Contract Management Specialist 1/Trainee - 227724

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services seeks a Contract Management Specialist Trainee 1, NS to support the Local Assistance Voucher Unit within the Office of Budget and Finance. The role involves voucher review, fiscal monitoring, and closeout activities, with opportunities for advancement to Trainee 2 or higher based on performance and education.

The position supports processing payments, assisting with audits, and contributing to the agency’s transition to new financial systems.

Qualifications

• 4 years of contract management and related budgets experience or equivalent.
• Experience with audit requests from federal, state, and internal auditors is preferred.
• Familiarity with grants, vouchers, and fiscal closeout processes is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance on voucher processing according to rules and regulations.
• Respond to audit inquiries from federal, state, and internal auditors.
• Process payments for disallowances and notify grantees.
• Prepare and update procurement and budgeting procedures.
• Conduct fiscal closeout of contracts and ensure funds are properly managed.

Skills

Contract management

Budgeting

Negotiation

Fiscal management

Audit response

Education

Associate degree substitution allowed

Bachelor’s degree substitution for experience

Tools

Accounting systems

Budget tracking tools

Job description

Duties Description

Under the direction of the Contract Management Specialist 2, the incumbents will be assigned to the DCJS’ Office of Budget and Finance’s (OBF) Local Assistance Voucher Unit. The duties of the position will include, but are not limited to:

• Provide technical assistance to grantees, DCJS staff members, and OPDF program representatives regarding internal and control agency rules, regulations and requirements for voucher processing. Provide fiscal status as required.
• Assist and respond to audit inquiries from the federal, DCJS internal and OSC staff auditors as necessary.
• Responsible for processing payment for audit disallowances following DCJS and OSC procedures and guidelines. Notify grantee that disallowance has been satisfied.
• Create and update Procedures as necessary.
• Responsible of processing refund of appropriations, journal vouchers and credit memos as necessary.
• Fiscal close out of contracts, ensure advance has been recouped; required match has been met and unspent funds have been disencumbered.
• Audits MWBE claims for compliance.
• Review supporting documentation from select vouchers to ensure accuracy.
• Assist with the yearly internal controls risk and assessment review of the grant’s unit voucher process.
• Assist with the processing and submission of the quarterly AFRP to OSC.
• As part of the DCJS Finance team, assist with the Agency's transition to the Statewide Financial System (SFS). Participate in LEAN processes when identified. Identify business needs, review proposed solutions, identify any gaps and ensure subordinate staff are engaged to do the same. Evaluate new phases and impacts to the business processes, identifies and implements changes as needed.
• Conducts special or continuing studies in order to obtain pertinent budgetary evaluative material and develop appropriate recommendations for effective and deficient utilization of available resources.
• Assist in the preparation of the agency's annual budget requests based on a knowledge of DOB guidelines, the state finance law, certain agency programs and policies, previous budget requests and applicable federal policies and rules.
• Audits vouchers against the approved budget. Appropriate communication with grantees and program staff when there are questions with the voucher submission.
• Monitors voucher interest.
• May supervise subordinate staff.

Minimum Qualifications

Contract Management Specialist Trainee 1, NS: Four years of experience managing contracts and related budgets including one or more of the following areas: negotiation with contractors and vendors; fiscal management, including bidding, payment, analysis, and fiscal reporting; contract development, including developing requests for proposals; contract execution, including securing signatory approval from control agencies; monitoring and review of contract terms. An associate degree may substitute for two years of experience; a bachelor’s degree may substitute for four years of experience; a master’s degree may substitute for five years of experience; and a doctorate may substitute for six years of experience. All candidates that have taken and passed the most recent Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) exam are encouraged to apply. Advanced placement to the trainee 2 or journey level may be possible depending on education and experience.

• Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States or its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. This information can be found at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. Candidates are responsible for the evaluation fee.

NY HELPS: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Competitive Minimum Qualifications

Contract Management Specialist 1, SG-18: Permanent service in this title or one year of permanent competitive or 55-b/c service in a title SG-16 or higher and otherwise eligible for transfer under Civil Service Law.

Contract Management Specialist Trainee 1, NS: Reachable on the current eligible list; OR Permanent service in this title or one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-11 or higher and otherwise eligible for transfer under Civil Service Law. You may be eligible for 70.4 transfer to the Trainee 1 level if you have served one year in a position SG-11 or higher, have a bachelor’s degree, and a passing score on the most recent PCO or PATT exam.

Additional Comments

Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. DCJS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.

Please be advised that the Division of Criminal Justice Services does not currently offer sponsorship for employment visas.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: The NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Unit at [e-mail] or [phone].