Investment Accountant

POSITION INFORMATION
This examination will remain open until the needs of LACERA are met and may close without prior notice.

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT: Open Competitive Job Opportunity

EXAMINATION INFORMATION: Examination Number: 9-0476-A Job Bulletin Number: 24-34

The Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) administers and manages the $79 billion retirement fund for the County of Los Angeles. We provide retirement, disability, and death benefits to eligible County Employees and their Beneficiaries, and collect, deposit, invest, and manage retirement funds collected from the County, Outside Districts, and County Employees.  LACERA is one of the largest county retirement associations in the United States with over 194,000 Members. Our Membership is comprised of individuals from a diverse range of careers, age groups, and ethnicity - all contributing to the greater welfare of Los Angeles County.

LACERA is located in Gateway Plaza at 300 North Lake Avenue in the beautiful City of Pasadena.  The building is easily accessible from the Foothill Freeway (210) and the Metro Lake Station.  We offer convenient free parking for staff members in our secure structure adjacent to the building in addition to a robust rideshare program providing commuting alternatives such as ride-matching, vanpool, carpool, parking services and more. Prioritizing health, well-being, and sustainability, Gateway Plaza is a Class ?A? office building, LEED Gold Certified and EPA Energy Star Certified.   With a Walkability Score of 91, LACERA staff members are able to easily enjoy the approximately 150 shops, food, and dining options that make up the popular South Lake Avenue District.

Our Members dedicate their careers contributing to the welfare of Los Angeles County. For their service, the County contributes to their promised benefits, and LACERA is dedicating to serving them in return throughout their career and their life afterwards.

 Our Core Values serve as our cultural guide and foundation in meeting our mission. As a member focused government agency, we abide by our core values to ensure the public‘s trust, operate efficiently and cost effectively, and provide our members their promised benefits. 
 
         

 If you are interested in being part of this rewarding team, LACERA invites you to apply
Benefits including a cafeteria benefit plan, annual leave, defined benefit retirement plan, Deferred Compensation Plan (457) savings plan, 13 paid holidays per year, savings plan, a hybrid work schedule, tuition reimbursement and a ride share program. 
 
ABOUT THE POSITION: Positions allocable to this class perform senior-journey level professional investment accounting and auditing work in the Investment Accounting Section of the Financial and Accounting Services Division (FASD). Incumbents in these positions act as a technical specialist responsible for independently managing and performing highly complex investment/fund accounting assignments in connection with the overall operation of a large scale investment program, including special accounting projects impacting LACERA?s annual financial statements, ensuring compliance with financial statement/legal/regulatory reporting standards, preparing reports to LACERA?s governing Boards, performing specialized tasks, implementing investment strategies determined by the Investment Office, working directly with external investment consultants and service providers, and acting as lead to lower-level accounting positions. Some positions may be assigned to assist the supervisor with management of the unit.

Under the general supervision of a higher-level investment accounting professional, incumbents of these positions are responsible for the analysis, reconciliation, reporting and maintenance of investment transactions requiring a professional level of knowledge of accounting principles and practices, including: investment assets; investment funds, investment fund accounting, financial accounting and auditing, government financial statement reporting standards and procedures, generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), general ledger accounting applications, accounting and investments information technology systems, and general office procedures. Incumbents operate personal computers and 10-key adding machines in the performance of their duties. 

Incumbents must exercise initiative and independent judgement within defined accounting procedures and principles. 

VACANCY INFORMATION
There are currently two (2) vacancies in the Investment Accounting Section of the Financial and Accounting Services Division.

Work Schedule: This full-time position is required to work a 5/40 schedule (e.g. an eight (8) hour day, Monday through Friday) for at least the first twelve (12) months of employment.  LACERA offers a hybrid work environment, and this position may be eligible to telework up to two (2) days per week.

CERTIFICATION BONUS: Any permanent, full-time employee working in this classification possessing a valid Certified Public Accountant (CPA) by the California Board of Accountancy is entitled to a Certification Bonus equal to two (2) salary schedules (approximately 5.5%) as provided by the Los Angeles County Step Pay Plan.  
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
To view the complete job description and benefits for this classification, please see link below:  Investment Accountant, LACERA
REQUIREMENTS
SELECTION REQUIREMENTS 
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
Completion of twenty-one (21) semester units or thirty-two (32) quarter units of coursework from an accredited college or university, including completion of twelve (12) semester units or eighteen (18) quarter units of accounting and three (3) advanced courses within any of the following subjects: accounting, finance, economics, or auditing -AND- Four (4) years of professional investment fund accounting or investment-related auditing experience at a public pension fund, endowment fund, investment management firm, custodian bank, or insurance company.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS II - Light physical effort which may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit, and occasional bending, walking, stooping or squatting. Incumbents sit for extended periods of time.  Work is performed in an office environment in a controlled climate. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor‘s Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Economics, or Finance. 
• A valid Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license issued by the California Board of Accountancy. 
• Demonstrated experience as a technical lead to lower-level professional investment accountants, including training, reviewing work, and providing constructive feedback to others.  

To receive credit for the above desirable qualifications, your application must clearly describe your experience.

Knowledge of:  Generally accepted accounting principles and practices including investment accounting, cost accounting, governmental accounting, and/or auditing; federal and state tax laws related to pension payments and payroll and disbursement withholdings; Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and other standard setting body pronouncements, which impacts LACERA‘s financial reporting requirements; investment security attributes and accounting methodologies for investment portfolios; custodian bank?s portfolio accounting and reporting services including accounting for publicly traded securities and non-publicly traded investment funds;  institutional investment portfolio structures and characteristics; monthly general ledger closings and related monthly financial statement preparation; treasury and banking management and applicable laws, rules and regulations; electronic payment methodologies including wire transfers, ACH, and direct deposit; interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy; customer service skills; principles and applications of the Microsoft Office Applications such as Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, Project, and accounting and reporting software. 

Ability to: communicate clearly and effectively, orally and in writing; exercise initiative and independent judgment within defined accounting policies and procedures; research general and investment accounting issues and provide recommendations for resolution; follow new and/or amended GASB or similar financial reporting pronouncements; work directly with investment professionals and custodian bank representatives to resolve investment accounting issues and discrepancies; prepare investor holding reports where there are multiple investors within a fund; prepare monthly and annual financial and accounting reports; perform responsibilities with minimum supervision; manage multiple priorities/projects; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff internally and externally including actuaries, banks, auditors, and/or other consultants; assist with special/ad hoc projects; plan and organize own work.

Those applicants, who meet the Selection Requirements AND most closely match the desired qualifications, will be invited to participate in the examination process. 

EXAMINATION CONTENT:  This selection process will consist of:

Part I: An evaluation of application information and the desirable qualifications weighted 50%.

Only qualified applicants as determined under Part I, will be invited to continue in the selection process under Part II.

Part II: A multiple-choice assessment of competencies required for this job weighted 50%. 

We will assess the candidate‘s knowledge and skills related to accounting principles, accounting operations, accounting math, general computer skills, Microsoft Excel, teamwork, interpersonal skills, workload management, and problem solving.

Once you complete the assessments, you are not able to review them per Civil Service Rule 7.19. 

Transfer of Test Components:

• Applicants who have taken identical components recently for other exams may have their scores automatically transferred to this examination.
• This assessment contains test components that may be used in the future for new examinations and your test responses may be transferred.  
  

TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS: If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application and/or if invited to compete in any part of the assessment process.
 
You may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for an accommodation.
CANDIDATES MUST ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70 PERCENT OR HIGHER ON THE WEIGHTED PORTIONS OF THE EXAMINATION IN ORDER TO BE PLACED ON THE ELIGIBLE REGISTER, WHICH IS VALID FOR 12 MONTHS. 
Those candidates which are determined eligible for hire under the Los Angeles County‘s Civil Services Rules may be invited to the selection process which may be comprised of a selection interview and/or job related assessments. 

EXAMINATION NOTIFICATIONS: All notifications including invitation letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application.  It is important that you provide a valid email address. 

Please add and  to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail. Test scores/results cannot be given over the telephone.  
  
DO NOT select ‘Off‘ under Email Preferences within your profile or click ‘Unsubscribe‘ on our notices if you would like LACERA to notify you regarding your application status, test schedules, and other important information pertaining to your candidacy for this position. 
 
LACERA will not consider claims of not viewing or receiving notification to be a valid reason for late test administration or rescheduling of a test component.

DO NOT select ‘Off‘ under Email Preferences within your profile or click ‘Unsubscribe‘ on our notices if you would like LACERA to notify you regarding your application status, test schedules, and other important information pertaining to your candidacy for this position.  LACERA will not consider allegations of not receiving the email notification as an acceptable reason to authorize a reschedule or late exam administration. 
 
ELIGIBLE INFORMATION: The names of candidates receiving a passing grade will be placed on the eligible register in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.
 
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION: 
Application must be submitted online. Applicants can check the status of their applications at any time by logging into their account on www.governmentjobs.com 
 
The acceptance of an employment application depends upon whether or not an applicant has provided adequate information that clearly demonstrates meeting the Selection Requirements for the position as stated above.  Please complete the application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and completely.  Information provided in the supplemental questionnaire must be reflected in the application to be considered.
 
Failure to provide complete information on the employment application and on the supplemental questionnaire will impact the assessment of an applicant‘s qualifications and acceptance in the selection process.
 
Applications submitted without the complete work history and the supplemental questions completed in their entirety will be rejected as incomplete. ‘See application‘ or ‘See resume‘ or copy and paste of work experience is not sufficient or qualifying responses. 
 
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the completed application or supplemental questionnaire.
 
EDUCATION: In order to receive credit for any college course work, or college degree, such as an Associate, Bachelor, Master, Doctorate degree, or for completion of a certificate program, you must include a legible copy of the official diploma, official and/or unofficial transcripts, or an official letter from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization or official certificate(s) at the time of filing or within five (5) business days from application submission date. 
 
Accreditation Information: Accredited institutions are those listed in publications of regional, national or international accrediting agencies. Publications such as American Universities and Colleges and International Handbook of Universities are acceptable references. Also acceptable, if appropriate, are degrees that have been evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). 
 
Applicants must provide the appropriate attachments during application submission, email the documentation to  within five (5) business days of filing. Please include the examination title and number on the documentation. 
 
Failure to provide the appropriate documentation may result in your application being rejected as incomplete and will be removed from consideration. 
 
Work Experience:  Your employment history should be listed in order beginning with the most recent.
 
For each job held, provide the name and address of your employer, your job titles, beginning and ending dates, description of work performed, and reason for leaving.
 
If you have worked in more than one position for one employer, list each job title and/or area of assignment separately on the application to demonstrate your experience in various assignments/occupational areas.
 
Part-time experience will be evaluated on the basis of its fractional equivalent of a 40-hour workweek.
 
All required experience must be paid.
 
This position may require working evenings, weekends, and holidays.
 
TO APPLY ONLINE GO TO: www.lacera.com and click on the Careers link.
 
Faxed, emailed, or hardcopy (paper) applications will not be accepted.
 
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES: For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. 
 
Candidate(s) who complete examination process with acceptable results will be considered by the Department hiring authority. Upon an offer of employment, a comprehensive background investigation will be conducted, which includes verification of experience, and/or education, credit history, and fingerprinting through the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
 
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please note that ALL information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION or RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT. 
 
Utilizing VERBIAGE from the Classification Specification, Selection Requirements, and/or Desirable Qualifications serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED. Applications may be rejected at any stage of the examination process.  
 
SPECIAL INFORMATION:
Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI)
LACERA recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. LACERA is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices. 
 
Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) 
LACERA is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. LACERA will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.  

Requests for accommodation: 
Teletype Telephone:
Department Contact Name:  Connie Chan
Department Email:   

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