New York State Looking for Associate Accountant (State Accounts and Systems) – Item at Albany, NY Full Time

Minimum Qualifications Interested candidates must be reachable on the Associate Accountant State Accounts & Systems,
SG-23, Civil Service eligible list OR must be eligible to transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law.

70.1 Transfer:
Individual must have one year of permanent competitive service in a qualifying title allocated to a grade 21 or higher.

Duties Description Financial Reporting and Reconciliation
Within the Bureau of Financial Reporting and Oil Spill Remediation, financial reports are produced on both a Cash-basis and a GAAP-basis. The Bureau is also responsible for performing various system reconciliations so that the data used for analysis and reporting can be relied upon. The Cash-basis financial reports are produced on a monthly and annual basis. The GAAP-basis financial reports are produced on a quarterly and annual basis.

The Associate Accountant, under the general direction of unit management, may be assigned various reporting and reconciliation duties. The Associate Accountant is expected to:

• Be responsible for preparation and completion of assigned areas of the State’s Cash and/or GAAP financial statements published on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, as well as associated reports and schedules. This includes:

o Preparing and/or reviewing workpapers associated with State and federally funded programs, grants, and accounts.
o Independently performing duties associated with the preparation of the financial statements using Excel, the Statewide Financial System (SFS), nVision and Hyperion.
o Collecting information from various sources (within OSC or other agencies) and ensuring that such information is verified for accuracy and included in the State’s financial statements pursuant to appropriate accounting guidance.
o Creating and reviewing journal entries for general ledger posting.
o Maintaining adequate supporting evidence for the entries; and
o Assisting with answering questions and following up on issues related to the financial statements.

• Perform various reconciliations of system ledgers and accounts and other required maintenance of the SFS.
• Create reports and queries for use in reporting and data analysis.
• Assist the Bureau in various operations to ensure that all work assignments are completed on an accurate and timely basis.
• Review and comment on existing and proposed legislation (i.e., enacted NYS budget) and/or generally accepted accounting standards to determine its impact on statewide financial reporting.
• Comply with legislative and Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) requirements.

Supervision and Staff Development
The Associate Accountant is expected to:

• Work closely with the unit management in carrying out the statutory activities and organizational priorities of the unit and Bureau.
• Convey assignment expectations, provide technical guidance and coaching to staff on unit activities and priorities.
• Provide a context for assignments within the Bureau framework as a whole to assist staff understanding of how work fits into the Bureau mission and goals.
• Perform unit business process reviews for efficiency or improvement opportunities and encourage continuous innovation.
• Review and make recommendations to existing procedures, the Guide to Financial Operations, and OSC advisories based on identified business process improvement opportunities and review of accounting transactions under the responsibility of the unit.
• Recommend updates to unit management on any key performance measures identified during unit business process reviews.
• Identify and recommend needed resources (staff, equipment, and technology) to provide efficient management of unit duties and initiatives, including assignment delegation and staff training.
• Make recommendations to unit management regarding ways to manage the unit’s workload including routine tasks, new initiatives, and special requests.
• Assist unit management with periodic security reviews to ensure security is assigned appropriately.
• Provide supervisory guidance and technical assistance to staff to ensure accurate and complete information is provided to internal and external customers.
• Foster an environment of continuous learning and support a positive work environment.
• Supervise professional accountants and support staff.
• Ensure adherence to Bureau work schedules and deadlines.
• Continually review assigned staff’s workload status, time and attendance policies, and special assignments.
• Conduct meaningful performance appraisals of assigned staff and communicate issues to unit management as necessary.
• Ensure adherence to a system of internal controls over agency-originated transactions, to comply with applicable laws and ensure proper and accurate financial and statistical reports are prepared.
• Perform internal control reviews and testing and make recommendations for compliance.
• Keep abreast of training courses and seminars available and make recommendations for staff training to unit management.
• Communicate unit issues and status upwards to unit Management.
• Engage staff in periodic team meetings to confirm expectations, project status and share information.
• Perform a variety of special assignments as required and assigned by unit management, the Assistant Director or Director of the Bureau and assist in the implementation of the Bureau’s strategic and performance measurement, budget, business contingency and continuity, and disaster recovery plans.

Participation with Business Partners and Stakeholders
The Associate Accountant may be involved in business matters with various parties such as the GASB, the State’s independent auditors and representatives from the Division of the Budget, Attorney General’s Office, other OSC bureaus and divisions, the State’s Public Authorities, and other State agencies to ensure that all required information is included in the State’s financial statements.

• Participate in fiscal research and special projects within the Bureau.
• Participate in or attend professional meetings and conferences throughout the year that may be assigned.
• Contribute to developing responses to various GASB and other professional standard setting body proposals and exposure drafts.
• Participate in the implementation of GASB standards for the State.

Preparation and review of ancillary reports
Based upon responsibilities assigned, the Associate Accountant may:

• Assist in the preparation and/or review of other ancillary reports of the Bureau, which may involve collaborating with executive management, other OSC bureaus (including Communications), other State agencies/reporting entities and independent auditors. These reports include, but are not limited to:

o the State’s Financial Condition Report,
o the Annual Information Statement,
o and the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (Federal Single Audit).

Additional Comments Desired Competencies

• Bachelor degree in Accounting or higher.
• Managerial/supervisory experience preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with accounting/financial systems (i.e. Statewide Financial System), including reconciliation and analysis of system data.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word or similar applications.
• Strong governmental accounting and financial reporting knowledge and experience preferred.
• Ability to both work independently and collaboratively on teams.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and willing to take on special assignments.
• Ability to multi-task and handle multiple priorities always with an eye toward attention to detail.
• Experience dealing with State agencies, external auditors, and other stakeholders.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

New York State