ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT I

Finance Department

$5,215.33 – $7,338.42 Monthly, Plus Excellent Benefits

Salary steps—Steps F, G, and H, within the range listed above—are available after 5, 10, and 15 years of service, with one year at the prior step and a satisfactory performance evaluation. Initial placement is typically at the entry step, though candidates with relevant public agency accounting or finance experience may qualify for a higher step based on qualifications and job alignment.

Opportunity to work a 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off. This is a full-time, on-site position, designed for direct collaboration with the team and active participation in daily operations.

The City of Gilroy is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion. Join our team!

About The Position

The City of Gilroy is recruiting for a full-time Accounting Assistant I in the Finance Department. This position will primarily be assigned to the Utility Billing/Information Desk area, providing excellent customer service to internal and external customers, and performing cashiering and accounting-related work. The Finance Department’s goal is to provide timely and accurate financial information to City Management, City Council, and the public, while responsibly managing the City’s assets, including cash and investments.

Under the direct supervision of the Finance Manager or Supervising Accounting Technician, the Accounting Assistant will perform a wide variety of accounting and statistical record-keeping assignments related to maintaining financial and statistical records. This position may provide support in one or more of the following areas: accounts receivable, accounts payable, utility billing, and/or the front information desk.

This role offers opportunities to build foundational experience in municipal finance and may serve as a steppingstone to the Accounting Assistant II classification, depending on performance and experience gained.

About The Team

The Finance Department is committed to delivering timely, accurate financial information to City leadership and the public, while responsibly managing the City’s assets—including cash and investments—with integrity and transparency. The team also takes pride in providing friendly, efficient utility billing services to our water and wastewater customers.

If you’re looking to join a team that values professionalism and community impact, the Finance Department is the place to be!

CANDIDATE LEARNING PERSPECTIVES

If you're looking to join a hard-working team in a fast-paced environment—where you can gain hands-on experience in Finance, Accounting, and Customer Service—this position could be a great fit for you!

As an entry-level Accounting Assistant, you'll be supported with the tools and training needed to succeed and contribute to the department’s goals. You’ll work closely with the Finance team, other departments, and members of the public, developing strong customer service skills along the way. This role offers valuable exposure to municipal operations and the potential to advance to an Accounting Assistant II position.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL

Deliver excellent customer service with clear communication and reliable follow-through.
Exhibit professionalism, ethics, and cultural awareness in all interactions.
Communicate effectively with a diverse group of people using strong listening and interpersonal skills.
Be a dependable team player, ready to assist wherever needed.
Be punctual, reliable, and mindful of time and deadlines.
Maintain a positive, solution-oriented attitude when challenges arise.
Stay organized and flexible, able to juggle multiple priorities.
Accurately perform cashiering and financial tasks in line with procedures.
Exhibit strong attention to detail in all aspects of work.
Apply basic accounting skills to support billing and recordkeeping.
Proficient in Microsoft apps (Excel, Word, Outlook) and 10-Key by touch.

EXAMPLES OF FIRST YEAR PROJECTS/ ASSIGNMENTS

Learn the new Utility Billing/ ERP System – Tyler Munis
Support implementation and rollout of new Utility Customer water usage reports and portal.
Assist customers with billing inquiries and account support
Develop knowledge of utility billing processes and account management.

Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience equivalent to High School graduation or G.E.D and two years of experience in accounting and clerical work, including responsibility for handling and accounting for cash and/or maintaining accounting records. Prefer 15 units of college level accounting.
Keyboarding 25 net words per minute, and proficient in 10-key by touch and Windows environment.
Possess and maintain a valid California Driver License and a safe driving record necessary to operate assigned vehicles.
Bilingual (Spanish/English) desired, but not required.
Pass a Department of Justice criminal record check for employment.
Prefer non-tobacco user.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Required

If you are interested in pursuing this exciting career opportunity please attach and submit the following required items with your NEOGOV application:

A completed City of Gilroy online application including supplemental responses.
A cover letter explaining your interest in the position with the City of Gilroy is required.
A detailed resume focusing on relevant work experience and education is required.
Three (3) professional references are required.

City Application Form – Candidates must complete the NEOGOV City of Gilroy application form for this position and submit online. Please prepare attachments prior to completion of the NEOGOV application as incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Apply Online: Go to https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cityofgilroy. You can apply online by clicking on the job title you are interested in and clicking on the "Apply" link. After viewing the Job Description, click the 'Apply' tab. If this is the first time you are applying using our online job application, you will need to create an account and select a Username and Password. After your account has been established, you can import your resume from LinkedIn, upload it from a saved document on your computer, or manually enter your personal information. This application will be saved and used to apply for future job openings.

Recruitment Schedule – Key Dates*

Application Closing Date: April 20, 2026
Oral Board: May 20, 2026
Practical Exercise & Department Interview: Week of May 25, 2026

(*Note: The examination process/schedule may be changed as needed by the City.)

Only complete application packets will be reviewed. Only the most qualified applicants with the most relevant experience and education will be invited to continue in the selection process. In addition, final candidates for the position are required to pass an employment background check, State of California Department of Justice criminal records check, medical evaluation, and drug screen, given at the City's expense, prior to appointment. If special accommodations are necessary at any stage of the selection process, please contact the Human Resources Department right away 408-846-0228.

Attention: Communication regarding your status in this recruitment process will be conducted via e-mail. Be sure to include an e-mail address on the employment application. Applicants are responsible for notifying Human Resources of any changes to an e-mail address and/or other contact information.

THE CITY OF GILROY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

AND SUPPORTS WORKFORCE DIVERSITY.

Compensation, Benefits, And Additional Information

Persons appointed to this position on a full-time basis will receive the following benefits:

Health Allowance And Flexible Benefits Plan

Depending upon the number of dependents the health allowance ranges from $939.36 to $2,480.68 per month for core health benefits. Subject to specific rules, a cash back program is also available with proof of other medical coverage. City employees participate in the PERS Health Program, and may choose their medical coverage from a variety of providers. The City's flexible benefits plan includes medical and dental coverage as core benefits. A range of optional benefits including vision care, medical and dependent care accounts are also available. A term life insurance policy equal to $100,000 as of July 1, 2017 per MOU, long-term disability plan, and an employee assistance plan are currently provided at City expense.

Other Benefits

The City currently offers the CalPERS 2.5% at 55 pension plan for "classic" CalPERS members and 2% at 62 for "new" CalPERS members. Currently, the City pays the full employer portion of the retirement contribution for "classic" members and 50% of the total normal cost for "new" members. The "classic" member contribution of 8% is a pre-tax payroll deduction; "new" members shall pay 50% of the total normal cost as set by CalPERS. Anyone hired on or after January 1, 2013 will be subject to the applicable provisions, retirement formulas, and plan benefits/restrictions associated with the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013.

Vacation, Sick Leave, Holidays

Annual vacation ranges from two to four weeks per year, based on years of City of Gilroy service. Employees accrue eight hours of sick leave each month. Employees receive 36 hours of personal leave time in July of each fiscal year which must be used during the fiscal year (pro-rated based on hire date). The City observes 10 paid holidays each year.

Medicare/Social Security

Employees participate in Medicare (1.45% for both the employer and employee) as this is a mandated federal program. City of Gilroy does not participate in Social Security.

Payroll

All City employees are paid monthly, on the first business day of each month for the prior calendar month via direct deposit.

Representation

Persons appointed to this position on a full-time basis are covered by the AFSCME General Unit Memorandum of Understanding and Supplemental Agreements.

01

The supplemental information that you provide will be evaluated along with your completed application. This includes the required documents (i.e. cover letter, resume, or certifications) and responses to the supplemental questions below. Some questions may include multiple parts (i.e., (a), (b), (c), (d), etc.). Please make sure to address each part of the question in your answers. Responses to the supplemental questions that indicate, "see resume" are considered incomplete. All responses must reflect applicant's own work and must not be generated by artificial intelligence or similar tools. The information you provide will be used to further identify those applicants who are best qualified to continue in the selection process for this position. Note: Failure to provide all of the required documents will result in the application being rejected as incomplete. Please refer to the "Application Process" section of the job announcement for required documents. By checking the 'Yes' response below, I indicate that I have read these instructions under "Application Process" for submitting a complete application and have attached all the required documents. I understand that written responses to the supplemental questions along with attachments as noted in the job announcement are required in order to evaluate my qualifications for this position and for my application to be considered complete.

02

Please indicate your highest level of education.

Masters degree or higher in a related field
Masters degree or higher in a non-related field
Bachelors degree in a related field
Bachelors degree in a non-related field
Associates degree in a related field
Associates degree in a non-related field
High School Diploma or GED
No High School Diploma or GED

03

Please describe your specific cashiering experience. What were your main responsibilities, and what type of payments or transactions did you handle?

04

Please describe your experience in billing and accounts receivable. Clearly describe your specific duties and responsibilities.

05

How do you define excellent customer service? Share a specific example of a time you provided great service and what made it successful.

06

Have you worked with any financial, billing, or accounting systems (like Tyler Munis, SAP, or QuickBooks)? If yes, which ones and what did you use them for?

07

Specifically, why do you want to work for the City of Gilroy?

Required Question

City of Gilroy

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