Senior Staff Accountant

State of Maine•Augusta, GA

About The Position

The Directorate of Facilities Engineering (DFE) is seeking a highly skilled, analytical, and detail-oriented Senior Staff Accountant to support the financial integrity, accountability, and operational effectiveness of its fiscal operations. This position performs advanced professional accounting work involving complex governmental accounting, financial reporting, account reconciliation, internal controls, and financial systems management. The successful candidate will help ensure state and federal financial resources are accurately recorded, appropriately managed, and administered in accordance with GAAP, GASB standards, and applicable state and federal regulations. Working with a high degree of independence, the Senior Staff Accountant collaborates with financial management, procurement personnel, program managers, and state and federal fiscal partners to identify financial issues, resolve discrepancies, strengthen internal controls, and improve accounting processes. The role involves independently analyzing financial information, identifying underlying problems, developing practical solutions, and contributing to sound financial decision-making. The position may include supervisory responsibilities if assigned.

Requirements

Intermediate to advanced education, training, and/or experience in accounting, business administration, financial planning, budgeting, or a related field.
Demonstrated competency in analyzing complex data and records, interpreting policies, rules, and laws, designing operational frameworks, identifying process and procedure deficiencies, and developing practical solutions.
Strong understanding of GAAP, GASB, governmental accounting, and fund accounting principles.
Ability to analyze complex financial transactions and accounting relationships and knowledge of financial statement preparation, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
Ability to independently investigate financial discrepancies, identify underlying causes, and develop practical, defensible accounting solutions.
Ability to evaluate financial data for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
Proficiency with computerized accounting systems and financial reporting applications; ability to learn and navigate complex governmental financial systems.
Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including financial analysis, reconciliations, formulas, and data organization.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain financial issues and recommendations to accounting and non-accounting personnel.
Ability to work effectively with multiple departments and financial stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex assignments with limited supervision.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and commitment to accuracy.
Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, meet deadlines, and take ownership of responsibilities through resolution.

Nice To Haves

Experience in governmental or public-sector accounting.
Experience with state and federal fund accounting, including restricted funding sources.
Experience with federal grants, cooperative agreements, and reimbursement processes.
Experience with complex account reconciliation and financial discrepancy resolution.
Experience using the State of Maine Advantage financial management system.
Experience with budgetary accounting, appropriations, allotments, and encumbrance management.
Experience developing and implementing internal accounting controls.
Experience with financial reporting and advanced Microsoft Excel analysis.
Experience with process improvement, accounting system evaluation, and financial workflow development.
Experience providing technical guidance to accounting staff.

Responsibilities

Perform complex reconciliations of financial accounts, expenditures, revenues, encumbrances, and related accounting records; investigate discrepancies, identify causes, and initiate corrective actions.
Analyze complex and nonstandard accounting transactions, determine appropriate accounting treatment, and prepare or review adjusting journal entries and other financial corrections with complete documentation and audit trails.
Ensure transactions are properly classified, supported, recorded, and reconciled; identify recurring accounting errors and recommend lasting solutions.
Apply GAAP, GASB standards, governmental fund accounting principles, and applicable state and federal financial requirements.
Monitor compliance with accounting policies, fiscal controls, funding restrictions, and reporting requirements; review transactions for correct funding sources, accounts, and fiscal periods.
Evaluate complex accounting matters involving multiple funding sources and fiscal restrictions; identify potential compliance concerns and recommend corrective measures.
Use the State of Maine’s Advantage financial management system to research transactions, analyze financial activity, identify errors, and support accurate reporting.
Evaluate accounting workflows, procedures, and controls; develop and recommend improvements to reconciliation procedures, reporting tools, internal controls, and standardized financial tracking and reporting mechanisms.
Coordinate with fiscal and technical personnel to resolve financial system issues and support financial data accuracy, consistency, documentation, and accessibility.
Analyze appropriations, allotments, expenditures, encumbrances, and available resources; prepare and interpret reports for budget monitoring, planning, and management decisions.
Assist with cash forecasts, expenditure projections, revenue estimates, funding analyses, and financial information for budget orders, financial orders, and other funding actions.
Identify financial trends, funding constraints, and potential budgetary issues; communicate findings and recommendations to management.
Support accounting and reporting requirements for state- and federally funded operations, including reconciliation of state expenditures, federal funding authorizations, reimbursement activity, and related records.
Collaborate with personnel responsible for federal reimbursement requests, including Standard Form 270 (SF-270), to support accurate and timely reimbursement processes.
Research and resolve discrepancies between state accounting records and federal financial documentation; coordinate with internal and external fiscal partners to ensure transactions meet funding requirements.
Develop, evaluate, and maintain accounting controls that safeguard public funds and promote accountability; ensure transactions are authorized, documented, and supported.
Maintain organized financial records for reviews and audits, identify practices that could create compliance risks or audit findings, and recommend or implement corrective actions.
Provide technical accounting guidance and support to professional and paraprofessional accounting personnel; collaborate with accounts payable, procurement, engineering, and other operational staff to resolve accounting issues.
Communicate complex financial matters clearly; manage responsibilities independently, establish priorities, meet deadlines, exercise sound judgment, and follow issues through resolution.
Provide guidance, training, and technical assistance to staff as appropriate and support a professional, respectful, collaborative, and accountable work environment.
Perform supervisory responsibilities if assigned.

Benefits

13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually; vacation accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
The State pays 85%-100% of employee-only health insurance premiums, depending on salary; participation in the Health Insurance Premium Credit program can decrease employee-only premiums by 5%.
The State pays 100% of employee-only dental insurance premiums.
The State contributes 14.06% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).
Gym membership reimbursement of up to $40 per month.
Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
Eligibility for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness.
Living Resources employee assistance program.
Forty-two consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave for employees welcoming a child; additional unpaid leave may also be available under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Voluntary deferred compensation through a MaineSaves 457(b) account.
Additional wellness benefits for State employees; benefits may vary by collective bargaining agreement and are prorated for less than full-time employment.