AVP Assistant Controller

Description

If you’re looking for an exciting career opportunity, you’re in the right place.

West Coast Community Bank is a top-rated community bank with a focus on serving the banking needs of businesses and individuals along the Central Coast, in Silicon Valley and throughout the Bay Area. We operate full-service branches in Aptos, Capitola, Cupertino, King City, Monterey, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville.

Delivery of relationship-based service with a solutions-driven focus sets us apart from the competition. We offer direct access to decision-makers combined with modern banking technologies and digital tools. The Bank is a leading SBA lender in Santa Cruz County and Silicon Valley and a top USDA lender in the state of California.

Since opening in 2004, we have proudly upheld our commitment to support regional well-being by actively participating in and donating to local nonprofit organizations. We engage in impactful volunteerism and support the greater economic vitality within our four-county reach, contributing more than 2,000 hours of volunteering annually.

Our success is driven by our exceptional team — experienced, knowledgeable and focused on delivering results!

National, regional and local honors we’ve received include:

• Newsweek – America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions 2025
• American Banker Magazine – Top 100 Best Performing Community Banks in the U.S., 10 years
• Good Times – Readers’ Poll, Best Bank in Santa Cruz County, 13 years
• Santa Cruz Sentinel – Readers’ Choice, Best Bank in Santa Cruz County, 10 years
• Farm Bureau of Santa Cruz County and Agri-Culture – Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Award
• Second Harvest Food Bank – Big Step and Platinum Awards for Holiday Food and Fund Drive
• Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce – Business of the Year 2025, 2021 and 2018
• The Pajaronian – Best of the Pajaro Valley 2024 Readers’ Poll, Best Bank
• The Press Banner – The Best of Scotts Valley 2024 Readers’ Poll, Best Local Bank

About the Role

This position will be on-site at one of our locations. Preferably Watsonville or Santa Cruz.   

The AVP Assistant Controller embraces accounting and financial technologies in transforming accounting process improvements into an AI assisted environment. They are responsible for overseeing daily accounting operations, providing oversight to the Bank’s expenditure process, financial reporting, and supporting month-end and quarter-end close processes. This role manages core accounting functions, including general ledger oversight, financial reporting, reconciliations, fixed assets, accounts payable, business property tax statements, and prepaid expenses, while driving process improvements, automation initiatives, and strong internal controls. The position works closely with the Controller, CFO, and cross-functional departments to resolve accounting issues, support audits and regulatory examinations, and ensure compliance with GAAP, bank policies, and regulatory expectations.

Essential Job Functions 

General Ledger, Accounting Operations & Controls

• Oversee daily general ledger activity, ensuring proper coding, authorization, and accuracy of postings.
• Partner with the Controller and various departments to resolve day to day accounting issues.
• Manage accounts payable, fixed assets, prepaid expenses, and cash balance monitoring.
• Supervise and assist with the timely and accurate reconciliation of all correspondent bank accounts on a daily to monthly basis.
• Communicate outstanding reconciliation items to appropriate departments for resolution.
• Maintain strong internal controls and ensure timely certification and reconciliation of general ledger accounts.
• Suggest and implement system upgrades, workflow enhancements, and automation initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to leverage AI to streamline routine and repeatable processes, including: 
• Preparation and review of weekly regulatory reporting of public funds for local agency and State of California deposits
• Expense approval processes to prevent and detect erroneous or fraudulent transactions
• Preparation of Call Reports

Financial Reporting & Close Process

• Oversee the preparation and review of internal, external, and regulatory financial reports.
• Perform monthly and quarterly variance analysis and consolidation.
• Ensure financial statements comply with GAAP, bank accounting policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage the completion and filing of the Bank’s quarterly Call Reports.

Leadership & Team Development

• Supervise and develop accounting staff through coaching, mentorship, and performance feedback.
• Foster strong cross functional relationships to support operational needs and financial accuracy.

Compliance, Audit & Regulatory Support

• Assist with internal and external audits and regulatory examinations.
• Support the resolution of audit and examination findings.
• Ensure adherence to accounting policies, internal control frameworks, and regulatory guidance.

Process Improvement & Business Support

• Lead or participate in initiatives to streamline accounting processes and enhance automation.
• Support cross functional projects such as system upgrades, corporate initiatives, and special analyses.
• Provide technical accounting research and guidance on complex transactions as needed.

Requirements Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, preferably in banking or financial services.
• Experience with GL systems, reconciliation processes, financial close cycles, and internal controls. 
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to work in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Experience in a supervisory role 

Preferred Experience

• Experience in preparation of banking regulatory reports such as CALL reports
• Experience in using/implementing AI (CoPilot) in Financial functions
• Experience in using Blackline or other accounting reconciliation platforms
• Experience in Fiserv accounting and banking core functions
• Experience supporting audits, examinations, and system implementations.

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Accuracy and attention to detail 
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines 
• Leadership and team building abilities 
• Proactive and creative mindset embracing a continuous improvement in an AI assisted working environment 

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Vacation, sick leave, paid Holidays
• Paid volunteer time
• Employer paid life insurance
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Ongoing training, professional development and career advancement opportunities

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate typical office equipment such as a computer, telephone, mouse and keyboard.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work.
• Light to moderate lifting may be required.
• Regular, predictable attendance is required; including the occasional evening and weekend work as business demands dictate.
• Travel between company locations as needed.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a teammate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Moderate noise (i.e., business office with computers, phone, and printers, moderate traffic).
• Ability to work in a confined area.
• Ability to sit or stand at a computer terminal for an extended period.