Financial Services Assistant at Mesa Water District (Mesa Water) – Costa Mesa, California

Join Mesa Water District’s Financial Services team as a Financial Services Assistant and take your accounting and administrative skills to the next level! This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role supporting our Chief Financial Officer, Controller, and department operations while gaining hands-on experience in a wide range of accounting and administrative functions. If you’re detail-oriented, thrive in a dynamic team environment, and enjoy keeping financial processes running smoothly, this position offers meaningful work, professional growth, and the chance to make a real impact in a respected public agency.

Ideal Candidate

• Teamwork - Collaborates with others towards shared goals.
• Involving Others - Engages others for input, collaboration, and shared responsibility for outcomes.
• Attention to Detail - Shows a high level of care and thoroughness in handling the details of the job.
• Adaptability - Responds positively to change and modifies behavior as the situation requires.
• Professional Integrity and Ethics - Displays honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability.
• Action and Results Focus - Stays clear and focused on what is expected or needs to be accomplished.
• Using Technology - Proficient in all Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Teams, etc.).
• Analyzing and Interpreting Data - Draws meaning and conclusions from quantitative or qualitative data.
• Critical Thinking - Applies analytical and logical reasoning to evaluate information and challenge assumptions through thoughtful questioning.

Why Us?

• Competitive Pay & Benefits - We offer strong compensation and benefits packages that are regularly evaluated to stay ahead of industry standards.
• Supportive Work Culture - At Mesa Water, we foster a fun, collaborative environment where meaningful relationships and teamwork thrive.
• Employee-Centered Environment - Our organization-wide engagement program reflects our deep commitment to keeping employees motivated, supported, and excited about their work.
• Professional Growth - This role offers a strong opportunity for professional growth, providing hands-on accounting experience and training in key accounting concepts while working on impactful, real-world assignments.

Interested candidates must get their applications in by the deadline of Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

The Position

This is a single position in the Financial Services Department. The Financial Services Assistant is a senior-level position performing a wide variety of specialized accounting functions and clerical duties. Work requires a general knowledge of District functions and specialized knowledge of the technical aspects of the Financial Services Department operational and administrative functions. Incumbents are expected to independently perform a full range of duties with only occasional instruction or assistance and usually exercise some independent initiative, discretion, and judgment in matters related to work procedures and methods. Work is performed within a framework of established procedures and is normally reviewed upon completion for overall results.

Finance Organizational Chart

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Typical functions may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, abilities, and other characteristics. The list that follows is not intended as a comprehensive list; it is intended to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed, and may be required to perform additional, position-specific tasks.

• Performs a variety of complex clerical, secretarial, and routine administrative and programmatic duties in support of the Chief Financial Officer, Controller, and other assigned staff; investigates and answers complaints and aids in resolving operational and administrative problems; participates in special projects; orders office supplies; and assists and backs-up other staff, including Customer Service staff as needed.
• Prepares numerous financial, accounting, and statistical statements, analyses, documents, and reports; gathers and organizes data to assist staff in the preparation of reports and recommendations; prepares routine financial and accounting reports.
• Performs cash management activities; posts and reconciles information including, credit and debit memos, bank return items, and adjusting transactions reconciles cash on hand account; records, posts, and assists with cash management.
• Responds to public inquiries in a courteous manner; provides information within the area of assignment; investigates and resolves complaints in an efficient and timely manner.
• Assists in the preparation of financial, accounting, and statistical statements, analyses, documents, and reports; gathers and organizes data to assist staff in the preparation of reports and recommendations; assists in the preparation of various schedules for the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
• May be cross trained in accounts payable; enters receiving documents and invoices into accounts payable module, verifies accuracy of invoices, packing slips, purchase orders, and inventory orders; resolves discrepancies; obtains documentation/signatures as necessary to ensure proper approval and verification has been met to pay all invoices; prepares cash requirements and prints checks; assists in balancing the accounts payable module to the general ledger; prepares recurring payables for beginning of fiscal year.
• Prepares and submits quarterly and annual reports including sales/use tax filings, and other mandated reports.
• Communicates with internal departments, vendors, and external agencies to resolve issues, clarify procedures, and provide responsible clerical and routine technical accounting level support.
• Serves as backup in processing payroll; reviews online timecards, makes necessary adjustments and uploads time to third party vendor. Reconciles each department’s total hours and deductions to payroll register; posts payroll register, labor distribution and employer portion of social security, and flex credits to general ledger; calculates and posts workers’ compensation; reviews payroll reports and ensures balance to the general ledger.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• Education: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by college level course work in bookkeeping, accounting, business administration, or a related field. A bachelor’s degree is highly desirable.
• Experience: Four years of increasingly responsible clerical and technical accounting experience. Previous governmental accounting experience is highly desirable. Payroll experience is desirable.

Knowledge of:

• Clerical and technical accounting principles and practices used in difficult and complex financial record keeping and reporting; procedures, policies, rules, and practices affecting the development, maintenance, and control of fiscal record keeping systems; basic account auditing and mathematical principles and practices.
• Operations, services, and activities of assigned accounting system, function, or program area.
• Methods and techniques of coding, verifying, balancing, and reconciling accounting records.
• Principles and techniques for working with groups and fostering effective team interaction to ensure teamwork is conducted smoothly.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and District staff.
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination.
• Computers and software programs (e.g., Microsoft software packages) to conduct, compile, and/or generate documentation.

Ability To:

• Perform a full range of clerical and technical accounting duties in support of assigned accounting system, function, or program area; understand the organization and operation of the District and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities; understand, interpret, and apply general and specific administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Perform a variety of accounting, fiscal, and statistical record keeping duties including to maintain and reconcile a variety of records and files; review financial records, reports, and related documents, identify discrepancies, and resolve problems related to assigned area of responsibility.
• Understand and apply pertinent laws, codes, and regulations as well as organization and department rules, policies, and procedures with good judgment.
• Classify, compute, and tabulate data and information following a prescribed plan requiring the exercise of some judgment.
• Compare, count, differentiate, measure, assemble, copy, and record and transcribe data and information.
• Perform mathematical calculations quickly and accurately including to add and subtract, multiply and divide, and calculate percentages, fractions, and decimals.
• Maintain sensitive and confidential information.
• Independently organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments.
• Effectively use computer systems, software applications, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, using appropriate English grammar and syntax.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, Procedural and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.