ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST - Funds, Receipts and Collections

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 Funds, Receipts, & Collections.

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 direct supervision of the Public Service Administrator of the Funds, Receipts, and Collections Unit, the incumbent answers phone inquiries and provides verification information to claiming agencies and debtors. The incumbent processes debtor protests and scans the information into IDROP (Illinois Debt Recovery Offset Portal), and approves receipt deposits.

Job Responsibilities

• Answers main telephone line for Collections
  • Responds to basic questions related to involuntary withholding amounts.
  • Provides information to debtors and claiming agencies using SAMS (Statewide Accounting Management System) and IDROP information tables.
  • Identifies and directs phone calls to the appropriate staff or agency.

• Reviews protests and scans protest documentation into IDROP.

• Sorts, stamps, and approves receipt deposits on SAMS and audits the receipts and refunds CRC1 Report.

• Maintains metadata on Sharepoint reports.

• Enters warrant returns and cancels into SAMS.

• Balance and release IW (Involuntary Withholding) agency claim files submitted.

• Communicates with other agencies regarding IW claims.

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

Minimum Qualifications

• 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 knowledge of State Offset systems.
• Prefers previous experience researching and responding to inquiries from the public and/or customers.

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 good telephone etiquette skills.
• 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 multi-task.
• 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.
• REquires ability to sit for extended periods of time and complete tasks requiring repetitive hand movement and long periods of screen time.
• May require possession of an appropriate Illinois driver's license.

*With or without reasonable accomodation

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.