This is the senior, specialist, or lead worker level of the series. Positions at this level independently plan and lead all aspects of audits or investigations of professional occupational licensees to ensure compliance with accounting and audit standards and statutes pertaining to consumer trust funds. Positions also serve in a lead capacity with teams of auditors involved in more complex audits containing allegations of significant fraud and theft and also train and coach staff of the full scope and diversity of the audit investigative functions.

Provides a full range of priority, special, routine, investigative, and technical assistance audit functions including, but not limited to, examinations of collection agencies, sellers of travel, auctioneers, bail bonds agents, camping resorts, real estate brokers, property managers, and timeshare sellers;

Investigates diversified accounting record keeping systems susceptible to fraud and theft;

Reconstructs complex manual and computerized accounting systems to prove fraud and/or theft to support violations found;

Prepares comprehensive, detailed reports on the exhibits and findings of the investigation or audit, disseminating information to the department, licensees, local municipalities, state agencies, federal agencies, prosecutors, or attorney general;

Manages substantial amounts of evidence and documentation for fraud and/or theft reports;

Travels to and from multiple audit sites, bringing a portable computer, reference materials, and supplies to each location; travel may be for extended periods of time, working outside designated regions;

Works effectively with uncooperative licenses and management staff, sometimes in a hostile and intimidating environment by soliciting and securing necessary transaction documents, accounting records, written statements, and information;

Incorporates a self-directed analysis, to determine the validity of a consumer complaint or illegal business practice discovered during the audit/investigation;

Investigates consumer complaints regarding allegations of theft, conversion, and misappropriation of trust funds, and completes investigation and prepares report of the findings;

Verifies that single and multiple owner trust bank accounts are reconciled with client liability;

Obtains statements and/or confessions from licensee(s) or staff regarding cases of licensing law violations including theft, conversion, missing trust funds, unlicensed activity, insolvency, etc;

Examines account discrepancies including the cause for shortages, overages, and/or misappropriation of funds;

Reviews or reconstructs account records and financial transactions as necessary; provides a cash flow analysis showing the deposits and disbursements to/from several different bank accounts to safeguard public trust funds;

Researches and analyzes general and detailed accounting systems of private industry professions to determine the validity/correctness of these records to ensure they are operating accurately and in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, statutory requirements, and department policies for the protection of the public;

Analyzes costs and benefits to determine and recommend to the department and/or licensee(s) the best alternative courses of action to identify and correct deficiencies and inaccuracies;

Reviews profession transactions to account for client trust funds and compliance with department statutes;

Identifies and secures pertinent documents in accordance with the rules of evidence; this may involve serving demand letters, subpoenas, or other forms of requests to obtain such documents. These documents may include accounting records, purchase and sale agreements, property management agreements, leases, promissory notes, invoices, closing statements, original debt instruments, statutory notices, client contracts, remittance reports, satisfaction filings, garnishments, collateral agreements, inventories of collateral, court exonerations, travel itineraries, etc;

Conducts entrance and exit conferences with licensee(s) and/or management staff, reviewing the purpose of the audit/investigation and findings with the licensee(s);

Assists law enforcement, prosecutors, federal agencies, and attorney general by providing technical assistance or as an expert witness; provides expert testimony in administrative or criminal hearings;

Provides expert technical assistance to licensees, consumers, and other agencies;

Makes oral and written presentations to industry groups;

May lead or supervise lower level staff. However, lead worker positions must lead lower level auditors.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Most positions require a Bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting or other related field which included 20 semester or 30 quarter hours of college level accounting and three years of professional experience in accounting, auditing, finance, banking, investigation, or retail management. A Master’s degree in a related field or a Certified Public Accountant [CPA] will substitute for two years of the experience.

New class effective January 1, 2006; Business and Professions Auditor 3 (replaces 14980 Business and Professions Auditor 2).

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.