Accounting Administrator

AZ State Jobs; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 80,000 - 121,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan

Health coverage

Paid vacation

Professional development

Job summary

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to serve as the principal fiscal advisor to the Director of Administrative Services and to Commissioners. You will lead agency accounting operations, statutory fund governance, and revenue forecasting in support of transparent, accountable government.

You'll develop long-range financial forecasts, manage multi-source funding, and ensure audit readiness across Commission funds while modernizing financial reporting and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• Progressively responsible experience in governmental accounting, budgeting, financial management, audit, or a related fiscal discipline.
• CPA, CGFM, CPFO certification; Master’s degree preferred; public-sector forensic auditing experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Directs agency accounting operations and financial reporting in SAAM compliance and state statutes.
• Oversees budget development, statutory fund governance, and audit readiness.
• Provides data-driven fiscal analyses and long-term forecasts for executives and Commissioners.
• Liaises with state fiscal partners and defends budget submissions to OSPB/JLBC.

Skills

Financial modeling

Forecasting

Data analytics

ERP reporting

Executive communication

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Public Administration or related field

CPA certification preferred

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

AZ360/AFIS

COSO

SAAM

Job description

CORPORATION COMMISSION

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is one of the most unique state agencies in Arizona and one of only 13 public utility commissions in the country where commissioners are elected. Established by the Arizona Constitution, the ACC is a medium-sized agency with offices in Phoenix and Tucson. Our mission is diverse—spanning utility rate making; securities registration and enforcement; rail and pipeline safety; and corporate business filings—and we boast an average employment tenure of nearly 10 years. Learn more by visiting www.azcc.gov.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

1300 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ, 85007

Salary: $80,000 - $120,532

Grade: 28

Closing Date: 10/09/2026

This position serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and principal fiscal advisor to the Director of Administrative Services, while providing authoritative guidance to the Executive Director and Commissioners on fiscal policy, revenue forecasting, and resource allocation. The CFO directs agency accounting operations, statutory fund governance, legislative budget development, and financial reporting to ensure transparency, accountability, and strict compliance with the State of Arizona Accounting Manual (SAAM) and applicable Arizona Revised Statutes, including Titles 35 and 40. The position strengthens continuity and resilience in financial administration by establishing robust multi-source statutory fund accounting, defensible cash-flow modeling, routine division-level reporting, comprehensive internal controls, and continuous audit readiness across Commission funds.

Executive Fiscal Advisory & Strategic Planning – Serves as the principal financial advisor to the Director of Administrative Services and provides objective, data-driven fiscal analyses to the Executive Director and Commissioners. Develops transparent long-term forecasts accounting for legislative appropriations, statutory caps, cash-flow requirements, and calendar-year versus fiscal-year revenue cycles.

Statutory Fund Governance & Budget Execution – Directs development, reconciliation, and execution of the Corporation Commission’s complex fund structure, including URRF, the Securities Investment Management Fund, Public Access Fund, and non-lapsing Audits and Studies appropriations. Enforces statutory restrictions so funds are used only for authorized purposes and establishes documented, system-supported processes for transfers and reallocations. Prepares and supports defense of legislative budget submissions to OSPB and JLBC.

Accounting Operations & Division Partnership – Directs daily accounting and fiscal operations in AZ360/AFIS, including payroll certifications such as Form GAO-60, warrant disbursements, accounts payable/receivable, reconciliations, and financial reporting. Partners with Division Directors through clear monthly budget reports, expenditure forecasts, and variance analysis.

Audit Readiness, Internal Controls & Compliance – Establishes and enforces internal accounting controls, separation of duties, expenditure pre-audits, documentation standards, and reconciliations consistent with SAAM, including Topic 05. Maintains continuous audit readiness and leads fiscal coordination for internal or forensic reviews, the Arizona Auditor General, and other external reviews. Ensures accounting adjustments are documented, supported, approved, and traceable.

Financial Systems Modernization & Data Analytics – Leads modernization of financial reporting by reducing reliance on ad-hoc spreadsheets and advancing centralized, automated dashboards and controls within AZ360 and other State ERP platforms. Streamlines grant accounting, including applicable PHMSA and FRA funding, and develops transparent fee- and assessment-modeling tools.

Interagency Fiscal Liaison & Confidential Assignments – Serves as the Corporation Commission’s primary fiscal liaison with ADOA General Accounting Office (GAO), the State Treasurer, OSPB, JLBC staff, and other State fiscal partners. Performs special administrative, confidential, and complex fiscal analyses or evaluations at the direction of the Director of Administrative Services.

Knowledge:

• State governmental accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, and fiscal administration principles and practices.
• Specialized statutory fund accounting under Arizona law, including non-lapsing special line appropriations, dedicated regulatory revolving funds, and assessment revenue ceilings, including A.R.S. § 40-401.
• SAAM requirements and internal control frameworks, including COSO/SAAM Topic 05 concepts designed to prevent unsupported fund transfers, fiscal misstatements, and compliance findings.
• Legislative appropriations, revenue forecasting, cash-flow planning, grants, audit preparation, and public-sector financial governance.

Skills:

• Translating complex statutory budgets into clear, defensible, plain-language reporting for division leaders, executive leadership, Commissioners, and legislative bodies.
• Forensic financial analysis; cash-basis and accrual reconciliation; variance analysis; and identifying structural revenue gaps versus timing differences.
• Advanced financial modeling, forecasting, reconciliation, data analytics, ERP reporting, and repeatable management dashboards.
• Executive communication, collaborative problem-solving, staff leadership, process improvement, and presentation of complex fiscal information.

Abilities:

• Foster an open, collaborative, customer-service-oriented partnership with agency divisions and treat Division Directors as stakeholders in fiscal planning.
• Maintain exceptional integrity, objective transparency, sound professional judgment, and appropriate independence in accounting and reporting practices.
• Interpret and apply statutes, appropriations, policies, and accounting standards to complex fiscal situations and document conclusions clearly.
• Build sustainable processes, strengthen separation of duties, reduce single points of failure, manage competing deadlines, and maintain continuous audit readiness.

Selective Preference(s):

Required: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field, plus progressively responsible professional experience in governmental accounting, budgeting, financial management, audit, or a related fiscal discipline. A combination of relevant education and experience that demonstrates the required knowledge and capabilities may be considered, consistent with applicable State requirements.

Preferred: CPA, CGFM, and/or CPFO certification; Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Public Administration, or a related field; and demonstrated experience in public-sector forensic auditing, state governmental fund accounting, or utility/securities regulatory accounting frameworks.

Pre-Employment Requirements:

Any offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background/reference check, confirmation of any degrees/certifications, and an MVD records check.

A.R.S. Section 40-101 prohibits Commission employees from having certain interests in entities that the Commission regulates. Applicants shall be required to disclose any interests they may have in the regulated entities during the application process, and as a condition of employment, to divest themselves of any prohibited interests.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Benefits:

• Excellent comprehensive benefits, including a top-ranked retirement plan, low-cost health coverage, supplemental policies such as vision and short-term disability, and generous paid vacation and sick leave programs
• Career and personal development support; multiple training and education opportunities and resources; qualifying Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer
• Interesting, challenging work in a public sector environment with the chance to make a real difference in our state
• We are an Equal Employment Opportunity agency and a recognized Arizona Veteran Supportive Employer.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page.

Retirement:

Arizona state employees participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).

Contact Us:

If you have any questions, please feel free to email [e-mail] for assistance.

The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by contacting [e-mail]. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.