divisions and sections; provide statistical data upon request.
- Prepare, reconcile, balance and submit a variety of monthly, quarterly and annual reports; maintain necessary records and logs.
- Respond to inquiries from internal and external sources in a courteous manner; provide information within the area of assignment; resolve complaints in an efficient and timely manner.
- Assist in supervision of lower-level accounting clerical staff; provide training in City procedures; answer questions; assist in resolution of more difficult problems.
- Perform related duties as required.
Education and Experience Guidelines
Education/Training
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade, including or supplemented by courses in accounting and business practices. AND
Experience
Four years of increasingly responsible experience in the maintenance of financial, fiscal and related statistical records.
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.
Knowledge Of
- Standard office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and related software applications.
- Principles and practices of financial record keeping and reporting.
- Principles, procedures and methods of technical accounting including payroll, accounts payable, receivables, general ledger, etc.
- Basic accounting principles.
- Mathematical principles including business mathematics.
- Pertinent federal state and local laws, codes and regulations.
- Understand, interpret, and apply principles, laws, and procedures involved in fiscal record keeping and accounting functions.
- Prepare large-scale payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and financial reports; maintain ledgers and journals.
- Analyze data and draw sound conclusions.
- Reconcile financial and bank statements.
- Meet firm deadlines.
- Collect, compile, and research information and data.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Work independently in the absence of supervision.
- Operate a calculator quickly and accurately.
- Operate a variety of office equipment including a computer and related software applications.
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Environment: Standard office setting.
Physical: Incumbents require sufficient mobility to work in an office setting; stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; operate office equipment including use of a computer keyboard; ability to verbally communicate to exchange information.
Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens, printed documents, and overhead presentations and to operate assigned equipment.
Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
Examination Process
Interested applicants must submit an online application, cover letter, resume, and supplemental questionnaire by the closing deadline of Monday, June 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.Only those candidates whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the City will be invited to participate in the examination process. The examination process may consist of any or all of the following components: written examination, oral interview, and/or practical skills evaluation. Eligible candidates will be notified when testing dates have been established.
NOTE: Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background (Livescan) and employment verification.
- SCHEDULE OF EVENTS RECRUITMENT CLOSES: Monday, June 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. INTERVIEW PANEL: June 9 , 2026
- Please note, all dates and/or timeframes are subject to change.