Assistant Accountant Recruitment # 240916-5140AR-001 Location Hartford, CT Date Opened 9/24/2024 08:00:00 AM Salary $65,979* - $83,953/year (*new state employees start at minimum of the pay plan) Job Type Open to the Public Close Date 10/8/2024 11:59:00 PM Go Back Apply View Benefits (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/jobs/?b=Benefits) + + + + Introduction The State of Connecticut (https://portal.ct.gov/) , Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) (https://www.osc.ct.gov/) is currently seeking detail-oriented and analytical individuals who are eager to contribute their expertise within the Tuition and Travel Unit in the Active and Pension Payroll Services Division as an Assistant Accountant (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/specs/classspecdisplay.asp?ClassNumber=5140AR&R1=&R3=) . Join our team and embark on a rewarding career that offers growth, superlative benefits, and a culture that encourages work/life balance. WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU + Work for a Forbes top company - ‘Forbes’: State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023. (https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/Press-Room/Press-Releases/2023/Forbes-State-of-CT-Ranked) + Comprehensive health and dental insurance, providing you with peace of mind and access to quality healthcare. + Robust pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings to secure your financial future. + Generous paid time off, including vacation days, sick leave, personal days, and 13 holidays per calendar year. + We are an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, which means you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. + A culture that recognizes the importance of work/life balance (https://www.jobapscloud.com/ct/sup/EVPSlideDeckFall2021.pdf) and offers alternate work schedules and telecommuting options. + Opportunities to invest in your professional growth and development with training programs, tuition reimbursement, and opportunities for advancement within the State of Connecticut. + Connecticut is a strong community with a lot to offer in entertainment, food and shopping, recreation in our beautiful state parks and forests, diverse culture, and rich history. Learn more about all Connecticut has to offer. (https://www.ctvisit.com/) POSITION HIGHLIGHTS + Full-Time, 40 hours per week + Monday through Friday + Location: 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106 + Hybrid (office/telework) may be available THIS JOB IS FOR YOU IF + You’re comfortable working in a high-volume environment and are motivated by contributing to the smooth and efficient processing of multiple business areas. + You’re knowledgeable of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services including assessing customer needs and meeting quality standards for service. + You have strong analytical skills and experience evaluating financial records, methods, and procedures. + You value fiscal accountability and want to be a reliable steward of State resources. + You have a background in accounting and financial services and a strong sense of budgetary controls. + You want to do work that matters and want to build a better Connecticut with the Office of the State Comptroller, promoting economic growth, advocating for fiscal control, and championing policies that lower costs. DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO + Play a crucial role in efficiently working on multiple processes; + Ensure accurate calculations; + Coordinate with various stakeholders; + Maintain compliance with relevant regulations; + Process garnishments for active employees paid by the Office of the State Comptroller, Active and Pension Payroll Services Division (APPSD); + Process payments and accounting entries for travel and tuition reimbursements for State of Connecticut employees. ABOUT US The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is an agency whose mission is to provide accounting and financial services, administer employee and retiree benefits, develop accounting policy and exercise accounting oversight, and prepare financial reports for the state, federal and municipal governments, and the public. We are located in the State Office Building at 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT. This state-of-the-art building offers free garage parking, an on-site cafeteria, and ergonomic workspaces. The Statewide Active and Pension Payroll Services division coordinates the payroll function for all state employees, including maintaining records, depositing income tax withholdings and social security contributions, pre-audits and issues paychecks, administers direct deposit programs, and interfaces with central agencies on mass salary changes, collective bargaining, complex accounting transactions, and other information requests. Selection Plan For assistance in applying, please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply (https://www.jobapscloud.com/ct/sup/ApplicantTips2021Nov.pdf) ' page APPLYING FOR THE POSITION + For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e. Executive, Judicial or Legislative) to the other. + To be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications listed in the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date of the job opening, unless otherwise specified. You must specify your qualifications on your application. + Ensure that your application is complete before submitting it. To comply with Public Act 21-69 (https://www.cga.ct.gov/2021/act/pa/pdf/2021PA-00069-R00SB-00056-PA.pdf) , the State of Connecticut no longer requests resumes during the initial application process. Once your application is submitted into the JobAps system, you cannot make revisions. + To receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. For institutions located outside of the U.S., you must provide documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service specializing in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting. + All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the specified deadline. Late applications will not be considered. Candidates may request a rare and documented exception for events that incapacitate them during the entire duration of the job posting period by providing a legally recognized justification to accommodate such an exception. Requests may be made to osc.hr@ct.gov. WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER APPLYING + Applicants will receive correspondence via email and are also encouraged to monitor their Personal Status Board daily for status updates, notices, and tasks required in the recruitment process. + Some postings may require additional referral questions (RQs). You will receive an email with these questions after the posting’s closing date. Check your email and Personal Status Board for notifications, including your spam or junk folders. + You may be required to submit additional documentation supporting your qualifications at any point during the recruitment process. The documentation may include a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, or licensure, at the discretion of the hiring agency. + Candidates who have been selected for employment with the Office of the State Comptroller are subject to a detailed background investigation, including a fingerprint supported state and federal criminal history record check along with reference checks, subject to the provisions of Section 31-51i and conducted in accordance with Section 29-17a of the Connecticut General Statutes. Selection for employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the background investigation. + The immediate vacancy is listed above, but your application may be considered for future vacancies in this job lass. + Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. + Candidates offered a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics. CONNECT WITH US + Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot confirm receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. + If you have any questions about this recruitment, please contact Sara Garrett at osc.hr@ct.gov or 860-702-3572. + Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn to stay updated on our career opportunities and news. PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK) In a state agency this class is accountable for performing a combination of a full range of basic professional and highly complex clerical work in accounting or financial examination work. EXAMPLES OF DUTIES + Maintains an interrelated group of accounts including classifying and recording transactions, taking trial balances and reconciling accounts; + Prepares simple financial statements; + Assists in preparation of complex financial statements; + Examines financial documents to ensure accuracy and conformance with requirements by reviewing related records, provisions and/or regulations; + Maintains accounts receivable including preparing and processing billings, maintaining related accounts, managing accounts receivable, making and recording adjustments, cancellations or remissions and computing interest due and penalties; + Calculates rates involving complex arithmetical formulas; + Responsible for accounts payable including maintaining disbursement records, distributing charges to proper accounts, encumbering appropriation accounts for purchase orders, authorizing routine expenditures, auditing invoices or payments for accuracy and compliance with state regulations; + Gathers and consolidates payroll and expenditure data to facilitate budget preparation; + Ensures expenditures plus encumbrances are within appropriation limits; + Ensures routine payments are in compliance with contract provisions; + Performs related duties as required. KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY + Knowledge of + bookkeeping and financial record keeping principles and practices; + basic governmental accounting principles and practices including general accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable and budget control; + Skills + interpersonal skills; + oral and written communication skills; + Considerable + arithmetical ability; + auditing ability; + Ability to + understand and apply statutes and regulations; + utilize electronic data processing (EDP) systems for financial information. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE Four (4) years of experience in complex clerical accounting or financial examining work. Complex clerical accounting or examining work is interpreted as independent responsibility for generally routine bookkeeping, financial record keeping or financial record examining at the level of a Financial Clerk. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED + College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of two (2) years. + One (1) year as a Pre-Professional Trainee in an accounting class may be substituted for the General Experience. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS + Associates degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field. + Experience in accounting or finance in roles involving travel and expenses management. + Experience handling travel expenses, tuition reimbursement programs, or similar financial processes. + Experience with Microsoft Excel, including functions such as VLOOKUP, pivot tables, macros, and data analysis tools. + Experience writing and executing SQL queries for data extraction, analysis, and reporting. + Experience analyzing and interpreting financial data, identifying trends, and making data-driven recommendations. + Experience maintaining a high level of accuracy in managing and processing financial transactions and reimbursements. + Experience with accounting software such as QuickBooks, SAP, Oracle, or other ERP systems. + Experience clearly communicating financial information and reimbursement processes to various stakeholders. + Experience managing inquiries and resolving issues related to travel and tuition reimbursements. + Experience prioritizing tasks, managing multiple projects simultaneously, and meeting deadlines. + Experience using problem-solving skills to address discrepancies and resolving issues related to accounts and reimbursements. + Experience interpreting and applying travel and tuition reimbursement policies and compliance requirements. Conclusion INCOMPLETE APPLICATION PACKAGES AND THOSE RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE INDICATED ABOVE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities. If you require accommodations under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact Sara Garrett at osc.hr@ct.gov or 860-702-3572. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility. Click on a link below to apply for this position: Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet. Apply Online