State of Maryland

A Financial Compliance Auditor Trainee is the entry level of work examining and analyzing the business records and accounting systems of a State agency, grantee, business or other entity to verify reliability, accuracy and compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and with statutes or contract provisions.  The audits are performed independently or as a member of an audit team.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Financial Compliance Auditor Supervisor or other designated administrator.  Technical guidance may be received from a Financial Compliance Auditor, Lead.  The work may require extended travel both in and out of State.  Financial Compliance Auditors are differentiated from Internal Auditors based on the scope of the audits performed.  Financial Compliance Auditors audit for finance and compliance.  Internal Auditors audit for finance and compliance as well as program results and economy and efficiency.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Financial Compliance Auditor Trainee, Financial Compliance Auditor I and Financial Compliance Auditor II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Financial Compliance Auditor Trainee learns to perform duties under close supervision.  The Financial Compliance Auditor I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Financial Compliance Auditor II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to perform financial and compliance audits of a State agency, grantee, business or other entity to determine financial status and compliance with pertinent laws, regulations and contract provisions;

Learns to identify the areas to be examined based on the nature of the entity to be audited, prior audit reports, contracts, State and federal laws and regulations and other related documents and issues;

Learns to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of an entity's internal controls by reviewing and verifying adherence to policies and procedures meant to insure the reliability and accuracy of financial data and reports and compliance with pertinent laws and regulations;

Learns to develop specific audit work plans based on established audit programs and procedures and pre-audit research showing the purpose of the audit, areas targeted for examination, type and extent of audit tests and an estimate of the time needed to complete the audit;

Learns to examine manual or automated records and to conduct interviews to determine the proper recording of transactions and compliance with pertinent laws, regulations and contract provisions;

Learns to review and verify documentation regarding material assets, net worth, liabilities, income and expenditures;

Learns to inspect postings and entries in automated or manually maintained financial records to determine if generally accepted accounting principles were followed in recording transactions;

Learns to verify automated or manual journal and ledger entries of cash receipts and check payments, purchases, expenses, payroll and trial balances;

Learns to identify exceptions to generally accepted accounting principles, noncompliance with pertinent laws, regulations and contract provisions and to determine any funds that may be owed to the State;

Learns to prepare workpapers to document findings;

Learns to prepare audit reports;

Learns to participate in pre-audit and post-audit conferences with management and employees of the audited entity;

Learns to perform special audits and investigations as required;

May attend courses and seminars in auditing techniques and procedures and in changes and revisions to pertinent laws and, regulations;

May learn to participate in legislative audit coordination and follow-up;

May learn to use a computer to perform audit tasks;

May learn to perform reviews of financial statements and audit reports prepared by outside auditors or Certified Public Accountants to determine the adequacy of the reports and the effect of audit findings;

May learn to explain and defend audit findings at informal and formal appeals and exit conferences;

Learns to perform other related duties.

Knowledge of generally accepted auditing standards and practices and governmental auditing standards and practices;

Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles;

Knowledge of the principles of internal control;

Knowledge of business administration and management practices;

Ability to learn to analyze automated and manual records, reports and other business and financial documents and find details and facts pertinent to the audit assignment;

Ability to learn to determine compliance or noncompliance with the provisions of statutes and contracts;

Ability to learn to prepare accurate and concise audit workpapers and reports;

Ability to use computers and software related to auditing;

Ability to communicate ideas and information;

Ability to manage work time efficiently and effectively under deadlines;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the employees and representatives of the entities being audited and with colleagues.

Education:   A Bachelor's degree in Accounting from an accredited college or university or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with 30 credit hours in Accounting and related courses, including or supplemented by 3 credit hours in auditing.

Experience: None.

Note: Applicants who had met the requirements for admission to the CPA examination prior to July 1, 1974 will be considered to have met the educational requirement.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G-Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.