Accountant II

Talentify; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work arrangements for eligible

Job summary

Colorado Department of Human Services is seeking an experienced Accounting professional to support the Behavioral Health Administration with contract payments, encumbrances, and financial management across multi-funding streams.

You will ensure accurate invoicing, coding, and reporting while coordinating with program staff and vendors. A CPA or six years of equivalent experience is preferred, with residency in Colorado and strong compliance knowledge.

Qualifications

• Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position.
• Combination of related education and/or relevant experience equal to six (6) years.
• Current, valid licensure as a CPA will count for six (6) years of the requirement.

Responsibilities

• Process invoices and manage multi-funding contract payments.
• Track cash balances, encumbrances, and refunds for contracts.
• Prepare accrual workbooks and year-end estimates.
• Reconcile payments and resolve vendor issues.
• Provide training on CORE reports and financial processes.
• Maintain complete documentation for audits and reviews.

Skills

Accounting

Financial analysis

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field

Tools

CORE financial system

Kronos

Job description

This position is open to current Colorado residents only.

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!

About The Department:

Finance Department

Located within the Behavioral Health Administration work unit, pursuant to House Bill (HB) 21-1097. HB21-1097 provides that a Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) was created to be a single-state entity. It is initially established under CDHS as of July 1, 2022, and provides administrative and “back-of-the-house” support as long as the BHA remains under CDHS’ purview. The BHA is a permanent entity that is responsible for leading and promoting the state’s behavioral health priorities and efforts across agencies, creating shared goals, improving collaboration, and driving accountability and transparency. The BHA provides oversight and coordinates service standards across the hundreds of behavioral health programs that currently exist under multiple state agencies and the Judicial Branch. The BHA also works to ensure the recommendations that resulted from the work of the Behavioral Health Task Force (BHTF) and multiple ancillary projects evolving out of the work of the BHTF are honored and implemented, to ensure and meet our vision of having a comprehensive, equitable, effective continuum of behavioral health services that meets the needs of all Coloradans. The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is responsible for policy development, service provision and coordination, program monitoring and evaluation, and administrative oversight of the public behavioral health system. BHA funds, supports, and monitors numerous mental health and substance abuse community programs and providers, reviews and designates the State’s 27–65 providers, and licenses substance use disorder service providers. BHA executes the State’s federal responsibilities as the State Mental Health Authority and the State Substance Abuse Authority for the purposes of administering federal mental health and substance abuse block grant funds

About the Position

This position exists to provide a full range of business and support services to BHA. This position provides invoice payments, spending tracking of contracts, accounts payable estimates, contract closeout and liquidation, payment reconciliations, and any other necessary financial management support associated with assigned contracts and accounts. This position’s primary focus is on the Managed Service Organization (MSO) contracts which account for nearly $100M annually across multiple funding streams including General, Cash, Federal, and Reappropriated funds.

Duties

Accounting Services

This position is responsible for supporting multi-funding line contracts and agreements, demonstrating decision-making authority to ensure invoices are processed against correct and allowable funding sources. Tracks cash fund balances and refunds due on advance payments, actively managing a complex portfolio of accounts ensuring timely payments in accordance with funding regulations and state fiscal rules.

• Financial tracking of contracts, purchase orders, invoicing, and encumbrances for assigned BHA programs.
• Accurately prepare receiving reports, ensuring programmatic approval is obtained and appropriate funding lines are utilized.
• Resolve payment issues with vendors and programmatic staff.
• Provide technical assistance and training to vendors and programs.
• Actively manage encumbrance and invoice payment deadlines.
• Reconcile payments in CORE to approved invoice documents.
• Act as a liaison and problem solver with the Department Accountant and accounting staff (receiving reports, W-9 submissions, encumbrance roll-forwards, journal entries, accounts payable identification, account coding, etc.).
• Financial planning, coordination, and reporting for grants, appropriations, and programmatic components.
• Develop, maintain, and coordinate management reports associated with assigned programs and accounts.

Training & Team Support

Serve as a resource to the team on processes and financial system-related issues, utilizing expertise in the state financial system to troubleshoot and problem-solve collaboratively.

• Serve as a resource to the accounting team on CORE financial system reports and menus.
• Provide training to new team members on team processes and procedures.
• Facilitate collaborative problem-solving among team members.

Year-End Closing Activities

Follow established processes and direction from the Accounting Manager or team lead:

• Prepare accrual workbooks for each contract in accordance with instructions.
• Collaborate with program staff to obtain accrual estimates from contractors.
• Review vendors’ reported year-end documents to ensure all payments have been made and investigate discrepancies.
• Communicate deadlines with program managers.
• Request cash fund roll-forward at fiscal year-end, ensuring appropriate analysis to request correct roll-forward authority.

Records Management

Maintain complete supporting documentation for audit or review, including programmatic invoice approvals, budget reallocations, vendor/program approvals, copies of supporting documentation, and relevant communications. Ensure files adhere to established naming conventions and shared drive storage processes.

Ongoing Fiscal & Administrative Duties

• Accurately document time and effort in Kronos or timekeeping system.
• Proactively communicate with team members and leadership.
• Monitor deadlines and workloads.
• Provide support to team members as needed.
• Maintain timely and responsive communication with program staff, vendors, and BHA staff.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience Only:

• Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position

OR

• A combination of related education (coursework requires 27 semester hours completed in accounting or auditing) and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to six (6) years

OR

• Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will count for six (6) years of the requirement

Conditions of Employment

• [Standard/full]background check and reference check required
• This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.
• Motor Vehicle Check , if the employee will drive a state-owned vehicle, either in an on-going capacity while performing their normal day-to-day job duties OR on occasion for training/meetings/client visits/etc.
• Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License or an non-restricted U.S. Driver's License for positions within 30 miles of the CO state border
• Out-of-State Driver’s License holders must obtain a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License within 30 days of employment start date.
• Other Conditions of Employment specific to Program
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:

1. Disclose that information on the application.
2. Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position.
3. Provide your employee number from your prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Appeal Rights

You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated. You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website.

• You or your representative must sign and submit the official appeal form for review.
• You can find the official appeal form here.
• You must be deliver the official appeal form to the State Personnel Board:
  • By email ([e-mail]), or
  • Postmarked in US Mail to(1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203, or
  • Hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or
  • Faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

Contact the State Personnel Board for assistance

• At [phone], or
• Refer to the Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, within the Rules webpage.

About Us:

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well‑being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

Our Values:

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations:

CDHS is committed to a Colorado for ALL qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment.

This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to [e-mail].

EEO Statement

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer

We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~

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