Associate Accountant

State of Connecticut - Department of Agriculture; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework after probation

Job summary

The State of Connecticut, Department of Agriculture invites current CT employees to apply for the Associate Accountant role in Hartford, CT. This full-time position handles complex accounting tasks to ensure compliance across federal grants and cooperative agreements within a department focused on agricultural development and resources.

The role supports budget development, grant administration, and adherence to procurement rules, with telework eligibility after the probation period under the

Qualifications

• Seven (7) years of experience in accounting or auditing.
• One (1) year of the General Experience must have been at the level of an Accountant, an Auditor or an Accounts Examiner with responsibility for the exercise of independent analysis and judgement in the application of professional accounting principles and practices.

Responsibilities

• Establishes and implements accounting sub-systems and procedures for paying and collecting activities, grants, loans or subsidies, and classification of transactions.
• Maintains fiscal controls by authorizing non-routine expenditures based on management priorities and policies.
• Manages budget preparation and control including estimates, requests, monthly reports, and year end reports.
• Administers fiscal aspects of grant programs by reviewing funding applications and grant expenditures.
• Monitors fiscal aspects of contract administration and non-routine expenditures.
• Determines priorities and provides staff training and assistance.
• Conducts performance evaluations and liaises with other units and officials.

Job description

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Department of Agriculture (DoAg) invites current State of Connecticut employees to apply for the position of Associate Accountant in Hartford, CT.

Celebrate a healthy work/life balance to all employees. Professional growth and development opportunities.

Position Highlights

• Monday - Friday
• Full Time, 40 hours per week
• First Shift
• Location: Hartford, CT
• This position is eligible to apply for telework after successful completion of the working test period, and thereafter, in accordance with the Telework Policy. Learn more about the Telework Policy.

The Role

The Associate Accountant position is accountable for independently performing the most complex accounting tasks to ensure federal and state compliance as well as better accounting practices throughout our federal grants and cooperative agreements. DoAg manages almost $100 million in federal grants and cooperative agreements.

Duties Include, but are not limited to:

• Monitoring and Reporting Federal Grant/Cooperative Agreement Budgets: Create and submit all financial reports via federal government portals; create and submit federal reimbursements and drawdown requests; monitor Monthly STARS budget performance reports; processes journal entries while monitoring grant related payroll and create budget projections report for programs.
• Grants and Contracts: Research and prepare estimates of costs of proposed grant programs; Analyze grantees financial records and reports for compliance with grant expenditure requirements; and collect and report contract financial records such as itemized invoices, time sheets showing hours worked, etc.
• CORE/OPM Software: Submit Notice of Awards or other required documentation for budget creation and approval; Request new SIDs and deletion of SIDs; submit combo code additions and changes; submit change orders and reclasses of expenses from SID to SID.
• Budget & Grants Administration: Work closely with directors and Grants & Contracts Specialist to development grant program budgets; manage grant lifecycles (solicitation, evaluation, award, compliance, closeout); maintain audit-ready documentation. Provide timely, accurate information on grant expenditures and projected expenses including monthly budget reports.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure adherence to state procurement rules, grant terms, and applicable statutes; mitigate operational, financial and compliance risk.
• Continuous Improvement: Streamline processes and timelines; champion technology-enabled workflows; improve customer service and program accessibility. Establish system for tracking and documenting grant matching requirements.

About Us

Department of Agriculture’s (DoAg) mission is to foster a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to public health, animal health and animal care; and promoting an understanding among the state’s citizens of the diversity of Connecticut’s agriculture, its cultural heritage, and its contribution to the state’s economy. DoAg provides public benefits by empowering its three bureaus to promote and protect Connecticut Agriculture.

The Bureau of Agricultural Development and Resource Conservation, provides direct assistance and programs to farm operations entering, diversifying, or expanding their agricultural businesses. It makes direct positive impacts on communities through the Farmland Preservation Program, the Senior and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program, Farm to Chef, and Farm to School programs.

The Bureau of Aquaculture oversees marine and inland aquaculture production activities, administers the state Shellfish Sanitation Program, and operates the laboratory in Milford, leasing and restoration of shellfish beds, and licensing of persons engaged in commercial harvesting of shellfish.

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee 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.

Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

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 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.

After You Apply

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Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).

Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!

Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

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

In a state agency this class is accountable for performing the most complex accounting tasks within a variety of accounting programs and systems. This class may also be accountable for lead or consultative responsibility.

Examples of Duties

• Establishes and implements accounting sub-systems such as procedures for paying and collecting activities, procedures for issuance of grants, loans or subsidies, establishment of rates or schedules of fees, establishment of account charts for classification of transactions.
• Maintains fiscal controls by authorizing non-routine expenditures based on management priorities and policies, examining data and making recommendations regarding timing and amounts of expenditures.
• Manages various phases of budget preparation and control such as preparing estimates of costs of existing or new programs, offices or divisions, preparing budget requests, appropriation schedules, monthly budget reports and year end budget reports.
• Administers fiscal aspects of grant programs by reviewing funding applications for approval, researching and preparing estimates of costs of proposed grant programs, interpreting grant contracts for approval of grant expenditures, analyzing grantees financial records and reports for compliance with grant expenditure requirements.
• Monitors fiscal aspects of contract administration by reviewing and interpreting contracts for approval on non-routine expenditures, preparing or approving schedules of fees in regard to specific contracts.
• Determines priorities.
• Provides staff training and assistance.
• Conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations.
• Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures.
• May coordinate unit workflow.
• May assign and review work.
• May establish and maintain unit procedures.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skill and Ability

• Considerable knowledge of professional accounting principles and practices including governmental accounting and budgeting.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Considerable ability to analyze and evaluate financial records, methods and procedures; devise and install accounting procedures and systems; supervisory ability.

Minimum Qualifications - General Experience

Seven (7) years of experience in accounting or auditing.

Minimum Qualifications - Special Experience

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been at the level of an Accountant, an Auditor or an Accounts Examiner with responsibility for the exercise of independent analysis and judgement in the application of professional accounting principles and practices.

Minimum Qualifications - Substitutions Allowed

• College training in accounting or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling 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 in any of the following may be substituted for one (1) year of the General and Special Experience: Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience creating budget estimates, revising budgets, and preparing final budget documents.
• Experience utilizing CORE-CT and STARS programs.
• Experience with drawdowns and reporting on federal grants and federal systems, while maintaining fiscal controls and compliance.
• Experience working independently and as part of a team.
• Experience prioritizing tasks to manage multiple deadlines.

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.