Senior Auditor

Overview

Audit Services is responsible for auditing the State's 58 superior courts and assessing their compliance with the policies and procedures adopted by the Judicial Council of California (JCC). Such policies include the Trial Court Financial Policies and Procedures Manual and the California Rules of Court, among others. The JCC's executive management may also, at times, request audits (or alternatively non-audit consultative reviews) of the JCC's internal operations.

The Senior Auditor serves as the “Auditor in Charge” (AIC), leading audit teams and providing daily guidance to a team of four auditors. This role is responsible for the first-level review of audit working papers to ensure procedures were properly followed and that documentation is ready for secondary review by the Audit Supervisor. Key responsibilities include planning and preparing for audits, assigning and reviewing work, providing feedback, performing complex audit procedures as needed, and drafting audit findings and reports for court review and comment.

The position requires occasional overnight travel with the audit team, operates with a high degree of independence and limited supervision, and regularly interacts with court staff and Judicial Council personnel at all levels.

The Judicial Council

The Judicial Council of California is the policy setting body for the state court system and has constitutionally conferred statewide rule-making authority. This authority includes developing, advocating for, and allocating the judicial branch budget. A majority of Council members are California state justices and judges; however, the Council also includes lawyers, legislators, and court administrators.

By enhancing its role as a leadership, knowledge, and service resource for the judicial branch, the Judicial Council’s staff organization seeks to continue to evolve as one of California’s most dynamic public service entities, focused on improving access to justice for all Californians by innovating and responding to the changing needs of the courts and the public. As a government body charged with improving the statewide administration of justice, the Judicial Council has multiple offices with diverse responsibilities relating to court policy and operations. As employees of the council, every member of staff should view and approach their work as one Judicial Council with a public service mission that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Judicial Council strives for work-life balance, including substantial vacation and holiday time. In addition, we offer an excellent benefits package, including pension, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending, up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs, and retirement savings plans. In San Francisco, the office is only a 7-minute walk from the downtown Civic Center BART station. In Sacramento, the office is minutes from downtown, just north of Discovery Park.

The Judicial Council offers hybrid work arrangements for many positions. The successful candidate will be expected to work in person at the Judicial Council’s San Francisco or Sacramento office at least two days per week, based on their office leader’s direction, and reside in the areas surrounding these locations.

Responsibilities

Plans the Audit’s Execution and Resolves Logistical Issues When Performing Work at the Court

• Takes the lead role in contacting the court to schedule the audit, establish a date for the entrance conference, and set a tentative schedule for on-site audit fieldwork.
• Takes the lead role in assigning portions of the audit program to audit staff based on their individual abilities and technical expertise.

Performs First-Level Review of the Audit Team’s Work to Ensure Audit Procedures Are Followed and Conclusions Are Supported by Evidence

• Performs the first-level review of all completed audit procedures and working papers (organized by audit objective) and writes review notes to staff, when appropriate, to ensure the audit team obtains sufficient and appropriate evidence to support significant audit conclusions.
• Advises the Audit Supervisor regarding staff performance issues and provides suggestions for professional development opportunities (such as training on the Phoenix financial system).

Performs the Most Complex Portions of the Audit Program

• When necessary—depending on the level of expertise of the audit staff—may perform the most complex portions of the audit to ensure timely completion.
• Conducts interviews, obtains supporting documentation, and performs detailed analyses to support significant audit conclusions, including the drafting of audit findings.

Prepares the Audit Report for Delivery to the Court and the Audit Committee

• Takes the lead role in drafting all audit findings for the Audit Supervisor’s review, ensuring that each finding clearly references the criteria, condition, cause, and effect. Ensures that findings include reasonable and actionable recommendations based on the identified cause.
• Supports the Audit Supervisor in discussions with the court regarding the audit findings and recommendations. Ensures the court’s key perspectives are incorporated into the findings and takes a lead role in drafting rebuttal comments, when necessary.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Make presentations before various judicial branch committees and organizations, on an as needed basis, to discuss audit issues with court management and Judicial Council executives.  Examples would include the superior court’s “CFO Roundtable” and the “Court Executives Advisory Committee”.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business, finance, accounting or directly related field, and four (4) years of professional experience in auditing, government public policy, or court finance or accounting. Possession of a bachelor’s degree in a directly related field such as accounting, finance, business, etc., may be substituted for one of the years of required experience. An additional four years of professional experience as noted above may substitute for the bachelor’s degree. Or, additional directly related experience and/or education may be substituted on a year-for-year basis. 

OR 

Master’s degree in a directly related field, such as accountancy, public policy or business, and one (1) year of experience as identified above. 

One year as an Auditor with the Judicial Council of California or one year of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to that of an Auditor in a California Superior Court or California state-level government entity. 

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS 

• Valid driver’s license.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), or Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). 

Other Information

Please note, if you are selected for hire, verification of employment eligibility or authorization to work in the United States will be required.

How To Apply

This position requires the submission of our official application, a resume and a response to the supplemental questions. To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.

To complete the online application, please click on the Apply for Job button.

The Judicial Council provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who request such accommodation. Reasonable accommodation needs should be requested through Human Resources at (415) 865-4260. 

Pay and Benefits

$7,710 - $11,565 per month 

Some highlights of our benefits package include:

• Health/Dental/Vision benefits program
• 14 paid holidays per calendar year
• Choice of Annual Leave or Sick/Vacation Leave
• 1 personal holiday per year
• Up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• 401(k) and 457 deferred compensation plans
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• Flex Elect Program
• Pretax Parking
• Long Term Disability Program (employee paid/optional)
• Group Legal Plan (employee paid/optional)

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Judicial Council of California Is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Supplemental Questions

To better assess the qualifications of each applicant, we will review your responses to the following questions. Your answers should not exceed a total of three pages.

1. Provide a specific example of how you successfully worked with multiple stakeholders (both within the audit team and externally) to identify an important audit recommendation that prompted change. Describe both why the finding was important and the specific corrective action that the entity took as a result of your work.
2. Please describe your past work experience in leading audit teams. Specifically, elaborate on which audit firm or agency you worked for, the types of audits or reviews you managed, your level of responsibility, the size of your audit team, and how frequently you interacted with the senior management of those entities you audited.
3. Describe how your past work experience demonstrates you would be an effective senior auditor leading a small team of auditors. Specifically, provide your definition of an “effective” audit lead and highlight specific examples from your work history that demonstrate your effectiveness as an audit lead.