STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Fiscal/Administrative Officer

Hybrid

Recruitment #241003-1308AR-001

Introduction



What Makes This Opportunity Unique

As a Fiscal Administrative Officer, you will manage and coordinate Social Security benefits for children in foster care. Your role is crucial to ensuring their financial stability and well-being. You will work with a dedicated team and report to the Fiscal Administrative Supervisor. This position is essential to the financial operations of the DCF, contributing to federal reimbursement of 50% of the annual budget.

Benefits
We prioritize the well-being of our employees and recognize the importance of maintaining a harmonious work-life balance. Alongside competitive compensation, we provide a range of benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.
Responsibilities
  • Act as DCF's representative payee for foster care children receiving SSI/Social Security benefits.
  • Manage and maintain Social Security distributions for children under DCF care.
  • Coordinate and communicate with DCF regional Social Security Liaisons and the Federal Social Security Administration.
  • Oversee Social Security benefit maintenance for 500-600 youth annually.
  • Perform bank reconciliations and manage Social Security Administration correspondence.
  • Collaborate with internal units (Medical Assistance, Eligibility, Claiming) for smooth operational processes.
  • Ensure compliance with federal/state regulations related to Social Security benefits and Title IV-E eligibility.
  • Use MS Access and Excel, applying advanced formulas and balancing accounts.
We are looking for candidates who is
  • Skilled at balancing various responsibilities with ease in dynamic, fast-paced settings.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, fostering open communication and collaboration.
  • Demonstrated experience in managing detailed activity records and client accounts.
  • Capable of interpreting federal legislation and its effects on state representative payee roles.
  • Highly adaptable and proactive, adjusting work plans to meet urgent demands.
Join Us
The mission statement of the Connecticut of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) is to "partner with communities and empower families to raise resilient children who thrive". The DCF's work focuses on: Improving child safety, ensuring more children have permanent families, and advancing the overall well-being of children.

Are you experienced in managing Social Security benefits and navigating federal and state regulations? If you're passionate about making a difference in the lives of foster care youth and have strong skills in financial management and collaboration with government agencies, we invite you to apply for this impactful role!

Selection Plan

  • Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page or view our tutorial. 
  • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.  
  • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.   
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.  
  • Note:  At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.  Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.  
  • Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Liz Pinette at elizabeth.pinette@ct.gov.
  • This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. 
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class. 
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov. 
  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
  • Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency, facility or institution this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of tasks in professional level fiscal and administrative functions.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Performs a variety of professional fiscal and administrative functions;
  • Assists head of fiscal/administrative operations, division head or agency head in budget preparation by compiling and consolidating data and projecting expenditures;
  • Maintains budget control by reviewing and authorizing expenditures and monitoring expenditures against appropriations and allotments;
  • Prepares budget reports;
  • Prepares various financial statements and statistical or narrative fiscal/administrative reports;
  • Assists in planning and implementation of financial aspects of EDP systems;
  • Utilizes EDP systems for financial records, reports and analyses;
  • Prepares or reviews grant budgets and other fiscal portions of grant applications;
  • Provides technical assistance to grantees regarding accounting procedures;
  • Reviews various contracts, financial documents and financial reports to ensure compliance with grant requirements;
  • Exercises functional supervision over a variety of clerical fiscal/administrative activities such as maintenance of accounting records, payroll preparation, preparation and processing of purchase requisitions, grant and contract record keeping;
  • Performs technical purchasing tasks such as soliciting bids and recommending contract awards;
  • Assists in formulation of policies and procedures relating to area(s) of responsibility and implementation of such policies and procedures;
  • Acts as liaison with agency central fiscal and administrative office(s) and/or central state agencies;
  • May supervise support services such as stores, inventory, mailroom, security or maintenance;
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Knowledge of
    • principles and practices of public administration with special reference to governmental budget management and governmental accounting;
    • grants and contracts preparation and administration;
    • purchasing principles and procedures;
    • payroll practices and procedures;
  • Skills
    • interpersonal skills;
    • oral and written communication skills;
  • Ability to
    • prepare and analyze financial documents and reports;
    • interpret and apply statutes, regulations and administrative policies;
    • utilize EDP systems for financial management.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Six (6) years of experience in a combination of fiscal/administrative functions (e.g., accounting, accounts examining, budget management, grant administration, payroll, purchasing) at least one of which must be an accounting or budgeting function.*

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been at or above the paraprofessional level, requiring the exercise of some independent judgment in the application of basic principles and procedures in accounting, budgeting, purchasing or related fiscal administration functions.

NOTE: Connecticut Careers Trainee experience (target Fiscal/Administrative Officer or closely related class) is at the professional training level and above the paraprofessional level.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (l/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
  • A Master's degree in public administration, business administration or accounting may be substituted for one (1) year of the Special Experience.
  • For state employees two (2) years as a Fiscal/Administrative Assistant may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.
  • For state employees two (2) years as a Purchasing Assistant may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.
  • Successful completion of a Connecticut Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience and Special Experience.  
*Descriptions of these fiscal/administrative functions are attached

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience working in a social and human services agency.
  • Experience working with MS Access and MS Excel; using intermediate to advanced level formulas.
  • Experience working with federal agencies, such as the Social Security Administration and interpreting and applying federal and state regulations.
  • Experience with reconciling accounts.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.