DOLA Deputy Controller II (Accounting Operations & Reporting)

Who can Apply

This opportunity is only open to residents of the State of Colorado.

About the Colorado Department of Local Affairs

The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) serves as the primary interface between the State and local communities. The Department provides financial support to local communities and professional and technical services (including training and technical assistance) to community leaders in the areas of governance, housing, and property tax administration. While all state governments provide such services through various Departmental structures, Colorado’s approach is unique in that these local community services are gathered into one Department of “Local Affairs,” which has a central focus on strengthening Colorado communities and enhancing livability.

Vision

The Department of Local Affairs is responsible for strengthening Colorado's local communities through: accessible, affordable, and secure housing; implementing property tax law; capacity building; strategic training, research, and technical assistance; and funding to localities.

Mission

Our mission is to help strengthen Colorado’s communities.

Why work for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs?

The work we do matters greatly. It matters to us and it matters to the citizens of the great state of Colorado. We love our communities and are passionate about supporting our communities. We value the diversity that Colorado offers. If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference in communities across the State, consider joining the dedicated people of the Department of Local Affairs. 

In addition, we offer a great location and great benefits, which include:

• Medical and Dental Plans

• Strong, secure, yet flexible Retirement Plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus pre-tax and ROTH 401K, and 457 plans

• Employee Wellness Programs

• Paid Life Insurance

• 11 paid Holidays per year plus Vacation and Sick Leave

• Short and Long-Term Disability Coverage

• RTD Eco Pass to all eligible State Employees

• Flexible work schedule options and hybrid work options

• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

• Training opportunities

• Variety of Free discounts on services and products available through the State of Colorado's Work-Life Employment Discount Program

Please see the  Benefits Overview video for details on the benefits offered to employees.

The Accounting Operations & Reporting office is a work unit within the Accounting and Financial Services (AFS) organization in the Executive Director’s Office (EDO). This work unit reports to the DOLA Controller and is the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) central accounting, payroll and finance office.  The Accounting Office manages and executes a diversified funding comprised of general, cash, reappropriated and federal funds with an annual budget totaling about $1.2 billion across 6 divisions and more than 320 appropriations. The accounting office provides quality, informed decision making in the form of technical guidance, recommendations of a fiscal nature based upon financial expertise, and development of a unified system of accounts and its ongoing maintenance.  This includes: payroll & benefits administration, grant reporting, financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, contract encumbrances, cost allocation, indirect cost proposal development and collection, asset management, implementation of audit recommendations, development and administration of fiscal policy and procedures, development, administration and on-going analysis of internal controls, reporting that reflects accurate financial position and results of operations to management, federal agencies and other stakeholders.  In addition, the office is responsible for the preparation and submission of monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting to the Office of the State Controller and facilitating the annual Financial and Single Audit.

The Deputy Controller for Accounting Operations and Reporting is responsible for directing the Department's centralized accounting operations, financial reporting, accounting policy, internal control, payroll, and financial systems functions. The position independently determines accounting methodologies, operational accounting policies, financial reporting practices, internal controls, and accounting system requirements necessary to ensure Department-wide compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards, State fiscal rules, federal requirements, and applicable law.

The primary duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Designs and implements DOLA operations, functions and systems for centralized accounting.  

• Provides the DOLA management response to the Contract Auditor, Office of the State Auditor and the Office of the State Controller. 

• Plans and executes improvements to internal general accounting processes, ensures that appropriate accounting policies incorporating internal control and practices are followed and are in compliance with State and Federal regulations. 

• Leads the preparation of critical DOLA financial reporting and exhibits which summarizes fiscal activity and financial position, produces accurate and timely financial reports for internal and external use, in accordance with GAAP, GASB, Federal, and State regulations. 

• Develops Department Accounting systems (CORE, other subsystems), formulates accounting practices for General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and other assets. 

• Oversees the process and data flow between accounting systems and sub-systems, and provides functional, technical and process leadership and consultation to management and staff as needed.

• Interprets authoritative accounting guidance and independently determines appropriate accounting treatment, policies, procedures, and financial system requirements within the delegated Accounting Operations & Reporting portfolio. 

• Resolves audit issues based on the research and analysis of accounting theories-GAAP, GASB, OMB, federal and state fiscal policy and regulations. 

• Advises and formulates central accounting policy and procedures within the guidelines of the state and federal fiscal policy and regulations.  

• Interprets State and Federal rules, regulations and laws to maintain compliance with DOLA daily accounting operations.  

• Advises the agency controller, budget director, and program personnel regarding accounting for cash management, revenue, and general accounting issues. 

• Provides timely information to the department management on the effectiveness of management controls for proposed and current processes (automated and manual) with recommendation for improvement for concerns identified.  

• Responsible for training and implementing the CORE Accounting System implementations and the training of DOLA staff for all aspects of accounting functions.  This position is backup to the Department Controller and as such holds delegation authority from the State Controller.

• Communicates and interacts verbally and in writing with Department program managers, auditors, Federal, State and County agencies, and program stakeholders as to fiscal rules and regulations. 

• Provides fiscal stakeholders with interpretations of financial reports. 

• Formulates accounting fiscal requirements, plans, develops and implements the appropriate account code structures in the financial/accounting subsystem and written procedures to achieve the departments’ fiscal objectives.

• Supervises Accounting and Payroll unit functions and staff to include performance management, mentoring, training, workload productivity, approving timecards and schedules and recommending hiring decisions. 

Class Code & Classification Description

H8C2XX     Controller II

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience Only: Eight (8) years of professional experience in all of the following: 

• accounting operations

• financial reporting

• internal or external auditing

• federal grants and/or contracts in either an auditing or accounting capacity.

OR

Education and Experience: A combination of related education in auditing, accounting, finance or business management that includes 24 semester hours completed in accounting or auditing or a closely related field (as determined by the agency) AND experience as described above equal to eight (8) years. Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will count for six (6) years of the requirement.

Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. This information will be used to help determine compensation for the position. 

Applicants must upload their unofficial college transcripts that include the student name, college name, courses completed and/or degree with date conferred with this application, in order to receive credit.

Under the Job Application Fairness Act (SB 23-058), applicants may redact information from certifications and transcripts that identify their age, date of birth or dates of attendance from an educational institution.

Required Competencies 

• Subject matter expert in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

• Ability to lead a team while providing technical assistance as needed

• Ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Strong attention to detail

• Effective analytical and problem-solving skills

• Effective verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to prioritize and organize work to accommodate and meet the changing needs of the Department and meet deadlines

• Proficiency with MS Office suite, specifically MS Excel

• Ability to work independently

• Excellent mathematical skills

• Ability to create accessible documents and technical content that follows plain language guidelines with accessibility in mind. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Advanced degree related to the work assignment

• Active CPA License

• At least 2 years of Financial Reporting in State or Federal Government and or Single Audit experience

• Experience with CORE or other large financial system, including reporting

• Fixed Asset and Capital Asset Management

• Experience with Exhibits and State fiscal year end close

• Federal grant management and compliance

• Internal and External Audit Experience

• Diagnostic Reporting

• Indirect Cost Proposal and Allocation 

• Cash Fund, General Fund and Interagency Transfers

• Experience interpreting and implementing GASB and State Fiscal Rules

• Experience with Payroll functions

• Experience with internal control evaluations and monitoring.

Conditions of Employment

• You MUST be a Colorado resident (at the time of application) to apply for this position. 

• Pre-employment criminal and financial background checks will be conducted as part of the selection process. 

• Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DOLA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. DOLA does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.

Only complete applications submitted by the closing date for this announcement will be given consideration. Failure to submit properly completed documents by the closing date of this announcement will result in your application being rejected.

Applicants may submit a resume, cover letter/letter of interest detailing how their experience and background address the stated minimum and preferred qualifications/competencies of the job and attach to the online application. Applications left blank or marked “See Resume” will not be accepted. Please address every requirement for the position with your experience in your application.

The application may include the following documents that MUST be uploaded at the time of application:

• A resume (this is not a substitute for the online application demonstrating work history)

• Cover letter / letter of interest

• Transcripts (if using education to meet the minimum qualifications)

• DD214 (member-4 form) from applicants that may be eligible for veteran’s preference

Comparative Analysis

Current and former employees (transfers, voluntary demotions, and reinstatements) are required to participate in the comparative analysis process through this job posting.

Applications will be reviewed to determine if you meet the Minimum Qualifications (MQs) for the position. Applicants that meet MQ’s will be included in the Comparative Analysis process. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis which may include, but is not limited to, a suitability screening, training and experience review, eSkills Assessment, oral assessment, written performance assessment or it may include a review of your application and your responses to any supplemental questions by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants. Be sure your application specifically addresses the requirements as listed in the minimum qualifications. Address your specialized experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position duties, required competencies and preferred qualifications in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities. 

DOLA is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Melissa Bellew, DOLA ADA Coordinator at [email protected].

Email Address: All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email. Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email. Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "[email protected]" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email.

Biweekly Pay: As of July 1, 2023, all DOLA new hires, including transfers of current state employees and reinstatements of former state employees, will be placed on the biweekly pay schedule. This means you will be paid every other Friday for a total of 26 pay periods over the course of a year. Biweekly pay is also lag pay, meaning you will be paid two weeks after the end of each pay period. Please click here for more information about the move to biweekly payroll.

Technical Assistance: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) please contact NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files, and second, close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.

Appeal Rights: An applicant who has been removed from consideration during the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board and/or request a review by the State Personnel Director. A standard appeal form is available on the State Personnel Board website,https://spb.colorado.gov/forms-and-filing. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within ten (10) days of your receipt of this notice: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038. Phone: 303-866-3300. Email address: [email protected]. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available atspb.colorado.gov. 

For questions related to this job posting, please reach out to Danielle Milone via email at [email protected].