Senior Accountant/Accountant Trainee (NY HELPS)

Position Summary Under the direction of an Associate Accountant, the Senior Accountant on the Finance Systems team is responsible for activities related to evaluating and improving the systems the Finance Department uses to accomplish its work. NYHELPS Program Information This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). 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, and any specialized requirements, of the title for which they apply. At a future date (within 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. Minimum Qualifications Reachable on the Civil Service eligible list; Eligible for reassignment by virtue of having permanent competitive service as a Senior Accountant (SG-18); Eligible for transfer under the provisions of the Civil Service Law by virtue of having one year of permanent competitive service in an appropriate title. To be appointed via the NY HELPS program, you must meet the following minimum requirements: The position of Accountant Trainee is a two-year traineeship leading to a salary grade 18 (Senior Accountant). The first year of the traineeship is equated to a grade 14. The second year of the traineeship is equated to a grade 16. Accountant Trainee 1 (Grade 14) A bachelor's degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation; A bachelor's degree with 24 semester credit hours in accounting, auditing, or taxation courses. Accountant Trainee 2 (Grade 16) A bachelor's degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation or a bachelor's degree with 24 semester credit hours in accounting, auditing, or taxation courses 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; A master's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation may substitute for one year of experience. Senior Accountant (Grade 18) A bachelor's degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation or a bachelor's degree with 24 semester credit hours in accounting, auditing, or taxation courses and 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; 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; A currently valid Certified Public Accountant license and registration issued by New York State. Preferred Qualifications Relevant professional licenses and certifications; Experience performing similar duties; Ownership mentality; Desire to continuously improve processes; Desire to learn new skills and grow professionally; Excellent verbal and written communication skills; Ability and willingness to work directly with internal and external stakeholders; Ability and willingness to provide excellent customer service; Ability to think critically; Exceptional attention to detail; Organization and self-management skills; Independence and self-motivation. Work Modality Currently we have a hybrid work schedule which may be subject to change in the future. Job Duties Evaluate current business processes and systems for improvement, automation, and efficiency; Research new accounting/finance technology and systems to improve operations; Act as subject matter expert for the implementation of new/improved finance-related technology and systems; Build and maintain a strong knowledge of the automated accounting systems used by NYSTRS; Gather and communicate operational and functionality needs to business analysts, project managers, and IT developers; Liaise with customer departments to identify ways to better integrate processes to increase compliance and efficiency; Submit Finance Department IT demands; Track and update the Finance Department’s portfolio of IT projects and demands; Maintain documentation for finance systems and assist in providing training to end-users; Coordinate or assist in testing changes to Finance Department systems and processes; Perform operational accounting duties, including journal entries and account reconciliations. Work Environment, Travel and Physical Demands Occasional local travel may be required. Optional overnight travel for training events. Salary Grade Grade 14: $63,074 - $92,584 Grade 16: $70,492 - $103,474 Grade 18: $78,669 - $115,477 Job Type CSEA/Civil Service. NYSTRS is proud to provide equal opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender expression or identity, national origin, age, ability and disability status, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, citizenship or any other legally protected class. We are committed to being a workplace that attracts, supports and retains talented individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences while championing equal opportunity across recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. #J-18808-Ljbffr