Unknown Job - NORTHERN CALIFORNIA POWER AGENCY : Job Details

Final filing date: First review of applications will be on August 11, 2025. NCPA reserves the right to close this posting once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

This position can be filled as an Accounting Clerk IV (Payroll Lead) or an Accounting Clerk V (Payroll Supervisor), depending on the candidate's experience and qualifications. The incumbent of this position is responsible for processing and leading or supervising the preparation of payroll and all other related functions, and the maintenance of payroll records for all employees on a biweekly basis.

Accounting Clerk IV

This is a lead-level position. The incumbent is under general supervision and is responsible for overseeing a wide variety of recurring complex and specialized bookkeeping, accounting, financial, and analytic duties related to the processing and management of the Agency's payroll and benefit functions. Responsibilities include providing technical advice, training, and functional instruction to Accounting Payroll Clerks for timesheet review, payroll processing, retirement compensation analysis, compensation and benefit processing and reporting, etc.; assisting manager with interviewing and hiring; and addressing and escalating problems that occur during payroll and benefit processing.

Accounting Clerk V

This is a supervisor-level position. This classification is responsible for performing a variety of supervisory, complex and specialized bookkeeping, accounting, financial, analytical, and technical duties related to processing and managing the Agency's payroll and benefit functions. The position also serves as Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Agency payroll and collective bargaining agreement application and confers on matters directly with the Assistant General Manager Generation Services, Plant Managers, and the Manager of Human Resources. Responsibilities include supervising the work of Payroll personnel, assisting with training of employees, assisting manager with interviewing and hiring; and addressing and escalating problems that occur during payroll and benefit processing.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

This position requires that the incumbent reports for work on time and maintains satisfactory attendance in accordance with Agency policy; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; arrives to meetings and appointments on time; performs special assignments as assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Accounting Clerk IV

In addition to the job duties of Accounting Clerks I-III and under the direction of the Treasurer-Controller, the Accounting Clerk IV will:

• Run, validate, and integrate payroll-related general ledger entries; inspect automated system output such as registers and standard reports, and determine and correct out-of-balance conditions.
• Maintain and reconcile bank accounts and payroll/benefits documents to Agency records. Reconcile and maintain numerous control schedules in support of payroll. Coordinate and resolve payroll-related matters with outside service bureaus, Facility Office Administrators, managers, supervisors, and/or employees as applicable.
• Review time sheets and verify propriety; calculate special pay, such as differential, subsistence, travel, and overtime pay; process, verify, and document authorized changes to employee payroll records.
• Gather and prepare payroll, financial, and statistical data for intermittent and annual financial statements, CalPERS, Department of Labor, annual worker's compensation audits, and actuarial valuations.
• Process, implement, and track garnishments. Ensure employees with worker's compensation claims and other leave claims are paid correctly, including integrating employee leave balances in accordance with Agency policy and bargaining agreements.
• Provide technical advice, training, and functional instruction to other members of the Payroll and Accounting staff as required and document payroll processes and procedures.
• Ensure CalPERS pensionable wage calculations are in accordance with California state government code.
• Maintain payroll system controls; balance and record payroll transactions and reconcile to the accounting system and general ledger; balance various other financial transactions with source documents and controls.

Accounting Clerk V

In addition to the job duties of Accounting Clerks I-IV and under direction of the Treasurer-Controller, the Accounting Clerk V will:

• Analyze and audit payroll, benefits and benefit changes and related financial and statistical data, records and reports, identify errors and collaborate across the Agency to correct them to ensure accurate payroll processing in compliance with Agency Policy and Memorandums of Understanding, general ledger integration, and financial statement reporting.
• Perform bi-weekly, monthly and annual accounting systems closing activities and prepare wage and benefit reconciliations and journal entry integrations to ensure proper financial statement analysis and reporting.
• Perform complex payroll functions; track, calculate, review, verify and report a variety of complex payroll data such as gross and net pay, pensionable wages and retirement contributions, contract adjustments, retroactive payments, employee leave, tax information and filings and accrued compensated leave balances.
• Prepare complex payroll financial information such as pension actuarial census data and supporting documentation and worker's compensation audit analysis and file.
• Assist with implementation of systems, policies and procedures, related regulation, and special projects requiring highly technical studies and analyses. Recommend changes or modifications to methods or systems as needed.
• Provide technical advice, training, and functional instruction to other members of the Payroll and Accounting staff as required. Implement and operate complicated accounting and financial systems, including appropriate records retention protocols.
• Recommend and assist in implementing goals and objectives, establish schedules and methods for calculating and producing payroll, and assess, select, test, implement, and manage timekeeping systems.
• Oversee payroll employees in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Plan, prioritize, assign, and review the work of Accounting Payroll Clerk(s); participate in the recommendation and input for interviewing, hiring, and training employees; plan, assign, and direct work; appraise performance; and reward and discipline employees.
• Respond to verbal or written payroll questions, complaints and requests from employees requiring explanation of laws, rules, regulations, contracts and other documents governing Agency payroll. Resolve payroll issues with employees, and produce and distribute clear and concise written information to employees as needed.
• Receive, research, and respond to questions or data requests from other Agency departments and outside agencies.

Minimum qualifications:

Accounting Clerk IV:

Education and/or Experience: Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree with a concentration in finance or accounting from an accredited college with ten years of related experience. Experience in bookkeeping or accounting is required, with a minimum of ten years of experience, with five of those in a lead payroll position. A Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in finance or accounting is preferred.

Accounting Clerk V:

Education and/or Experience: Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science with major coursework in finance, accounting (general and payroll), or business administration with a minimum of ten years of increasingly responsible experience in operational finance activities involving payroll processing related supervisory experience or a combination of an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree with a concentration in finance or accounting and a minimum of ten years of increasingly responsible experience and a Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP).

Knowledge and abilities:

To successfully perform the Accounting Clerk IV and V jobs, an individual must be able to independently perform end-to-end payroll and benefit functions, including general journal entries for payroll and benefits. Knowledge of garnishment and leave processes; knowledge of principles and practices of accounting and financial recordkeeping are required with an emphasis in payroll, labor contracts and their impact on payroll, principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluations, principles of budgeting, principles and practices of safe management, and pertinent local, State, and Federal laws, ordinances, and rules. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations; ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals; ability to effectively respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public; ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference; ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; and the ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Special requirements:

Valid California Driver's License and insurance; periodic travel may be required. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

Work environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. All employees are responsible for contributing to an inclusive, safe, and secure work environment that values diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences and is free from discrimination.