Assistant Accountant Recruitment # 240520-5140AR-001 Location Hartford, CT Date Opened 5/22/2024 3:00:00 PM Salary $64,369 - $81,905/year Job Type Open to Agency Employees Close Date 5/31/2024 11:59:00 PM Go Back Apply View Benefits (http://portal.ct.gov/DAS/smART/General-Employee-Benefits)
Introduction
The State of Connecticut (https://portal.ct.gov/) , Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) (https://www.osc.ct.gov/) is currently seeking a detail-oriented and efficient individual who is eager to contribute their expertise within the Pension and Payroll 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
Work on multiple retirement plans and help with the processing of deceased members’ pension benefits;
Play a crucial role in efficiently and compassionately managing the distribution of pension benefits to survivors of deceased pension plan participants;
Ensure accurate calculations;
Coordinate with various stakeholders;
Maintain compliance with relevant regulations;
Process payments regarding deceased retirees and annuitants for the following pension plans administered by the Office of the State Comptroller, Active and Pension Payroll Services Division (AAPSD): State Employees Retirement System (SERS), Municipal Employees Retirement System (MERS), Judges, Family Support Magistrates and Compensation Commissioners Retirement System, States Attorney Retirement System, and Public Defenders Retirement System.
ABOUT USThe 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 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 issuing paychecks, administering direct deposit programs, and interfacing 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) ' pageAPPLYING 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 be a current State of CT employee of the Office of the State Comptroller for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. 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 [email protected].
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 class.
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 [email protected] 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
Experience calculating retirement death benefits and amounts owed to the retirement fund as an accounts receivable and/or to the estate of the deceased.
Experience processing payments via check or direct deposit (EFT).
Experience analyzing and determining remaining Equity Balances.
Experience developing correspondence to Executors, Administrators, Probate Court, Conservators, health care facilities, and the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (Title XIX).
Experience using Microsoft Excel to compile and analyze spreadsheets.
Experience using Microsoft Word to conduct mail merges and create professional documents or communications.
Conclusion
INCOMPLETE APPLICATION PACKAGES AND THOSE RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE INDICATED ABOVE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERThe 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 [email protected] 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