Accountant

State of Connecticut - Department of Public Health; Hartford (CT); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Professional growth

Healthy work-life balance

Job summary

The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health seeks an Accountant in Hartford to oversee financial management and reporting of state funds and federal grants. The role emphasizes process improvements and strong accounting practices.

Join a team focused on public health finance, with professional growth, a stable benefits package, and a collaborative work environment. This full-time opportunity offers a first-shift schedule with potential telework options.

Qualifications

• Six years of accounting or auditing experience.
• Two years at the paraprofessional level (Assistant Accountant level in CT).
• Substitution options include Accounting Careers Trainee program, a degree, or CPA/CIA certification.
• Strong knowledge of budgeting, financial reporting, and internal controls.

Responsibilities

• Record complex journal entries and maintain ledgers.
• Prepare balance sheets and financial statements across accounts.
• Monitor grant expenditures and ensure program reporting compliance.
• Assist in budget development and quarterly projections.
• Support continuous process improvements in accounting workflows.

Skills

Accounting principles

Budgeting

Excel

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Tools

CORE-CT Financials

Advanced Excel

Job description

Introduction

Do you want to utilize your skills and make a difference? Are you looking to take the next step in your career? If so, please read on to learn more about this exciting opportunity! The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH), is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Accountant within the Operations Support Services Section, as part of the Budget Unit and Grants.

Highlights

• LOCATION: Hartford, CT
• SCHEDULE: Full-Time, First Shift, 40 hours per week with a typical work schedule of Monday - Friday. There may be opportunity for a partial telework schedule and flexible/alternate work schedule may be available.

What We Can Offer You

• As a State of Connecticut employee, we offer the same competitive benefits which you are accustomed (Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page)
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.

You Will Discover The Opportunity To

• Engage in a rewarding career;
• Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
• Thrive in an exciting environment;
• Provide support to a division that is passionate about the work we do;
• Work together in a collaborative team environment.

The Role

This position will be responsible for overseeing all the financial management and reporting of State appropriated funds and assigned federal grants. The ideal candidate should also have demonstrated experience streamlining and implementing process improvements.

About Us

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state. DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee, who has worked for the state 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.

Educational Credits

List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, 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 contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.

Resume Policy

Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.

Preferred Shift/Location

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.

Timely Submission

All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing [e-mail].

Salary Calculations

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.

E-Verify

This employer may participate in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm work authorization.

Purpose of Job Class (Nature of Work)

In a state agency this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of tasks in professional accounting.

Examples of Duties

• Records complex and compound journal entries;
• Prepares balance sheets and financial statements involving multiple accounts;
• Analyzes and interprets accounting records and reports;
• Assists higher level staff in planning, design and implementation of accounting procedures or systems;
• Reviews expenditures and prepares or reviews financial statements;
• Assists in budget management by compiling and reviewing agency manager program budget proposals, preparing estimates and calculations of projected expenditures and quarterly allotments, and preparing monthly reports;
• Monitors fiscal aspects of grant programs by preparing or reviewing financial reports, reviewing expenditures for compliance with grant contracts, providing technical assistance to grantees in maintaining accounting records;
• Recommends accounting related improvements to business practices such as accounting controls and financial reviews;
• Utilizes electronic data processing (EDP) systems for financial records, reports and analysis;
• Assists in EDP experts in planning and implementation of financial aspects of EDP systems;
• May supervise bookkeeping (e.g., maintenance, balancing and reconciling of accounts), accounts payable and/or receivable functions or other accounting related paraprofessional or clerical functions;
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skill and Ability

• Knowledge of professional accounting principles and practices;
• governmental accounting and budgeting;
• basic auditing principles and practices;
• interpersonal skills;
• oral communication and written skills;
• prepare, analyze and evaluate financial statements and other accounting records and reports;
• analyze and evaluate accounting methods and procedures;
• utilize EDP systems for financial management;
• read and interpret written materials.

Minimum Qualifications - General Experience

Six (6) years of experience in accounting or auditing.

Minimum Qualifications - Special Experience

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been at the paraprofessional level. Work at the paraprofessional level requires exercise of some independent judgment in applying basic accounting principles and may be compared to the level of a full charge bookkeeper. NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of an Assistant Accountant.

Minimum Qualifications - Substitutions Allowed

• Successful completion of an Accounting Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience and Special Experience.
• College training in accounting or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling 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 as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor may be substituted for one (1) year of the General and Special Experience.
• Two (2) years of experience as an Assistant Accountant may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience communicating with stakeholders, interpreting and applying information from financial documents and related written materials.
• Experience with fiscal oversight of federal and state grants.
• Experience with CORE-CT Financials, reviewing and providing guidance and resolution with purchase orders and requisitions errors.
• Experience with basic generally acceptable accounting practices/principles.
• Experience in Microsoft Excel, including advanced formulas, functions, pivot tables, and data analysis tools used for budget tracking and financial reporting.

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.