ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST-Electronic Commerce

Position Overview

COME JOIN A TRANSFORMATIVE TEAM, with a record of proven, positive impact to the State of Illinois.

The Illinois Office of the Comptroller is seeking applicants for the position of Accounting Specialist for Electronic Commerce.

The Comptroller is the chief fiscal control officer for the Illinois government, charged by the Constitution with maintaining the state’s central fiscal accounts and ordering payments into and out of the appropriate funds. The office processes more than 16 million transactions annually and serves as a “fiscal watchdog” to ensure that all state payments meet the requirements of the law. The Comptroller’s office provides meaningful and timely fiscal information to help state policymakers adopt effective policies. The office continually seeks new ways to improve how it serves the public. The Comptroller has updated and streamlined the Comptroller’s website and has led the process of updating the state’s payroll and accounting systems. Comptroller Mendoza is committed to running the Office of Comptroller as a financial watchdog for the interest of Illinois citizens and to installing the most modern and transparent systems to make the state’s financial information available to all. 

Major Function

Under general supervision of the Public Service Administrator, the Accounting Specialist balances and maintains accounting reports and files for the Direct Deposit System. The incumbent performs all complex tasks associated with direct deposit, including scheduling of computer runs and verifying accuracy of computer outputs, and corresponding with lead banks, agencies, state employees, state retirees and vendor payees on matters relating to direct deposit.

The role of the Accounting Specialist in Electronic Commerce is highly phone-focused, with the majority of your day spent engaging with customers/vendors over the phone.

Job Responsibilities

• Records rejected or returned (Electronic Funds Transfer) EFT items and changes notices
  • Returns item listings to Retirement Systems and State agencies
  • Schedules return for processing
  • Schedules and balances reconciliation runs in order to produce a paper warrant from an EFT return
  • Schedules pre-note tape input for processing
  • Schedules and verifies retiree earning statements

• Balances and maintains direct deposit accounting reports from different warrant systems and balances the corresponding totals to the EFT reports
  • Prepares reports to accompany lead banks warrants
  • Maintains PC (Petty Cash) logs for sent, accepted and rejected direct deposit
  • Maintains Direct Deposit authorization and pre-note files
  • Maintains a databse for all vendor enrolees

• Receives and screens phone requests of interested State vendors for participation in the Commercial EFT program and determines vendor eligibility for the program
  • Sends enrollment forms to qualifying vendors
  • Receives completed enrollment forms and verifies information
  • Enters approved vendor enrollment information into the ET (Electronic Transfer) system creating pre-notes and establishing direct deposit
  • Balances and maintains various SAMS (State Accounting Management System)/ET (Electronic Transfer) reports
  • Instructs I/O support to release electronic payment files to lead banks
  • Verifies correctness of files sent
  • Processes returned items and contacts vendors regarding problems

• Assists State agencies, Retirement Systems, vendor payees, individual state employees and retirees with direct deposit related problems
  • Corresponds with individual and lead banks regarding direct deposit problems, i.e. closed accounts, incorrect account numbers, posting status, etc.
  • Corresponds with lead banks and retirement systems regarding disposal of direct deposit payments made to deceased retirees

• Receives, sorts, and processes the daily mail, files the daily reports, scans all documents that produce a change or addition to the authorization file, assists vendors with navigating the Comptroller's website

• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties defined above

Minimum Requirements

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of two (2) years of college and one (1) year of technical accounting experience OR four (4) years of related clerical bookkeeping experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers a minimum of two (2) years' experience providing customer service to the general public.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Requires working knowledge of alpha-numeric sequencing
• Requires good English language skills and working knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Requires ability to work in a phone-based environment for most of the workday
• Requires working knowledge of basic mathematics
• Requires elementary knowledge of office practices, procedures, and programs
• Requires ability to follow oral and/or written instructions
• Requires ability to operate commonly used manual and automated office equipment and perform routine maintenance
• Requires ability to maintain satisfactory working relationships with other employees and the general public
• Requires working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel
• Requires skill to accurately keyboard
• May require possession of an appropriate Illinois driver's license

Benefits

This position is eligible to be a member of the State of Illinois Group Insurance program which includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage options. Additionally, this position will annually accrue 12 paid sick days, a minimum of 12 paid vacation days, 4 paid personal days, and be afforded 14 paid state holidays, prorated based on start date. 

Equal Employment and Commitment to Diversity

The Illinois Office of Comptroller provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training. The Illinois Office of Comptroller is committed to the fair and equal employment of individuals with disabilities under the ADA. It is the Illinois Office of Comptroller's policy to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the company. The Illinois Office of Comptroller prohibits any harassment of, or discriminatory treatment of, employees or applicants based on a disability or because an employee has requested reasonable accommodation. 

The Illinois Office of Comptroller is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the agency and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives. This commitment is embodied in agency policy and organizational culture.