Accountant I

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey.

About the Role

Come work in an environment where we truly value and respect those we serve and believe in the mission that all people can achieve a higher level of wellness and independence. The state supported living centers serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are medically fragile or who have behavioral problems. The centers provide campus-based direct services and supports at 13 centers located throughout the state.

If you are looking for a place to work where you can establish a career that is filled with purpose, this is the job for you! The Accountant I reports directly to the Regional Accounting Manager and provides administrative and financial support services. The Accountant I routinely performs entry-level accounting work for the financial office, such as handling trust fund and petty cash reimbursements, requisition entry, telecommunication coordination, expenditure transfer vouchers, payroll/paymaster duties (employees and client/resident), and backup Accounting Technician II as needed.

The Accountant I must have a working knowledge of the HHSC rules and facility policies and procedures, demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing, and provide training as needed to other employees. Completion of job duties requires working under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment and providing excellent customer service to all consumers.

Responsibilities

• Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.
• Coordinates with State Office Paymasters, Warrant Distribution, and Time Labor and Leave personnel on internal payroll matters, including monitoring employees' leave status and preventing salary overpayments.
• Processes voucher reversals and cancellations to prevent salary overpayments for terminated employees.
• Creates packets of salary overpayment information to send to State office paymasters and certified letters to terminated employees regarding overpayments.
• Tracks when salary overpayments are repaid by employees.
• Produces warrant registers to verify payment and employment details and prepares payroll warrants for distribution to employees.
• Assists employees with payroll and insurance-related questions.
• Generates and processes purchase vouchers for clients/residents' payroll workshop program from their timesheets.
• Tracks and reports clients/residents' earnings in a spreadsheet for State Office Accounting 1099 reporting at the end of the year.
• Enters trust fund and petty cash reimbursement vouchers, auditing and verifying all source documents from the facilities for accuracy and timeliness.
• Processes expenditure transfer voucher requests, including correction vouchers for wrong accounting codes and billing for shared services between SSLCs and SHs.
• Coordinates with State Office Accounting and Budget staff to ensure validity of coding, funding, and proper processing of accounts payable transactions through the accounting system (Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel System, CAPPS).
• Serves as the facility telecommunications coordinator, maintaining and tracking telecommunication equipment such as pagers, cell phones, and the local telephone system.
• Reviews and approves user accounts under the State office accounting telecommunication databases.
• Participates in special projects as required or requested, coordinating with staff within the agency, other state and federal agencies, or outside entities.
• Provides backup coverage for others in the unit and team members using a rotational task schedule, including backup for the Accounting Technician as needed.

Requirements

• Requires a valid driver’s license.
• Applicants must pass a fingerprint criminal background check, pre-employment drug screen, and registry checks including the Client Abuse/Neglect Reporting System (CANRS), Nurse Aide, Medication Aide, and Employee Misconduct and HHS List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE).
• Males between the ages of 18 – 25 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• All State Supported Living Center Employees are subject to random drug testing.
• Flexibility in work hours may be required; the position may require working overtime and/or extended hours, weekends, and holidays.
• All applicants must be at least 18 years of age to be considered for employment at a state-operated facility.

Qualifications

• Experience in accounting and financial operations.
• Experience with a computerized accounting or bookkeeping system.
• Experience in oral or written communications.
• Experience in local, state, and federal laws and regulations relevant to financial operations of a public entity is preferred.
• Graduated from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, or a related field is generally preferred. Experience and education may be substituted for one another.

Skills

• Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and procedures affecting maintenance of accounting records.
• Skill in the use of automated accounting systems.
• Ability to review and audit the work of others, interpret and apply accounting theory, business processes, and Comptroller policies.
• Ability to analyze, consolidate, and interpret accounting data.
• Ability to efficiently process accounting information to ensure data integrity for positive audits and accurate reports.
• Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, with internal and external customers.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Access.

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees.
• A defined benefit pension plan.
• Generous time off benefits.
• Numerous opportunities for career advancement.

Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage.

Pay

Salary Range: $3,248.00 - $4,837.08 per month.

Schedule

• Full-time.
• Day shift.
• Not eligible for telework.
• Travel: Up to 5%.