Finance Assistant Jobs in Washington

Description

You are encouraged to submit your application materials as soon as possible. The hiring manager reserves the right to close the posting at any time once a selection has been made. This posting will be used to fill a vacancy in Port Orchard, WA.

About SAO:

At the State Auditor’s Office, we work together to make a difference in how our state government operates. With 15 offices statewide, we are looking for innovative, talented people to join our team to help us continue our important work. Get to know us! We take pride in serving various governments and the people of Washington State. Learn more about who we are and what we do on social media, using the hashtag #WeAreSAO.

Our Culture:

We are committed to building and maintaining a workplace environment that is collaborative and supports all employees as we effectively carry out the agency’s mission. This includes ensuring inclusion and equity throughout the agency, while embracing the individual differences of our employees and clients. We believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds are fundamental to doing our best work.

The Washington State Auditor’s Office (SAO) prides itself in offering flexible schedules and a hybrid work environment that helps our staff balance work and life.

About the Role: Assistant State Auditor

Auditing is an excellent opportunity for innovators. It's your chance to join us in the search for new ideas to ensure our audits are relevant and provide value to the governments we audit. It's a career in which you can take pride in the work you do and the services we perform for the citizens of Washington State.

We are currently looking to fill an Assistant State Auditor position in Port Orchard, WA.

About Team Port Orchard:

Team Port Orchard is one of 17 local audit teams within the Office of the Washington State Auditor and is responsible for conducting audits for more than 130 governments in Kitsap, Mason, Jefferson, Clallam and portions of Pierce and King Counties. The team conducts accountability, financial and federal grant compliance audits on a wide array of entity types including cities, counties, school districts, fire districts, public utility districts and ports.

We strive to establish and facilitate positive working relationships with our audit clients and to provide them with valuable recommendations for improvement. At the same time, we promote team camaraderie and an encouraging atmosphere dedicated to supporting each other’s growth and professional development.

Our work is performed in a hybrid environment, with a combination of onsite, in-office and remote work. Onsite work requires occasional daily and overnight travel to client locations.

The team values goal-driven employees who are personally accountable for their work and invested in their own learning, growth and development. To aid in employees’ success, we provide access to numerous internal resources, trainings, a robust mentoring program and the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff to assist in developing important audit skills.

Successful Assistant State Auditors come from many backgrounds. The primary competencies required for this role is:

• Written and verbal communication
• Time/Project Management
• Understanding of Accounting concepts/principles as they relate to Auditing
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skill
• Team Collaboration: Ability to build effective working relationships

Duties

Find out more about what local government audit teams do here!

Assistant State Auditor 1 ($4,320 - $5,812)

This is the first level of our in-training program for staff with little audit experience. The Office provides classes, on-the-job training time, and work product review and feedback to assist new auditors in gaining skills to move to the next level. Most work is completed in the field at the governmental entity, with employees working in teams.

Assistant State Auditor 2 ($5,011 - $6,735)

In this second level of our in-training program, auditors continue to build upon the experience they gained through work as an Assistant State Auditor 1, our Internship program, or comparable work at another organization. At this level, employees may be assigned opportunities to plan and conduct audits under the guidance of their supervisor.

Assistant State Auditor 3 ($6,259 - $8,415)

This is the journey level of our Assistant State Auditor series. Staff at this level are responsible for planning and conducting risk-based financial & legal compliance audits of Washington State agencies and local governments. They may also perform special investigations pertaining to citizen concerns and/or frauds. Journey level auditors review the work and provide mentoring to in-training level staff.

Qualifications

Education and years of experience combined with demonstrated competencies will determine ASA placement.

Job Qualification Requirement: Within this section, relevant experience is defined as experience in accounting, auditing, finance, banking, or financial investigations.

Assistant State Auditor 1

This is the first level of our in-training program for staff with little audit experience. The Office provides classes, on-the-job training time, and work product review and feedback to assist new auditors in gaining skills to move to the next level. Most work is completed in the field at the governmental entity, with employees working in teams.

Job Qualification Requirement:

Option 1 - Requires a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three college-level accounting courses.

OR

Option 2 - Education may be substituted with experience. Total experience must be 4-years of business or relevant experience, of which a minimum of 1-year in accounting/auditing is required.

OR

Option 3 - Any equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Assistant State Auditor 2

In this second level of our in-training program, auditors continue to build upon the experience they gained through work as an Assistant State Auditor 1 or through comparable work at another organization. At this level, employees may be assigned opportunities to plan and conduct audits, participate in client discussions and/or presentations under the guidance of a supervisor or Audit Lead.

Job Qualification Requirement:

Option 1 - Requires a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three college-level accounting courses as well as one year of relevant experience. Government audit experience preferred.

OR

Option 2 - Education may be substituted with experience. Total experience must be 5-years of business or relevant experience, of which a minimum of 2-years in accounting/auditing is required. Government audit experience preferred.

OR

Option 3 - Any equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Assistant State Auditor 3

This is the journey level of our Assistant State Auditor series. Staff at this level are responsible for planning and conducting risk-based financial & legal compliance audits of Washington State agencies and local governments. They may also perform special investigations pertaining to citizen concerns and/or frauds. Journey level auditors review the work and provide mentoring to in-training level staff.

Job Qualification Requirement:

Option 1 - Requires a bachelor's degree and completion of at least three college-level accounting classes and two years of relevant experience. Government audit experience preferred.

OR

Option 2 - Education may be substituted with experience. Total experience must be 6-years of relevant experience, of which a minimum of 3-years in accounting or auditing is required. Government audit experience preferred.

OR

Option 3 - Any equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Supplemental Information

We offer a comprehensive package of health and wellness benefits to employees, including:

• Full benefits package. Click here to learn more.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Growth and development opportunities, including 80+ hours of training each biennium.
• Educational and professional certification reimbursements.
• An agency-wide commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion in the workplace.

Make a difference; find your purpose; join Team SAO! To hear what others have to say about working at SAO, click here.

For consideration, applicants must:

• Submit a completed application.
• Provide complete responses on all supplemental questions.
• Submit a resume and a cover letter addressing how your education/experience relates to the key competencies identified for this position.

Your application materials will be used to determine your qualifications and eligibility to be considered for this position. You must submit a complete application including a cover letter detailing your qualifications and resume. Missing items will be considered incomplete and may disqualify you from further consideration.

Important notes:

• Submissions received absent of all three required components above will result in the disqualification of your candidacy.
• Salaries listed are not reflective of anticipated COLA to be received effective July 1, 2026.

Degrees awarded outside the United States must include a credential evaluation report.

Applications that require a credential evaluation report and do not include one will be disqualified.

If you are a US Veteran and would like to apply for Veteran's Preference, attach a copy of Form DD214 military record showing qualifying discharge.

Questions may be directed to the applications unit at applicationsunit@sao.wa.gov.

The Office of the Washington State Auditor is an equal opportunity employer.

Persons with a disability, who need assistance in the application or testing process, or who need this announcement in an alternative format, may call (564) 999-0947 or via the telecommunications relay service by dialing 7-1-1.