The San Mateo County Controller's Office is seeking highly qualified candidates for the position of Controllers Division Manager - Disbursement and General Accounting.
THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE
The Controller's Office maintains the County's financial accounting system, processes disbursements and journal entries, produces independently audited and award-winning annual financial reports, and performs internal audits of departments' operations. The Controller's Office is staffed with accountants, auditors, fiscal and other professional personnel.
THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING DIVISION
The General Accounting Division is committed to performing all duties with integrity, effectiveness, and efficiency of its processes and services. The Division provides accounting and financial services to the County departments and agencies and is responsible for the preparation of the County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Annual Financial Report for the San Mateo County Joint Powers Financing Authority (JPFA), and other required financial reports.
The person hired for this position will manage the General Accounting Division and will be responsible for supervising and coordinating financial support functions, which include, but are not limited to: accounting and financial services to County departments and agencies; and financial reporting preparations.
The Controllers Division Manager - Disbursement and General Accounting will assist in the development, implementation and interpretation of accounting policies and procedures, provide complex financial support to senior level management, and oversee day-to-day accounting support functions including preparation of financial analysis, schedules and reports, which include, but are not limited to the following: County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR), Annual Financial Report for the San Mateo County Joint Powers Financing Authority, Annual State Controller's Report of Financial Transactions for the County, Annual State Controller's Report of Financial Transactions for the Joint Powers Financing Authority, County's Appropriation Limit, and County Appropriation Subject to Limitation.
Candidates for this position should have experience managing fiscal and professional staff and performing accounting and fiscal functions such as preparation of financial reports, accounting transactions, fiscal policies, and complex financial analysis.
The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, abilities, and skills:
- Be proficient in government and/or public accounting.
- Advanced knowledge and implementation of Governmental Financial Accounting Standards and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
- Have demonstrated success in preparing comprehensive and highly complex financial reports, compilations, and written communications as applicable.
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
- Possess critical thinking skills and be a problem solver.
- Possess experience in managing and supervising professional staff.
- Identify existing or potential problems, determine causes and solutions to fix the problems to prevent future occurrences.
- Research and analyze business and/or system processes and make recommendations for improvements.
- Develop and maintain a cohesive, collaborative team with emphasis on communication, contributions, and mutual support, and create an environment of trust and confidence.
- Plan, organize, manage, coordinate, and evaluate the functions and staff for operation and special projects.
- Analyze, interpret, implement, and explain related laws, accounting rules, and regulations.
- Develop and implement division goals, objectives, and priorities.
- Interpreting complex laws and regulations, and reviewing and assessing the implications of changes in laws and Federal and State regulations on the County's general accounting operations.
- Reviewing and updating current accounting practices.
- Training professional personnel to keep current with governmental accounting principles, providing timely feedback and performance evaluations.
- Reviewing and assessing changes in the governmental accounting standards and generally accepted accounting principles and developing procedures for implementation.
Examples Of Duties
Duties will include, but are not limited to:
- Organize, direct, and coordinate accounting and financial operational activities.
- Preparing financial analysis, schedules, and reports, such as the following: Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), Annual Financial Report for the San Mateo County Joint Powers Financing Authority (JPFA), Annual State Controller's Report of Financial Transactions for the County and the Joint Powers Financing Authority, Popular Annual Finance Reporting (PAFR), and County Budget Schedules.
- Administering and interpreting county administrative policies and procedures; implementing division goals, objectives, and priorities.
- Reviewing and updating changes in the governmental accounting standards and generally accepted accounting principles, including procedures for implementation of the changes to the County's financial reports and business processes.
- Coordinating year-end closing activities with controller’s staff, county departments and agencies.
- Supervising/supporting division staff in day-to-day operation.
- Organizing and supervising the training and work of professional and clerical staff, including a Senior Accountant, an Accountant, and a Fiscal Office Specialist.
- Providing timely feedback and performance evaluations for staff and direct training opportunities for staff.
- Consulting departments on complex accounting issues.
- Coordinating annual audit activities with external auditors.
- Participating in accounting system upgrades with the Controller's Information Systems Division or county department /agencies’ systems as needed.
- Develop the Division’s procedures handbook for implementation of county policies.
- Conduct special financial analysis.
- Provide excellent customer service to departments, which includes managing the relationships with external and internal vendors/customers.
- Perform related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Business or Public Administration or a related field.
Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience performing a wide variety of administrative, financial, or managerial duties in a large, complex public agency, including at least one year of direct experience managing and/or supervising an accounting or auditing function related to the assigned division.
Licensure/Certification:
- If assigned to Internal Audit, must obtain a Certified Public Accountant license issued by the State of California within six months of appointment.
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026, 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening: July 27 - 31, 2026
Civil Service Panel Interviews: August 13 and/or 14, 2026
San Mateo County is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.
Work Location: In person
