Financial Analyst (Finance Department) presso City of Pittsburg, CA

About the Department

The City of Pittsburg is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Financial Analyst to join our Finance Department. This position plays a key role in maintaining financial integrity, ensuring regulatory compliance, and providing data-driven insights that support strategic decision-making across the City. Pittsburg continues to grow as a community which will lead to a higher demand for City services, your work as a Financial Analyst will have an immediate impact on the City's operations in a highly collaborative work environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR): Lead preparation and coordination of the ACFR in compliance with GASB standards, ensuring accuracy and timely completion. Collaborate with internal and external auditors during audits.
• Accounting & Reporting: Oversee accounting functions, reconcile financial data, and prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for stakeholders. Ensure compliance with GAAP, GASB, and regulatory requirements.
• Budgetary Support & Analysis: Assist in budget development and monitoring, conduct variance analysis, and provide recommendations to management to ensure alignment with City goals.
• Audit & Compliance: Act as liaison with auditors, respond to audit requests, strengthen internal controls, and implement regulatory updates.
• Data Analysis & Decision Support: Perform financial modeling and trend analysis, develop dashboards and reports, and provide actionable insights to leadership.
• Policy & Procedure Development: Draft and update financial policies, ensure consistency with regulations, and implement new GASB pronouncements.
• Special Projects: Support cross-departmental initiatives requiring financial expertise and strategic input.

Ideal Candidate for Financial Analyst:

• Strong knowledge of GAAP, GASB standards, and governmental accounting;
• Proven experience with ACFR preparation, auditing, and compliance;
• Ability to interpret financial data, analyze trends and forecast, notice any discrepancies in the data, and to make recommendations to management;
• Ability to prepare clear, concise and highly accurate reports and other written materials;
• Self-starter, problem solver who embraces challenges, and strong attention to detail;
• Knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office Suite tools (Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint) to facilitate multiple components of the budgetary process; Advanced proficiency level of Excel is required;
• Great interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with all City Departments/Divisions;
• Be a team player who will enjoy working with all faucets of the organization;
• Strategic thinker, able to communicate financial analyses to any level of the organization; excellent written and customer service skills;
• Flexible and adaptable to change; able to prioritize and efficiently manage multiple assignments; be able to pivot to adjust to changing priorities with little notice;
• Possess exceptional management and organizational abilities to adhere to strict deadlines and provide timely response to request. 

Strongly Desired:

• Prior governmental accounting/budgeting experience;
• Experience working in Tyler Munis.
• CPA certified or coursework completed in business analytics. 

About the Finance Department

The Finance Department is responsible for accounting operations, payroll, utility billing, budget, financial reporting, debt issuance and management, risk management programs and investments for all of the City departments and agencies within the framework of City policies and procedures.  The Finance team strives for progressive investment in our community's future, as well as in our organization and staff, so that the City of Pittsburg can operate efficiently and effectively.

About Pittsburg

The City of Pittsburg is a culturally rich and diverse community of over 76,000 residents and expected to grow to 90,000 in the next 20 years.  Pittsburg is located in the Bay Area Region of Northern California and is perfectly situated for easy access to San Francisco, Napa Valley, Sacramento, the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Lake Tahoe.  Pittsburg City Hall is also conveniently located a short walk from the Pittsburg Center Station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART), making a commute from cities throughout the Bay Area very easy.  Pittsburg has waterfront homes, a performing arts theater, a variety of seasonal events, an extensive park system, a large public-school system, and a variety of shopping centers.   The recently renovated Marina is also an ideal place to visit and is located within steps of the Old Town shopping district and downtown living, with nearly 600 boat slips, a free public boat launch, fuel dock, café, bait shop, and the Pittsburg Yacht Club. Pittsburg has featured such events as the Seafood and Music Festival, car shows, movies in the park, kayaking, and fishing derbies.  With its commitment to a quality community environment, Pittsburg is an ideal city in which to live, work and recreate.
 

The City of Pittsburg is a full-service city following the council-manager form of government. The City has approximately 300 full time employees and at times, up to 350 employees total (depending on the season).  Pittsburg is currently organized into the following departments: City Management, Community and Economic Development (Building, Economic Development, Code Enforcement, and Planning), Community Services (Housing Authority, Pittsburg Power Company, and the Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency, CDBG/Housing Rehabilitation, Environmental Services, Waterfront Administration, and Property Management), Recreation, Human Resources, Finance, Police, and Public Works (Engineering, Operations/Maintenance, Utilities, Facilities, Parks, and Water Treatment). Fire Protection services are provided by the Contra Costa County Consolidated Fire Department. 

Benefits for regular employees include CALPERS retirement, medical/dental insurance, paid life insurance, retirement health saving account, deferred compensation plan with employer match, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, wellness activities, employee assistance program, and employee development courses.
 

Check out Pittsburg's Facebook Page to see more about what the City offers: https://www.facebook.com/CityOfPittsburgCa/

 

Join Team Pittsburg to do meaningful work that will shape the community and make a positive difference.

Position Duties

• Gather and analyze budgetary, financial, statistical and other data from various sources and make recommendations on the basis of conclusions derived from analyses.
• Conduct research for assigned department/program; attend and may conduct various staff and/or informational meetings or workshops. 
• Conduct financial, fiscal, and/or economic analysis to evaluate the fiscal/financial condition of the department or program and provides information for financial reporting, projection, and planning.
• Participate in the implementation and coordination of small operational projects or phases/units of larger projects; apprise management of project progress, issues, or problems; present situation/circumstances with background documentation and alternative solutions. 
• Prepare comprehensive analytical reports including staff reports, proposals, contracts, publications, correspondence, and analytical summaries.
• Consult with staff at all organization levels to give and secure information.
• Assist department representatives in the implementation of new financial programs and procedures.
• Maintain necessary records/files to support transactions related to area of assignment.
• Prepare financial statements, standardized, and special reports for activities such as financial reporting, budgeting, revenue estimation, grants, purchasing, contracts, and other accounting transactions. 
• Assist in coordinating the City budget process, including the preparation of budget instructions and budget documents. 
• Analyze trends, prepares financial forecasts, summarize and interpret the results of financial analyses and provide possible alternatives for consideration.
• Examine supporting documents/records to establish proper authorization with agreements, contracts, grants and state and federal regulations.  
• Represent the City with dignity, integrity, and the spirit of cooperation in all relations with staff and the public. 
• Foster an environment that embraces integrity, service, inclusion and collaboration.
• Be an integral team player, which involves flexibility, cooperation, and communication.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

License/Certifications:  Possession at the time of hire and continued maintenance of a valid California Class C driver’s license is required.

Any combination of education, experience, and training that would provide the best qualified candidates. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education:  Possession of the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in finance, accounting, economics, public administration, business administration or another field of study applicable to the responsibilities and requirements of this job class. 

Experience:  Three years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budgeting, or accounting.

Working Conditions:  Work is performed in a typical temperature-controlled office environment subject to typical office noise and environment. Some positions may be assigned to remote locations. Positions may be required to work outside of normal business including evenings and weekends and travel is rare.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices and methods of accounting, finance, and budget development and implementation.
• Principles and practices of statistical analysis with extensive knowledge of spreadsheet programs.
• Budgeting and forecasting procedures and techniques.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment including relevant software programs.
• Oral and written communication skills; business English including vocabulary, spelling, and correct grammatical usage and punctuation.
• Safe work practices.
• Principles and practices of excellent customer service.

Ability to:

• Independently perform financial mathematical computations rapidly and accurately.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; intermittently analyze work papers, reports and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe and problem solve operational and technical policy and procedures. 
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk for long periods of time; intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone, and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means; and lift or carry weight of 10 pounds or less.
• Analyze operational and organizational financial problems, apply the principles and practices of public administration as assigned.
• Independently analyze financial/statistical data and records; prepare accurate accounting/finance/budget reports and summaries. 
• Reconcile accounts and reconstruct a moderately complex accounting records trail in order to locate and correct errors or reasons for imbalance.
• Understand and carry out oral and written instructions and prioritize workload to meet deadlines. 
• Read, write and comprehend the English language at a level necessary for effective job performance exercising correct English usage, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Communicate effectively, tactfully and positively in both oral and written form.
• Operate and use modern office equipment and technology, including computers and applicable software.
• Maintain regular attendance and adhere to prescribed work schedule to conduct job responsibilities. 
• Utilize appropriate safety procedures and practices for assigned duties.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.   
• Contribute effectively to the accomplishments of City goals, objectives and activities.

Other Qualifications

Applications should be submitted online at  https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pittsburg. The City of Pittsburg utilizes a merit-based selection system. Such a system is competitive and based on broad outreach efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to take part in a process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Although, a resume and cover letter provide helpful added detail in reviewing qualifications, the job application may be rejected if the sections are considered to be incomplete. You will be notified of the next steps in the process via email! In the meantime, Let’s stay in touch through social media. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.   

What Happens Next? 

• We will review your application and all supplemental materials to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process. Screening will include a review of qualifications, application appraisal rating of education, training and experience and relevance of background qualifications related to the target job as well as supplemental questions if applicable.
• Applicants selected to move forward in the process may be asked to participate in any combination of the following (at any phase of the selection process): a written examination, job related exercise, physical test or job simulation, phone interview, in-person or video interview(s), and/or web-based testing.
• All offers of employment are conditional and new hires are subject to complete a pre-employment background screening that will consist of reference checks, livescan/fingerprint check and a civil check.  Some positions require a medical examination, psychological examination, credit check, polygraph, drug testing, and full background investigation depending on the job characteristics.  All new hires are required to show that they are eligible to work in the United States.   All of these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins.
• The final phase of the selection process is the probationary period, which in most cases is twelve months.