Senior Trust Accountant (Senior Fiscal Analyst)

Overview

The Branch Accounting and Procurement office is accepting applications for a Senior Fiscal Analyst position. The Senior Fiscal Analyst plays a pivotal role in advancing the goals and operational excellence of the Trust Accounting unit. As a subject matter expert in complex accounting and financial management, this position provides strategic guidance, technical expertise, and leadership on high-impact projects that extend beyond routine court assignments. The role also provides backup coverage for trial courts and frequently serves as a lead for assigned courts.

Working independently with minimal supervision, the Senior Fiscal Analyst analyzes complex accounting issues, interprets financial regulations, and delivers actionable recommendations to internal team members and trial court staff. This position ensures compliance with all applicable guidelines, while identifying opportunities to streamline processes, strengthen internal controls, and enhance overall operational efficiency.

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 and includes 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 located 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 area surrounding this location. To be eligible for Judicial Council employment and participation in the Judicial Council’s Hybrid Work Program, a prospective or current employee’s primary residence/remote work location must be in the State of California and within a 150-mile driving radius of their assigned reporting location.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced financial leadership and technical expertise by overseeing the full-cycle reconciliation of case management system (CMS) transactional data to SAP Phoenix System general ledger activity. Conduct comprehensive analyses of summary-level journal entries, disbursement activity, revenue classifications, and system interfaces to identify discrepancies, determine root causes, and ensure strict compliance with GAAP and Trial Court Financial Policies and Procedures. Serve as a trusted advisor to courts, providing guidance to enhance operational efficiency, strengthen internal controls, and optimize business processes.
• Lead court banking transition projects, migrating accounts from county or external accounts to JCC Bank Accounts. Oversee planning, coordination, communication, training, and reporting. Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, implement technology solutions, and provide knowledge transfer to courts and internal staff. Maintain and enhance unit SharePoint sites, ensuring documentation, workflows, and reference materials are accurate, accessible, and aligned with business process needs.
• Provide advanced accounting support to trust staff by resolving complex trust accounting issues and ensuring proper financial controls. Standardize procedures, document workflows, and coach staff on best practices to strengthen internal controls and audit readiness.
• Review Due To and Due From general ledger accounts, trial balances, and fiduciary accounts. Verify accounts are in balance, ensure courts process fund transfers timely, and follow up with courts or Trust staff to resolve discrepancies. Prepare summary reports of Due To/Due From status for management review.
• Perform monthly audits for all 58 courts to ensure trust staff complete daily, weekly, and monthly tasks accurately. Identify errors or discrepancies, recommend resolutions, and implement controls using technology where possible.
• Act as backup to the Fiscal Supervisor by providing operational and accounting support, ensuring continuity of workflow and decision-making. Additionally, provide support during periods of high workload, backlog, or special projects. Assist with accounting, operational, or procedural tasks within the Trust unit or across other BAP units as needed to maintain workflow, meet deadlines, and support organizational priorities. Provide court coverage and Lead support as needed.
• Analyze financial and operational data to provide management with insights and support decision-making. Extract, compile, and visualize data using Phoenix, Excel, Power BI, and databases.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business, finance, accounting, or a directly related field, and four (4) years of professional experience in accounting, financial analysis, budgetary, or contract administration/procurement.

Possession of a bachelor’s degree in a directly related field such as accounting, finance, business, etc., may be substituted for one (1) of the years of required experience. An additional four (4) years of professional experience in the assigned function 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

Juris doctor, Master of Business Administration, or master’s degree in a directly related field for the assigned discipline such as finance, contract administration or accountancy, and one year of experience as identified above.

OR

One (1) year as a Fiscal Analyst in the assigned field with the Judicial Council of California or one (1) year of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to that of a Fiscal Analyst in a California superior court or California state-level government entity.

Desirable Qualifications:
• Expert-level knowledge of governmental accounting, including the interpretation and application of GAAP, Trial Court Financial Policies and Procedures, relevant state/federal regulations, and judicial branch fiscal requirements.
• Demonstrated expertise in trust accounting, fiduciary fund management, and oversight of operational and trust-related transactions to ensure full compliance with statewide accounting standards and audit requirements.
• Advanced ability to analyze and interpret highly complex financial documents and data, including court orders, contracts, MOUs, interagency agreements, operational policies, and financial system data, and translate them into clear accounting treatments and business processes.
• Proven ability to design, update, and implement fiscal procedures that strengthen internal controls, improve consistency, and ensure long-term accuracy and compliance across volatile accounting functions.
• Advanced reconciliation and reporting skills, including preparing, reviewing, and validating complex reconciliations, financial statements, audit packages, exception reports, and aging schedules.
• Advanced proficiency with financial systems and analytical tools, including SAP, CMS reporting systems, Excel (advanced formulas and pivot tables), Power BI, databases, and workflow systems, including building dashboards, visualizing trends, and developing performance metrics.
• Strong training, leadership, collaboration, and accountability, including designing and delivering advanced training to courts and internal staff on accounting processes, systems, workflows, and best practices, and ability to build strong working relationships and promote operational excellence across teams.
• Demonstrated project management capability, including simultaneously managing multiple high-priority assignments, balancing cross-departmental needs, and delivering results under tight deadlines.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex fiscal information to court leadership, internal management, auditors, and external stakeholders, including expert-level customer service and consultation skills, with the ability to resolve complex accounting issues, provide high-quality guidance, and recommend policy/process improvements.
 

Other Information

Please note, if you are selected for hire, verification of employment 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 responses to the supplemental questions. To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by 5:00P.M on February 15, 2026. However, this position will remain open until filled.

To complete the online application, please click 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. Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) is available by dialing 711. Once connected, provide the relay operator with the number for Human Resources: 415-865-4260.

Pay and Benefits

$7,941 - $11,912 per month

Please note due to statewide fiscal conditions, the posted salary range is subject to a temporary 3% reduction. In exchange for this reduction, judicial branch employees accrue an additional 5 hours of paid personal leave per month through June 30, 2027.

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
• FlexElect 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. Please indicate for which employer you performed these functions. Your answers should not exceed a total of three pages.

1. Describe a specific example where you analyzed complex financial data to ensure accuracy, compliance with applicable laws, policies, or accounting standards, and timely resolution of discrepancies. In your response, include: 
• The type of financial documents or transactions reviewed.
• How you identified irregularities, aged items, or compliance issues. 
• The analytical tools or methods you used (including Excel, if applicable). 
• The outcome, including improvements to accuracy, controls, or compliance.

2. Describe a situation where you used technology to improve a financial process, workflow, or internal control. In your response, explain: 
• Please indicate the employer for which this work was performed.
• The problem or inefficiency being addressed. 
• The tools used (e.g., advanced Excel, SharePoint, workflow automation, data modeling). 
• How the solution improved efficiency, accuracy, or consistency. 
• Your role in designing, implementing, or documenting the improvement.