Program Accountant - Accountant III

Program Accountant

About this Unit: Program Accounting exists to provide accountable financial information about the Human Services Programs, both State and Federal, to the Management of the Department of Human Services, the State Controller's Office, the federal government, the county departments of social/human services and others in need of information in an efficient and timely manner. The Program Accountant generates, compiles, analyzes, and interprets all the accounting and reporting functions for all State and Federal programs assigned. The position will be responsible for understanding and maintaining the accounts and records in CORE.

About this Position: This is a professional accounting position that generates, compiles, analyzes, and interprets all the accounting and reporting functions for pandemic related funding. The position will be responsible for understanding and maintaining the accounts and records in CORE. The reporting requirements for the pandemic related funding the CDHS received is above and beyond normal federal reporting requirements. This position will be responsible for understanding and reporting on all the additional metrics required for pandemic related funds and ensuring the department is complying with Treasury's Compliance and Reporting Guidance and meeting compliance and reporting responsibilities defined in the Final Rule, which includes submitting mandatory periodic reports to Treasury.

Summary of Duties:

• Daily Accounting Activities: Accesses fiscal systems to produce, correct, audit, approve, and input financial and budget transactions that pertain to the Federal and State Programs. Also analyzes information on an as-needed basis for all assigned programs.
• Reconciliation of Program Expenditures and Revenues: Reconciles all general and grant ledger accounts relative to all expenditures, revenue, obligations for all assigned programs, both federal and state, by analyzing and investigating various types of errors and interpreting the account expenditures and balances of funds available and using the data received from all financial systems to produce accurate and complete information for federal and management reporting.
• Program Financial Reporting: Prepare program financial reports on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual basis by analyzing and interpreting CORE data to determine if they are allowable or unallowable costs for the programs for which the financial reports are being produced.
• Financial Analysis: Prepares and interprets system reports for all assigned programs, and Budget by utilizing a variety of excel spreadsheets to manipulate, enhance, combine the elements and different levels of detail present in CORE and the reports they produce. Said spreadsheets to be used in the budgeting and reporting process pertaining to all assigned programs.
• Monitoring: Monitors budget balances and resolves any problems with the budget division by preparing budgetary documents for allocations, transfers, increases, decreases, and corrections for the appropriations belonging to the programs assigned.
• Year End Close: Executes year end closing of all accounts related to programs assigned by utilizing and analyzing CORE and other financial information. Make adjusting JV entries, clean up general ledger accounts, and produce required financial exhibits using the information available in CORE.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Option 1 (Minimum Qualifications)

• Eight (8) years of professional experience in Accounting
• This experience must be clearly documented on your application and the supplemental questions must be answered.

Option 2 (Substitutions)

• A combination of related education (coursework requires 27 semester hours completed in accounting or auditing) and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to eight (8) years
• Current, valid licensure as a CPS by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will count for six (6) years of the requirement.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Accounting.

Definition of Professional Experience: While not fully encompassing, professional accounting experience is defined by the Colorado Department of Human Services as work that typically involves the following components:

• Analysis of financial transactions to determine accuracy, completeness, and conformance to established policies and procedures and generally accepted accounting standards
• Preparing, analyzing, and interpreting financial reports, statements and records, (e.g. balance sheets, profit and loss statements, amortization and depreciation schedules)
• Assembling data and creating financial projections
• Developing, implementing, modifying and documenting accounting systems
• Reconciliation of accounts
• Calculating and estimating effects of proposed changes in operating programs or accounting operations;
• Auditing processes
• Revenue recognition & contract completion recognition
• Account troubleshooting and problem solving
• Implementing and/or designing of financial controls
• GL system maintenance
• Making account recommendations

Preferred qualifications:

• Strong preference will be given to candidates who possess a bachelor's degree in accounting, or have 27 credit hours of accounting or auditing coursework from an accredited college or university
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office software, specifically Excel
• Demonstrated experience working with CORE (Advantage)
• Preference will be given to candidates with public-sector and/or government accounting experience
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with program accounting principles and practices with human-services related programs
• Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate having greater depth of experience and knowledge related to accounting principles and practices

Conditions of Employment:

• ALL CDHS employees (non-direct contact): CBI name check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), and drug screen (commercial Driver's license)
• The position will be required to attend various meetings in various locations throughout the state
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation as to why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination, or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

CDHS Selection Process Explanation

Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hours per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.

• Preferred Qualifications & Competencies:
• Relevant years of state service experience.

Minimum Qualification Screening Process

A Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position. You must complete the official State of Colorado online application. Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process. You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached."

You must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

Comparative Analysis Process – Structured Application Review

After minimum qualification screening, the comparative analysis process will involve reviewing and rating of all the information you submit. The comparative analysis step may also include your results from standardized testing.

Your Work Experience/Job Duties

Document your work experience/job duties to the extent to which you possess the skills, education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications.

If listed, answer all supplemental questions as your answers to these questions will be evaluated during this phase. Provide at least 4-8 sentences for each supplemental question.

Supplemental Questions

Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully. We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

Appeal Rights

You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated. You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website.

• You or your representative must sign and submit the official appeal form for review.
• You can find the official appeal form here (Download PDF reader).
• You must be deliver the official appeal form to the State Personnel Board:
• By email (View email address on click.appcast.io), or
• Postmarked in US Mail to(1525 Sherman Street