Senior Accountant (SG-18), Accountant Trainee 1 (NS=SG-14), Accountant Trainee 2 (NS=SG-16)

NY HELPS: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required, but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At this time, agencies may recruit and hire employees by making temporary appointments. In June 2024, if a temporary NY HELPS employee is satisfactorily performing in the position, the appointment will be changed from temporary pending Civil Service Commission Action to permanent non-competitive, and the official probationary period will begin.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS:

For Trainee 1, you must have a bachelor's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation; OR 2. A bachelor's or higher degree with 24 semester credit hours in accounting, auditing, or taxation courses.

For Trainee 2 you must also have:
Either 1. One year of professional experience in accounting/auditing or financial internal or field auditing, where you were responsible for the full range of activities in the design and/or review, analysis and management of accounting systems, resulting in the preparation of, or recommendations on, financial statements in accord with generally accepted accounting principles; OR
2. A master's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation.

For the Full Performance Level you must also have:
Either 1. Two years of professional experience in accounting/auditing or financial internal or field auditing, where you were responsible for the full range of activities in the design and/or review, analysis and management of accounting systems, resulting in the preparation of, or recommendations on, financial statements in accord with generally accepted accounting principles; OR
2. A master's or higher degree in accounting, auditing, or taxation AND one year of professional experience in accounting/auditing or financial internal or field auditing, where you were responsible for the full range of activities in the design and/or review, analysis and management of accounting systems, resulting in the preparation of, or recommendations on, financial statements in accord with generally accepted accounting principles; OR
3. A currently valid Certified Public Accountant license and registration issued by New York State.
Experience NOT considered qualifying are activities restricted to teaching, bookkeeping, maintaining/auditing payroll records or accounts receivable/accounts payable, or preparing tax returns.

OR

55 B/C: These positions are eligible for 55b/c appointment, and candidates with 55b/c eligibility are encouraged to apply. To be eligible for a 55b/c appointment, candidate must be currently enrolled in the Civil Service 55b/c program and must meet the minimum qualifications listed above.
Information about the 55b/c program can be found here: https://www.cs.ny.gov/rp55/.

COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS:

Eligible for a lateral transfer or eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law by having one year of permanent competitive service in an appropriate title. Information regarding transfer eligibility is available on the Civil Service Career Mobility Office website at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/

OR

Reachable on the appropriate eligible list in Albany.

Duties Description The OTDA Division of Budget, Finance and Data Management's Fiscal Systems Bureau is seeking a Senior Accountant/Trainee eager to work on agency fiscal systems. These positions reside in the Legacy Systems Unit and will support the legacy fiscal systems that are used by Social Services District (local district) accounting staff. The incumbent will also participate on a multi-year project to implement a new Statewide Benefit Issuance Control System as part of the Integrated Eligibility System (IES) project and will provide key support as subject matter experts for financial management. Duties will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

• Analyze Federal and State laws, proposed Federal and State legislation, departmental releases, program policy, fiscal policy, rules, work methods/procedures, and regulations to determine the fiscal impact to the existing fiscal systems and the financial management component of the IES project, as well as the impact of changes upon local social services districts.

• Determining legacy system changes needed, reviewing and developing business requirement documents, participating in the development of testing plans for system changes and conducting user acceptance testing for the computer accounting system used by local district accounting staff.

• Maintain various fiscal system procedural manuals that are used by local district accounting staff.

• Contribute to the planning, analysis, and design of the statewide IES by identifying business and functional requirements with a focus on the financial management.

• Become a subject matter expert within the IES financial management project.

• Actively participate in meetings and prepare documentation as needed, as well as prepare responses to inquiries about fiscal systems or procedures and IES from local social services districts, other agencies, or department staff.

• Frequently communicate both verbally and in writing with other members of the Fiscal Systems Bureau, as well as other areas of OTDA, and other state agencies.

• Effectively manage and prioritize project deadlines and assist unit members meeting these deadlines and adapt to dynamic changes to priorities and deadlines.

• Perform system testing as the IES project progresses to the level which requires the Fiscal Systems Bureau to assess functionality is working to specifications, then report on this performance to appropriate unit members.

• The ideal candidates will have a willingness to learn the agency's existing financial systems and Fiscal Reference material to assist IT personnel. This is a great entry-level opportunity that will expose the right candidates to a wide range of activities. We provide extensive training, and you can rely on your team members and supervisor to guide you as you develop expertise in the fiscal process.

Additional Comments Full-time, permanent, or contingent permanent appointments will be made. If certified by Civil Service, mandatory reemployment list candidates must be considered first for appointment to this title. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Your resume must indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for these positions. Non-specific submissions may be disqualified from further consideration if the information you provide does not meet the minimum qualifications.

Salary for Trainee 1 starts at $52,198
Salary for Trainee 2 starts at $58,247

Remarks:

• Candidates should reference posting 24-163SNY when submitting your application.
• If submitting electronically, please reference posting 24-163SNY as part of your subject line.
• If you are interested in applying to these positions, please visit how to apply for applicant instructions.

NYS OTDA seeks to promote a diverse workforce that is a representation of the various cultures, voices, backgrounds, ideas, and talents of the citizens and communities that we serve. We actively solicit and encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color ("BIPOC"); LGBTQIA+ individuals; women; people with disabilities; and military veterans.

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

Name Recruitment Unit

Telephone

Fax (518) 474-9374

Email Address jobpostings@otda.ny.gov

Address

Street 40 North Pearl Street, 12B

City Albany

State NY

Zip Code 12243

Notes on Applying To apply, please send a cover letter and resume. Include a current, Civil Service title and grade level and clearly state how you meet the minimum qualifications.

Interested applicants should send an email to jobpostings@otda.ny.gov and reference posting #24163SNY. DO NOT REFERENCE THE VACANCY ID NUMBER.

You may be required to provide acceptable proof of education, experience, credential and/or license to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications for appointment to this position.

Applicants will be required to prove their eligibility for employment based upon acceptance of a position in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

If you are a retiree currently receiving benefits, indicate this and the name of the retirement system in your response.

In accordance with state law, Governor's Executive Order No. 6 and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance does not discriminate against disabled individuals. If you are disabled and require reasonable accommodation at the time of the interview, please contact OTDA's designee for reasonable accommodation at (518) 474-7284.