Accountant I

The Illinois Community College Board

The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is the state coordinating board for community colleges and has statutory responsibility for administering state and federal grants to community college districts and adult education providers and managing high school equivalency testing for Illinois. The Illinois Community College Board is assisted by an executive director and staff of approximately 50 located in Springfield, Chicago, and East St. Louis.

Illinois community colleges serve almost 600,000 residents each year in credit, noncredit, and continuing education courses. Illinois is home to 48 colleges in 39 community college districts which provide high quality, accessible, cost-effective educational opportunities to the entire state.

ICCB offers an excellent benefits package, including competitive employee insurance premiums as well as flexible options for medical coverage. Vision insurance is included at no cost and dental insurance is available. Eligible employees participate in the State University Retirement System, which offers medical insurance upon retirement. Tuition waivers are offered for continued educational goals, and a generous paid time off package includes paid holidays, earned vacation, sick, and personal time.

For more information on benefits visit: https://www2.illinois.gov/cms/benefits/StateEmployee/Pages/default.aspx.

Accountant I

The Accountant I supports the agency’s fiscal integrity by preparing, reviewing, and maintaining accurate accounting records and financial reports in compliance with GAAP, state fiscal policies, and applicable regulations, while providing fiscal analysis and accounting guidance to management and program staff. The role supports accounts payable and receivable functions, inventory and property control, and travel compliance, and works collaboratively with internal departments and state partners, including the Illinois Office of the Comptroller and the Higher Education Travel Control Board, to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant financial operations that support agency programs and objectives.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Accounting and Financial Reporting

• Prepare, review, and analyze accounting entries and financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and state fiscal policies.
• Perform account reconciliations between agency records and the Illinois Office of the Comptroller to ensure data accuracy and resolve discrepancies.
• Develop and maintain complex financial spreadsheets and tracking systems for reporting and audit purposes.
• Prepare accounting documents and financial reports required by the Illinois Office of the Comptroller, including the monthly Debt Transparency Act report.
• Provide fiscal analysis and professional accounting guidance to management and program staff.

Accounts Payable and Receivable

• Review and approve vouchers, receipts, and deposits to ensure proper account coding and compliance with the Statewide Accounting Management System (SAMS) and System Application and Products (SAP) financial systems.
• Evaluate supporting documentation for completeness and accuracy prior to submission.
• Identify and correct accounting or reporting errors through research and reconciliation.

Inventory and Property Control

• Serve as the agency’s designated Property Control Officer or backup, overseeing the maintenance and verification of inventory records.
• Review and analyze inventory reports for accuracy and compliance with state property management requirements.

Travel Policy

• Serve as the agency’s representative or backup for the Higher Education Travel Control Board.
• Review travel vouchers to ensure compliance with applicable state travel regulations.

Other Responsibilities:

• Serve as a liaison between internal departments, state agencies, and external partners to promote effective communication, collaboration, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Maintain hard copy files for all financial transactions to ensure organized and accessible recordkeeping.
• Perform other duties as assigned, which may include cross-training in other fiscal areas to ensure coverage and operational continuity.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Any one or any combination of the following, totaling three (3) years (36 months) from the categories below:
  • Work experience and/or training in accounting or a closely related field
  • College course work and/or training in accounting or a closely related field (including 12 semester hours in accounting)
    • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
    • Associate’s degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
    • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
    • Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)

Additional Desirable Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the Statewide Accounting Management System (SAMS), SAP financial systems, or similar enterprise financial systems.
• Knowledge of reviewing vouchers, receipts, travel reimbursements, and financial documentation for accuracy and regulatory compliance.
• Skill in completing assignments accurately and with attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze and solve work related problems.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
• Ability to work successfully as a member of a team and independently with moderate supervision.

Optional Applicant Documents:

• Transcripts
• DD-214 - To be eligible for Veteran's Preference points on the exam, appropriate military service documentation such as a DD-214 must be submitted prior to the application deadline.

Important Information for Applicants:

This position requires a criminal background investigation and, if applicable, an employment history review. Any offer of employment is contingent upon successfully passing these checks. Employment may not commence until the results of the background investigation have been reviewed and approved by Human Resources.

The ICCB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.