Senior Accountant / Trainee 1/2 (NY HELPS)

Senior Accountant

The Senior Accountant will be assigned to the Accounts Payable Unit and will be responsible for overseeing and approving the Division of Child Care Services (DCCS) Refund of Appropriations (ROA) transactions for checks received from Attorney General refunds. The incumbent will be responsible for coordinating with the DCCS, the Bureau of Budget Management (BBM) and the BAO Federal Reporting unit, to ensure timely and accurate processing. This position will also oversee the review and approval of all vouchers to return funds to the federal government.

In addition, the Senior Accountant will be responsible for payments of goods and services vital to the DCCS expansion including, but not limited to, increased Out of State clearance payments and increased travel reconciliation. Responsibilities include, making prompt payment as prescribed by State Finance Law, to avoid paying interest unnecessarily as well as taking advance of any discounts offered.

The Senior Accountant position will be relied upon to test and implement any changes to systems used by the Accounts Payable Unit such as the Statewide Financial System (SFS) or OCFS Central Accounts Payable System (CAPS). The position will represent the agency at applicable meetings/user groups/trainings with SFS and the Office of General Services Business Services Center (BSC).

Responsibilities of the position are:

• Oversee the processing of DCCS ROA transactions.
• Review and approve Out of State Clearance Excel to CI files.
• Review DCCS employee travel expenses.
• Supervise the staff and work performed by the Accounts Payable Unit, coach and direct staff in the performance of their day-to-day duties. Provide support and advice to the entire unit on the most complicated and complex requests.
• Act as the liaison to the control agencies such as Business Services Center and Office of the State Comptroller. Effectively represent and actively participate in meetings and communications with said agencies.
• Disseminate technical assistance to customers, other agencies, and vendors. Provide guidance and technical assistance to agency staff to facilitate the appropriate processes, ensuring all control requirements are met.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of various systems, such as SFS and CAPS, including the ability to run reports, analyze the data, and provide resourceful suggestions to improve upon.
• Provide a comprehensive understanding of laws, rules and regulations as they pertain to the NYS payment process and effectively apply them in diverse situations.
• Monitor and evaluate performance metrics. Develop corrective or improvement measures.
• Prepare and submit all required reports by prescribed timeframes.
• Conduct both written and telephone communications and prepare correspondence to customers, vendors, program administrators, and other staff regarding requests for information, the giving of assistance or advice, answering questions as well as formal communications intended for a larger, agency-wide audience. Interact with "customers" (telephone, email, in-person) in a respectful and helpful manner while actively listening to issues in order to guide them through appropriate solutions.

Additional duties will be discussed in detail during the interview.

Transfer: One year of permanent competitive or 55-b/c service in this title or in a title eligible for 70.1 transfer.

Open to the Public: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*

To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position, which are:

• For Accountant Trainee 1 (equated to SG-14): Either 1. A bachelor's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation; OR 2. A bachelor's or higher degree with 24 semester credit hours in accounting, auditing, or taxation courses.
• For Accountant Trainee 2 (equated to SG-16), you must also have: Either 1. One year of professional experience in accounting/auditing or financial internal or field auditing, where you were responsible for the full range of activities in the design and/or review, analysis and management of accounting systems, resulting in the preparation of, or recommendations on, financial statements in accord with generally accepted accounting principles; OR 2. A master's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation may substitute for one year of experience.
• For the Senior Accountant (SG-18) you must also have: Either 1. Two years of professional experience in accounting/auditing or financial internal or field auditing, where you were responsible for the full range of activities in the design and/or review, analysis and management of accounting systems, resulting in the preparation of, or recommendations on, financial statements in accord with generally accepted accounting principles; OR 2. A master's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation AND one year of professional experience in accounting/auditing or financial internal or field auditing, where you were responsible for the full range of activities in the design and/or review, analysis and management of accounting systems, resulting in the preparation of, or recommendations on, financial statements in accord with generally accepted accounting principles; OR 3. A currently valid Certified Public Accountant license and registration issued by New York State.

Experience NOT considered qualifying are activities restricted to teaching, bookkeeping, maintaining/auditing payroll records or accounts receivable/accounts payable, or preparing tax returns.

Preferred qualifications:

• Strong organizational and analytical skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Understanding of accounting principles and governmental accounting standards
• Fluent in computer skills such as Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
• Familiarity with the Statewide Financial System (SFS)

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. After one year of permanent appointment, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

The salary listed applies to candidates starting as a Accountant Trainee 1, equated to a SG-14. The salary for candidates appointed to a Senior Accountant SG-18 starts at $66,951. For current New York State employees, salary is based on the candidate's salary at the time of hire.

Please specify in your cover letter or resume how you meet the minimum qualifications (as described above) when responding to this posting. For example, you should provide specific date ranges for qualifying experience, qualifying education or certifications, or the age range of individuals served. Non-specific submissions may be disqualified from further consideration if the information you provide does not meet the minimum qualifications.

NOTE ON TELECOMMUTING: Employees are required to apply and obtain approval through management to telecommute according to the agency's Telecommuting Program Guidelines and can be discussed at time of interview.

Background Investigation Requirements:

• All prospective employees will be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC), which includes State and federal Criminal History Record Checks. All convictions must be reported; conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, or any falsified or omitted information on the prospective appointee's employment application, may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Prospective employees will be fingerprinted in order to obtain a record of their criminal history information, and may be required to pay any necessary fees.
• All prospective employees will be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees will be required to pay any necessary fees.
• For Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) prospective appointees will be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s) if applicable.

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is an equal opportunity employer. OCFS does not discriminate based upon age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, military or veteran status, sex, disability (including pregnancy-related conditions), predisposing genetic characteristics, familial status, marital status or status as a victim of domestic violence, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice and recognize that diversity in our workforce is critical to fulfilling our mission. We are committed to the diversity of our staff, and encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply. In furtherance of Executive Order 31 and