ADVANCED ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is seeking an organized, professional, and results oriented individual to serve as Advanced Accounting Specialist.  Under direction, this position will independently perform complex professional accounting and audit work involving the analysis and maintenance of financial controls within the DCFS payment systems.  The position will review, audit, and approve administrative vouchers, journal vouchers, and payment records to be submitted to the Illinois Office of the Comptroller (IOC).  The position will also serve as primary liaison with the Office of the Comptroller concerning financial transactions, obligations, appropriations, adjustments, systems issues, etc.  Additionally, the position will perform the daily reconciliation of Department payments approved and submitted to the IOC with IOC record of payments received and accepted. This position provides a great opportunity for a motivated individual who is interested in playing a role in ensuring that DCFS accounting processes are carried out in an efficient, effective manner.  DCFS offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program.  The ideal candidate for this position will have excellent organizational skills and strong accounting skills.  We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of the children and families of Illinois

Essential Functions

• Serves as Advanced Accounting Specialist
• Serves as primary liaison with IOC concerning financial transactions, obligations, appropriations, adjustments, systems issues, etc.
• Maintains and updates internal tables controlling system edits for the MARS/CYCIS system
• Researches claims submitted to the Illinois Office of the Attorney General for prior year liabilities through the court of claims
• Maintains and updates financial activity records and queries
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of college, with courses in business administration and accounting
• Requires two years of professional experience in accounting, external auditing, budgetary planning and control, or public accounting

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in an office setting applying extensive knowledge of accounting and auditing theory, principles, methods, and procedures
• 2 years of experience in an office setting applying extensive knowledge of the laws, rules, and regulations relating to state or non-state accounting or auditing procedures
• 2 years of experience in an office setting reviewing detailed work, including written and numerical data
• 2 years of experience in an office setting evaluating difficult accounting problems and analyzing and interpreting more complex accounting records

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires ability to pass a background check.
2. The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description

About the Agency

DCFS is deeply committed to the welfare and protection of children.  Our goal is to protect children by strengthening and supporting families.  In every effort, from receiving hotline calls to reaching family reunification or foster care and adoption, children and families are our focus.  The Division of Budget and Finance plays a supporting role in the Department’s operations by working to ensure the agency’s financial stability and implementation of sound budgetary practices