Accounting Associate (Executive Accounting Specialist Trainee)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is seeking an Accounting Associate for the Bureau of Accounting and Financial Management. This full-time role helps review transactions, prepare reports, and apply key accounting rules while you train and develop under experienced professionals who value teamwork and problem solving.

You’ll gain hands-on experience with grants, financial systems, and technical accounting tasks, with telework options to work from home in Pennsylvania and occasional in-office days.

Qualifications

• Three years as an Accounting Assistant and 21 college credits in accounting plus 3 credits in finance or accounting (or equivalent).
• Two years as a Fiscal Technician and 21 college credits in accounting plus 3 credits in finance or accounting (or equivalent).
• Bachelor’s degree including 21 accounting credits and 3 credits in finance or accounting (or equivalent).
• Equivalent combination of experience and training that includes 21 accounting credits and 3 credits in finance or accounting.
• Applicants will be considered to have met educational requirements within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Responsibilities

• Review transactions to ensure accuracy and prepare reports.
• Assist with accounting entries, reconciliations, and analysis for assigned programs.
• Review grants, maintain files, and prepare required federal financial reports.
• Use accounting software and spreadsheets to complete financial tasks and research information.
• Identify problems, research solutions, and support corrections in financial records.

Education

Bachelor’s degree with 21 accounting credits and 3 credits in finance or accounting

Equivalent combination of experience and training with 21 accounting credits and 3 credits in finance or accounting

Job description

THE POSITION

The Bureau of Accounting and Financial Management offers an exciting path for someone ready to grow as an Accounting Associate. This position lets you build strong accounting skills while supporting clear and accurate financial work across the Commonwealth. You will learn from experienced professionals who value teamwork, careful thinking, and problem solving.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position supports accurate financial work by helping review transactions, prepare reports, and understand key accounting rules. It also builds important skills through hands-on training and work with grants, financial systems, and technical accounting tasks.

• Financial Support: Assist with accounting entries, reconciliations, and analysis for assigned programs
• Grant Activity: Help review grants, maintain files, and prepare required federal financial reports
• Systems Use: Use accounting software and spreadsheets to complete financial tasks and research information
• Issue Resolution: Identify problems, research solutions, and support corrections in financial records
• Communication Tasks: Share information with agencies and respond to questions about accounting procedures

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 60-minute lunch.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) full-time, with occasional in-office days when work dictates such requirements. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary:In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.
• Note: Upon successful completion of a minimum one-year training and probationary period as an Accounting Associate, candidates in this position will be eligible for promotion to an Executive Accounting Specialist.

Required Experience, Training & Eligibility

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Three years as an Accounting Assistant (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration) and completion of 21 college credits in accounting and an additional 3 credits in finance or accounting; or
• Two years as a Fiscal Technician (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration) and completion of 21 college credits in accounting and an additional 3 credits in finance or accounting; or
• A bachelor’s degree including 21 credits in accounting and an additional 3 credits in finance or accounting; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes 21 college credits in accounting and an additional 3 credits in finance or accounting.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Other Requirements:

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. 7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.