Associate Accountant

The State of Connecticut, Office of the State Comptroller (OSC), is an agency whose mission is to provide accounting and financial services, to administer employee and retiree benefits, to develop accounting policy and exercise accounting oversight, and to prepare financial reports for the state, federal and municipal governments and the public. 

We are recruiting for a full-time Associate Accountant for the Budget and Financial Analysis Division.  This position is first-shift, 40 hours per week, and is located at the renovated State Office Building at 165 Capital Avenue, in Hartford, CT.  This state-of-the-art building offers free garage parking, ergonomic workspaces, and telework opportunities.  

Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.  State employees currently holding the above title or those who have previously attained permanent status in the class may apply for a lateral transfer.  Candidates who have been selected for employment with the Office of the State Comptroller are subject to a detailed background investigation, including a fingerprint supported state and federal criminal history record check along with reference checks. Selection for employment is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the background investigation.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  Please ensure that your application is complete prior to submitting.  NOTE:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, supervisory references, attendance records, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Questions about these required documents should be directed to the hiring agency's human resources office:  bonnie.schlechtweg@ct.gov.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQ’s) which will be sent to you via email after the closing date. Please regularly check your email for notifications, including your SPAM/JUNK folders. You must reply by the deadline indicated on the notification or you will be automatically disqualified from consideration.

Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements and preferred qualifications of the position.

All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

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.

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.

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; ability to devise and install accounting procedures and systems; some supervisory ability.

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

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

1. 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.
2. A Master's degree in accounting may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. 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.

• Financial close and financial statement experience.  
• Considerable ability to analyze and evaluate financial records, methods, and procedures.  
• Proficiency in Oracle/Peoplesoft HRMS systems (such as Core-CT or similar system) and various financial modules.    
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.