Associate Accountant

Introduction

Are you a current DOT employee? Are you looking for the next step in your career?

If so, we encourage you to read below and apply today!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Transportation (DOT), is now accepting applications from its agency employees for an Associate Accountant opportunity within the Division of Capital Services, Capital Projects Unit in the Bureau of Financial Administration in Newington, CT.  

WE CAN OFFER YOU:

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
• Ample free parking with easy access from major highways or by public transportation.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.
• Join an award winning agency! CTDOT was recently awarded the Employer of the Year award by the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE) and named the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) CT Employer of the Year for 2024!

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• Full time, 40 hours per week
• Monday through Friday
• First shift
• Location: Headquarters in Newington, CT
• This position is eligible to apply for telework after successful completion of the working test period, and thereafter, in accordance with the Telework Policy. The Policy can be found HERE.  Employees in their initial working test period must typically work on site in the office.

THE ROLE

The Associate Accountant oversees a team of Accountants as well as Fiscal Administrative Officers and should expect to spend roughly half of their working hours in the office to execute their job functions and support their assigned team.  This may fluctuate based on needs and responsibilities.

This Associate Accountant deals with the Core-CT project cost estimate and budget revision process.  These processes focus on the accurate accounting of costs, the combination of federal and state funding sources, the documented approvals, and operation within the Core-CT accounting system.

Additionally, the DOT transactions processed with the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) and the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) are critically important to ensure that all funds have been properly authorized, allocated, and allotted, before being entered into a project budget.  Funds are reconciled to the Legislative Authorizations and State Bond Commission approvals. Knowledge of Core-CT is required, including its accounting structure, processes, and modules, with an emphasis on Project Costing.  Familiarity with the Department of Transportation project administration process is critical, including maintenance of cost estimates and budgets, with an understanding of encumbrances, expenses, and accounting transactions.  Proficiency with Excel and the manipulation of large volumes of data is needed.  Proficiency with Core-CT tools, reports, and methods to extract, analyze, and reconcile financial records is required for the job duties. It is desirable to seek candidates from within DOT to capitalize on existing Core-CT and DOT accounting knowledge, skills, and abilities. This position will also act as a liaison with Federal agencies, State agencies and DOT staff concerning funding, expenses, billing, and related administrative requirements. 

Specific duties of this position include:

• Supervise the staff and oversee the daily operations of the Capital Projects Budget Unit.  Assign and manage workload, monitor progress, delays and deadlines, and assist with completion of tasks as necessary.
• Administer the policies and procedures involving the use of federal and state funds, including the processes within Core-CT and the Project Costing module.
• Oversee tasks that involve the reconciliation of various project cost estimate elements, with the routine combination of federal and state funds, including consideration of ineligible costs, non-typical funding sources, or other special financial considerations.
• Assist in the interaction with OPM and OSC related to the processing of state fund allotments, and federal fund receivables as they relate to establishing project budgets in Core-CT.
• Act as a liaison with Federal agencies, State agencies and DOT staff concerning funding, expenses, billing, and related administrative requirements.
• Interact with auditors and assist with their reviews of procedures and records.
• Assist with the administration of Federal agency programs, including Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and others as necessary.

WHO WE ARE

As one of Connecticut's largest State agencies, DOT employs approximately 3,300 individuals statewide in five distict bureaus. It is the DOT's mission to provide a safe and efficient intermodal transportation network that improves the quality of life and promotes economic vitality for the State and the region. We have a significant transportation infrastructure system that is essential to maintaining mobility for Connecticut residents and businesses and supporting economic and community development while preserving environmental and cultural resources. The Department of Transportation is committed to cultivating a diverse staff that is representative of the communities we serve. Applications from individuals having diverse backgrounds and life experiences are strongly encouraged.

Learn more about our mission, vison, and values by clicking here!

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee, of the agency listed above 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. 

For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e. Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other. 

To Apply:

• In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes 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 time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

• Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

Important Information After You Apply:

• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
• Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.

Connect With Us:

• Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Jasmyn.Raymond@ct.gov. 
• Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for performing the most complex accounting tasks within a variety of accounting programs and systems. This class may also be accountable for lead or consultative responsibility.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Establishes and implements accounting sub-systems such as procedures for paying and collecting activities, procedures for issuance of grants, loans or subsidies, establishment of rates or schedules of fees, establishment of account charts for classification of transactions; 
• Maintains fiscal controls by authorizing non-routine expenditures based on management priorities and policies, examining data and making recommendations regarding timing and amounts of expenditures; 
• Manages various phases of budget preparation and control such as preparing estimates of costs of existing or new programs, offices or divisions, preparing budget requests, appropriation schedules, monthly budget reports and year end budget reports; 
• Administers fiscal aspects of grant programs by reviewing funding applications for approval, researching and preparing estimates of costs of proposed grant programs, interpreting grant contracts for approval of grant expenditures, analyzing grantees financial records and reports for compliance with grant expenditure requirements; 
• Monitors fiscal aspects of contract administration by reviewing and interpreting contracts for approval on non-routine expenditures, preparing or approving schedules of fees in regard to specific contracts; 
• Determines priorities; 
• Provides staff training and assistance; 
• Conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations; 
• Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures; 
• May coordinate unit workflow; 
• May assign and review work; 
• May establish and maintain unit procedures; 
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of 
• professional accounting principles and practices including governmental accounting and budgeting; 
• Skills 
• interpersonal skills; 
• oral and written communication skills; 
• Considerable ability to 
• analyze and evaluate financial records, methods and procedures; 
• devise and install accounting procedures and systems; 
• Supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Seven (7) years of experience in accounting or auditing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been at the level of an Accountant, an Auditor or an Accounts Examiner with responsibility for the exercise of independent analysis and judgement in the application of professional accounting principles and practices.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

• College training in accounting or a closely related field 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 four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• A Master's degree in accounting may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
• Certification in any of the following may be substituted for one (1) year of the General and Special Experience: Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with the allotting, budgeting and fiscal administration of funds, grants, and agreements under the purview of Federal Agencies, including Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). 
• Experience with the allotting, budgeting, and fiscal administration of demand deposits, along with state appropriated and bond funds.  Knowledge of the Legislative authorization process, State Bond Commission allocation process, and the OPM allotment procedures. 
• Experience with the administration of state appropriated and bond funds, including the relation to Legislative authorization, State Bond Commission allocation, and OPM allotment procedures. 
• Experience with the DOT use of the Core-CT Project Costing module, the project lifecycle, and the interrelation between cost estimates, budgets, expenses, and accounting transactions. 
• Familiarity with the Core-CT accounting of the legal level budget ledgers and coding DOT uses, related to estimate, budget and expense transactions. 
• Experience utilizing Microsoft Excel and formulas for performing and validating calculations. 
• Experience with Core-CT data, and the reconciliation of records related to cost estimates, budgets, and expenses at both the project level and the legal budget ledger level. 

Conclusion

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, and persons with disabilities.

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.