Senior Accountant (Accountant 3)

Initial Posting Date:

04/15/2024

Application Deadline:

05/06/2024

Agency:

Public Utility Commission

Salary Range:

$6,257 - $9,226

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Senior Accountant (Accountant 3)

Job Description:

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is seeking an Accountant 3 with a passion for public service.

At the PUC, you will join a team of dedicated professionals in making a difference in the lives of millions of Oregonians. If you are seeking a rewarding public-service leadership opportunity, the PUC could be your next career move.

Apply now!

This is a Management Service, non-supervisory position and is not eligible for overtime.

About the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC):

Celebrating more than 150 years of history, the work of the PUC impacts nearly every household throughout the state. The agency's mission is to ensure Oregonians have access to safe, reliable, and fairly priced utility services that advance state policy and promote the public interest. We use an inclusive process to evaluate differing viewpoints and visions of the public interest to arrive at balanced, well-reasoned, and independent decisions supported by fact and law. The PUC is responsible for just and reasonable pricing by the Oregon's investor-owned electric, natural gas, and telephone utilities, as well as select water companies via economic regulation. This is done through robust analysis and independent decision-making conducted in an open and fair quasi-judicial hearings process. More information about our vision and values can be found at: PUC Strategic Plan and Diversity Equity and Inclusion Plan.

Our office is located in downtown Salem, in close proximity to the State Capitol, and we maintain a Portland satellite office. The PUC is funded through an assessment of the regulated natural gas, electric, telecommunication, and water utilities. We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, learn, and grow professionally. As a State of Oregon agency, we offer:

• Benefit plans that pay up to 99 percent of the premium for health-related coverage of employees and dependents.

• Membership in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System retirement plan.

• Eleven (11) paid holidays per year; 24 hours of personal leave per year; vacation leave earned at a minimum rate of 8 hours per month and sick leave earned at a rate of 8 hours per month; and many other benefits.

More information about the PUC can be found online at: www.oregon.gov/PUC.

Please Note: New employees to PUC who are Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) participating members (those meeting eligibility requirements at time of hire) are paid within the PERS-eligible/AP salary range for this position as follows:

Accountant 3 / PERS-AP Salary Range: $6,690 - $9,866 monthly (for active PERS members reflecting a monthly 6.95% contribution/increase):

Employees who are not yet a PERS participating member, will receive the 6.95% increase (6% employee contribution) upon meeting PERS eligibility, generally after completion of six-months of qualifying State of Oregon employment.

Hybrid-Remote Work:

Hybrid-Remote work promotes the health and safety of Oregonians, decreases the agency's impact on the environment and supports flexibility and work-life balance for PUC staff.

The duties of this position may be performed remotely, and at our central office in Salem, and at the PUC's Portland satellite office. The ability to report to Salem and Portland is required when business or operational needs are necessary for onsite activities. Hybrid-Remote work may be provided to PUC staff in accordance with the Department of Administrative Services (DAS), "Working Remotely" statewide policy. Currently, employees who live in the State of Oregon may request approval for hybrid-remote work (generally from the employee's personal residence). Requests for remote work, are evaluated based on the agency's business needs.

What you will do as Accountant 3:

The Senior Accountant partners with and supports the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and other key agency staff, in contributing to effective business, fiscal, and budgetary outcomes and operations. The person in this position plays a key role in evaluating and developing business and fiscal operations, internal controls, and system integrity to ensure compliance with state and federal rules and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Major duties include:

• Facilitates and interprets risk reviews and audit findings to upper management and the audit committee, providing written and verbal recommendations to internal and external audit and risk assessment findings.

• Performs and develops processes for the collection of data. Analyzes data and makes process improvement recommendations to implement state and federal requirements relating to compliance, internal controls, policies and procedures, and federal requirements.

• Develops, revises, and implements accounting and related systems to meet the needs of the agency. Makes process changes to ensure that requests for financial information is accurate and available. Supports legislative session accounting- and fiscal-related reporting requirements and agency initiatives.

• As the agency's State Financial Management Application (SFMA) manager, ensures PUC accounting systems operate efficiently by working with the State Financial Management Services (SFMS) staff.

• Coordinates the agency's fiscal year-end processes and reporting. Determines the appropriateness and proper coding of processed transactions and federal grant reporting.

• Serves as the Agency Security Officer (ASO) for the statewide accounting system R*STARS and other enterprise-level applications.

• Serves as the agency's coordinator for the state-sponsored credit card program to ensure appropriate usage by agency staff and is responsible for contributing to the development of related policies and procedures, training, and compliance monitoring.

• Reviews Automated Clearing House (ACH) processes and transactions to ensure they are handled according to appropriate rules and follow-up with companies is consistent with fiscal requirements. Ensures that State Treasury ACH Network (STAN) documentation is complete and security of access to Treasury Online and US Bank Single Point is strictly enforced.

• Advises on, coordinates, and monitors accounting functions of varying complexity including appropriate processes for handling bankruptcies and collections. Resolves complex and unusual accounting problems and ensures system adaptations and corrections as necessary. Designs systems for tracking and reporting financial information.

• Works collaboratively with Business Services staff to conduct reviews of operations and systems. Reports outcomes regularly to the CFO to determine appropriate internal controls are in place, Oregon Accounting Manual guidelines, Oregon Revised Statutes, and Oregon Administrative Rules for accounting, contracting, purchasing, and other business functions are being followed.

What we are looking for:

Possession of a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Government Financial Manager certificate AND three years of accounting experience equivalent to Accountant 2 work to include designing and modifying accounting systems that require frequent changes in requirements to meet specific business objectives, consulting with program managers or external organizations, and assuring the proper functioning and accountability of fiscal operations;

OR

A Bachelor's degree in Accounting or in any discipline that includes or is supplemented by 32 quarter (21 semester) credit hours from an accredited institution in Accounting AND three years of related accounting experience equivalent to Accountant 2 work to include designing and modifying accounting systems that require frequent changes in requirements to meet specific business objectives, consulting with program managers or external organizations, and ensuring the proper functioning and accountability of fiscal operations;

OR

32 quarter (21 semester) credit hours from an accredited institution in Accounting AND five years of related accounting experience to include a) classifying, analyzing, and reconciling complex financial data and records; b) designing, recommending, and installing modifications of accounting methods, procedures, forms, and records; c) preparing audited financial statements and reports; d) analyzing and interpreting laws, regulations, codes, and ordinances to ensure the legality of financial transactions; and e) analyzing and interpreting complex accounts and account relationships resulting in accounting entries.

Note: 15 quarter (10 semester) graduate-level accounting credit hours may substitute for one year of the accounting experience. Graduate-level courses used to satisfy the educational requirement may not be used to satisfy the experience requirement.

Requested Skills:

The most competitive candidates will demonstrate the following requested skills and experience:

• Work experience for a State of Oregon agency resolving complex accounting issues and conducting analyses within the State of Oregon Financial Management Application (SFMA). Work experience should include independent research and analysis of accounting and budgeting systems (i.e., ORBITS, OregonBuys, and Workday) to reconcile financial records.

• Demonstrated work experience interpreting and applying Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Oregon Accounting Manual (OAM) policies in developing or recommending policies or business processes that govern account relationships and internal controls, formulate solutions, and provide guidance to staff.

• Experience providing clear and concise communication on a variety of subjects, both verbally and in writing, to internal and external partners.

• Work experience explaining complex accounting-related processes and decisions and providing guidance and feedback in a manner supporting positive workplace relationships in a professional and culturally diverse environment.

• Work experience that demonstrates the ability to coordinate multiple projects and priorities at the same time.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office software (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), Oracle Business Intelligence, and Adobe products.

• Professional-level work experience in an accounting or budgeting role that demonstrates ability to work with a high degree of autonomy, manage competing work assignments under strict deadlines, and respond to unanticipated organizational needs while producing high-quality work products with accuracy and attention to detail.

• Work experience using digital and remote work technologies to facilitate virtual meetings, shared work products, etc.

How to Apply:

To submit a complete application, you must use the State of Oregon "Workday" recruitment system. Using the Workday system:

1. Create a Workday account OR login to your Workday account; and

2. Complete and submit your electronic application; and

3. As an attachment to your Workday application upload your current resume; and

4. Upload a cover letter to your Workday application of not more than two (2) pages. Your cover letter should clearly address your education and work experience as it relates to the "Requested Skills" listed in this announcement.

The PUC will consider only complete applications submitted online by the closing date/time posted on this announcement.

If you are a current employee of the State of Oregon, you MUST apply through your internal State of Oregon employee Workday account and attach the required material.

For more information about applying for positions with the State of Oregon via Workday, you may visit the Oregon job opportunities website at: www.oregon.gov/jobs

Questions/Need Help?

If you need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the Americans with Disabilities Act contact PUC Human Resource Analyst Jessica Leedham at 503-580-5740.

Veterans:

• Eligible Veterans who meet the qualifications will be given Veterans' preference. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources, or call Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666.

NOTE: If claiming Veterans' preference please be sure to check your Workday account for pending tasks or actions under your "My Applications" section.

Additional Information about this recruitment:

• Candidates whose training and/or experience most closely match the requirements and needs of the position, and who attach all necessary documents may be eligible for an interview. Submissions will be screened for consistency of information and communication skills at the professional level (clarity, conciseness, attention to detail, spelling, grammar, etc.).

• If you are hired, you may be required to provide facts about past employment and present financial interests if they could be connected with the businesses regulated by the PUC.

• The PUC does not offer VISA sponsorships. Within three-days of hire, you will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States.

• This recruitment will be used to establish a list of qualified candidates; this list will be used to fill the current opening and may be used to fill other openings as they occur.

• The pay and benefits on all announcements may change without notice.

• For positions approved for hybrid/remote, demonstrate suitability for remote work, including access to a broadband internet connection that meets or exceeds the minimum acceptable requirements.

• If you have federal student loan debt or are thinking of going back to school, then you might benefit from the Student Loan Forgiveness Program. If you make 120 qualifying payments on your student loan while working full-time for a qualifying employer, your student loan debt may be forgiven.

• All final candidates using education to meet minimum qualifications will be required to provide a copy of their transcripts (official or unofficial) during the selection.

• The PUC is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer Committed to Workforce Diversity.