Accountant III
Salary
$94,621.28 - $113,842.56 Annually
Location
Multiple Locations- See Job Description, CA
Job Type
Full-time
Job Number
26-0016-01 (O)
Department
Multiple Departments
Opening Date
06/26/2026
Closing Date
7/17/2026 5:00 PM Pacific
Description
Salary: $94,621.28 - $113,842.56 Annually DOE/DOQ*
Uniform and bilingual allowance when applicable
The County of Santa Barbara is currently accepting applications to fill Accountant III vacancies. The current vacancies are in the Behavioral Wellness, Public Works, and Social Services Departments.
Although the current vacancies listed are in Santa Barbara, the established employment list may also be used for future Full-Time, Part-Time, and Extra-Help Accountant III vacancies in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Carpinteria, and Lompoc. This position is utilized by 11 departments in the County of Santa Barbara. Each Accountant IIIs duties may vary from one department to another, depending on the needs of the department and the nature of the work that you will be performing. The work schedule for this position will depend upon the needs of the Department.
Please select the departments and location(s) you would like to be considered for current and future vacancies. If you qualify for this position and pass the required selection steps your name will be sent to the hiring manager(s) of the vacancy location(s) where you have expressed that you are willing to work.
THE POSITION: Under direction, the Accountant III performs complex professional accounting duties; supervises clerical, paraprofessional, and professional staff involved in accounting and fiscal recordkeeping work; and performs related duties as required. The candidate selected for this position will be expected to provide professional accounting services and advice to the managers of their respective department(s) and division(s).
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: The class of Accountant is found in various County departments and divisions. The Accountant series is distinguished from the Accountant-Auditor class series in that the work of the Accountant series is limited in scope to the finances of a department or division. Further, the Accountant-Auditor class series is found only in the Auditor-Controllers Office.
Accountant III is the advanced journey level in the professional accounting series. Incumbents independently perform complex professional accounting responsibilities and/or supervise a major accounting function in a large department under the supervision of a division head or department head.
Responsibilities will include collecting and analyzing historical data to project future expenditures, reviewing actual expenditures against budget in order to anticipate problems and prepare budget adjustments. In addition, this position is also responsible for developing the departments annual budget, conducting required contract reviews, and completing special projects that may be assigned based on requests from department management, the Auditor-Controllers Office, and/or the CEOs office.
BENEFITS: For more information on County benefits, please visit here. In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:
The Ideal candidate will possess:
Examples of Duties
Employment Standards
Knowledge of: generally accepted accounting principles, practices and procedures including cost accounting; application of computer software to accounting operations.
Ability to: plan, initiate and complete work assignments with a minimum of direction; understand and apply legal requirements and administrative policies to departmental accounting functions; interpret and analyze complex fiscal data and draw logical conclusions; detect possible weaknesses of internal control of standard accounting procedures and recommend revisions; verbally communicate accounting procedures and policies to staff and others; write memos and reports clearly and concisely; use personal computer applications including spreadsheet software; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
Additional Qualifications: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License may be required for some positions.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
Supplemental Information
APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS
Candidates must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the supplemental questionnaire to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.
Conditional Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidates will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks. Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.
The County Health Department (CHD) requires all employees working in direct contact with patients or clients in a high-risk environment to comply with the CHD Employee Immunizations policy. This can be accomplished by providing documentation of immunizations, submitting laboratory immune titers demonstrating adequate immunity, or obtaining required vaccinations. A list of requirements, based on the specific program, will be sent at the time an offer letter is presented to the selected candidate(s) and initial documentation will be required at this time.
The following process is only used for the Sheriffs Office and the Probation Department:
Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ). Once candidates are placed on the employment list, the Human Resources Department will email candidates a notice regarding completion of a Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ).
If candidates pass and are in the top group, they will be sent to the hiring department for consideration. Those that are interviewed and are still being considered for a position will advance to the next step in the hiring process, which includes the following:
Polygraph Examination: measures the accuracy of information disclosed on the PHQ and during the background investigation.
Background Investigation: includes an interview and in-depth background investigation of arrest records, personal, military, credit, and employment history; inquiry of persons who know you and evaluate whether you respect the law and rights of others; are dependable and responsible; have demonstrated mature judgment in areas such as the use of drugs and intoxicants; are honest; and a safe driver.
After a conditional offer of employment has been accepted, appointee must successfully complete the following:
Medical Examination
Submit written documentation of his/her LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK in the United States.
The appointee must satisfactorily complete a probationary period. It should be noted that the wearing of a uniform is required for employees of the Probation Department.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.
Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.
Disaster Service Workers: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.
This position may be subject to State Health Officer Orders (SHOOs) or County policy regarding vaccine verification and/or testing. Please contact the hiring department for more information.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.
APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: Friday, July 17, 2026 at 4:59 PM PST. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.
Collin Graham, Recruiter: cgraham@countyofsb.org
Retirement Plans
Health Benefits
Paid Time Off
Miscellaneous Benefits
Compensation Summary
01
IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY When completing your application and supplemental questionnaire, it is important that you carefully consider all the selections you make and/or the information you provide in the following areas listed below. Make selections or changes prior to submitting your applications.
When completing your application and supplemental questionnaire be certain to select locations, and work shifts that you are willing to be considered for. Also, be certain to list any specific skills you possess, such as bilingual skills. Before submitting your application, please take time to check your selections. This is your only opportunity to make these selections. Why? On the large employment list resulting from this recruitment, you will be ranked based on your responses to the supplemental questions, and the list will be used to fill current and future vacancies for the various departments. From the large employment list, filters are used to create specific lists of candidates based on the above choices youve made and the departments specific needs. For example, if the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department has a vacancy in Santa Barbara for a full-time position, and you have selected the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department, Santa Barbara location, full-time, and have completed the supplemental questions, your name will be pulled from the large employment list by rank order and the Department will receive the top 10 candidates for consideration.
02
Below is a list of departments and may have a description of type of work and environment as an Accountant III. Please check which department(s) you would want to be considered to work for. Please keep in mind that during the life of the employment list, some of these departments may not have vacancies that arise. This is your only opportunity to make your selection.
03
To be considered for this position your application must CLEARLY state how you meet each of the requirements under EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS on the Job Bulletin or you will not be considered for this position. If you are unsure, go back and review your application before continuing. Which Employment Standard did you clearly state on your application?
04
If you selected the third option in the preceding question, "A combination of training, education, and/or experience that is equivalent..." then please describe in detail how your combined training, education and experience is equivalent to one of the employment standards. If you did not select this option, please type N/A.
05
Do you possess a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or a Business Administration degree (with an Accounting concentration)? Please ensure that your diploma or unofficial transcript is attached to your application.
06
Describe in detail, your experience gathering and analyzing statistical and/or fiscal data used in forecasting revenues or expenditures to prepare budget analyses in the government and/or private sector. In your response, include the employer name(s), duration of employment, your title, and responsibilities (Full details of this experience/position(s) should be on your application under Work History). If you do not have this experience, type "N/A".
07
Do you possess a valid Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license?
08
Are you proficient in creating and using macros, pivot tables and/or complex formulas in Microsoft Excel?
09
I understand my responses to the following supplemental questions will be used as a scored selection device that will determine my ranking on the employment list for this job. For information on protest procedures for the supplemental questionnaire, please see Civil Service Rules 612 and 613: https://www.countyofsb.org/1444/Civil-Service-Rules
10
Examination Question: How many years of experience do you have performing professional accounting?
11
Examination Question: How many years of experience do you have gathering, analyzing, and reporting on financial data?
12
Examination Question: How many years of experience do you have performing process improvement, procedural streamlining, or policy development?
13
Examination Question: How many years of experience do you have training, directing, and evaluating professional staff in an office environment?
14
Examination Question: Please select all of the following certifications or licenses you possess.
15
Examination Question: How many years of experience do you have preparing, reviewing, and monitoring grants, contracts, claims or other fiscal agreements and proposals?
Required Question
Employer County of Santa Barbara
Address 1226 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara, California, 93101