Lead Revenue Accountant (Accountant 3)

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical or mental disability. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Lived experience may count towards the preferred qualification. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether or not you meet the qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application.

Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/iP3K7JoLe1k

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity for a Lead Revenue Accountant (Accountant 3) in Portland, Oregon. This position will be based out of DEQ’s Portland office; however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work, with in-office work required one to two days a week. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. This position may require some travel to DEQ offices and sites on an as-needed basis. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality. The Central Services Division (CSD) assists the Agency in achieving its mission by providing central management services for the agency in accounting, budgeting, information systems, human resources, health and safety, training, policy and organizational development, purchasing, and facilities management. The division serves headquarters and 3 regional divisions, the Vehicle Inspection Program, and the Laboratory and Environmental Assessment Division. Services are provided for over 700 positions, various local and regional governments, and directly to citizens.

The Financial Services Section provides agency-wide accounting, audit coordination, contract and agreement compliance, cost recovery project accounting, payroll support, financial reporting services, biennial budget support through preparation and monitoring, emergency board requests, and fiscal analysis of legislation and other proposals.

DEQ has a complex cost structure in order to account for multiple funding sources, which include: General Fund, Federal grants, Lottery funds, a variety of fees, cost recovery reimbursements for cleanup sites, and civil penalties. Each has stringent reporting requirements. DEQ’s cost center structure captures the funding source, activity, location (by region and office), manager, grant, and project. DEQ has approximately 125 funds, 75 activities, 80 active Federal grants, and an excess of over 10,000 projects.

Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.

As the Lead Revenue Accountant, you will have overall responsibility for revenue and accounts receivable. You will be expected to apply advanced accounting theory and a thorough understanding of the Statewide Financial Management System (SFMS) to ensure that accounting transactions are made and recorded in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and related pronouncements, federal grant financial requirements, and statewide accounting policies and procedures. You will be responsible for developing and implementing accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial information; resolving difficult and unusual accounting problems; providing guidance to accounting staff to ensure that all financial reporting requirements for the agency are met; preparing separate DEQ financial statements including disclosures and narratives; preparing special purpose financial reports to meet statutory requirements; and collaborating with accounting and program management in determining ways that accounting information can best be presented and used within the agency. In addition, you will lead and/or participate on accounting-related IT systems development projects, and provide information to State and Federal auditors.

The opportunity to work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! We offer a competitive benefits package that offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members, as well as paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, and 11 paid holidays a year. In addition, we offer membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and you have the opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). If you are passionate about Oregon's environment, apply today!

Minimum Qualifications:

·        Possession of a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Government Financial Manager certificate AND 3 years of accounting experience equivalent to Accountant 2 work, which included designing and modifying accounting systems that require frequent changes in requirements to meet specific business objectives, consulting with program managers or external organizations, and ensuring the proper functioning and accountability of fiscal operations; OR

·        A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or in any discipline that includes or is supplemented by 32 quarter (21 semester) credit hours from an accredited institution in Accounting AND 3 years of related accounting experience equivalent to Accountant 2 work, which included designing and modifying accounting systems that require frequent changes in requirements to meet specific business objectives, consulting with program managers or external organizations, and ensuring the proper functioning and accountability of fiscal operations; OR

·        32 quarter (21 semester) credit hours from an accredited institution in Accounting AND 5 years of related accounting experience to include a) classifying, analyzing, and reconciling complex financial data and records; b) designing, recommending, and installing modifications of accounting methods, procedures, forms, and records; c) preparing audited financial statements and reports; d) analyzing and interpreting laws, regulations, codes, and ordinances to ensure the legality of financial transactions; and e) analyzing and interpreting complex accounts and account relationships resulting in accounting entries.

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following:

·        CPA certificate desirable.

·        Experience with State systems, especially SFMA, R*Stars, OSPA, and Datamart; familiarity with State financial processes.

·        Experience applying audit standards to set-up, monitor, and modify internal procedures.

·        Experience preparing and interpreting financial statements and other financial reports.

·        Experience developing and using computer models to analyze and forecast financial data.

·        Experience reviewing accounting transactions to ensure conformance with generally accepted accounting principles; experience analyzing accounting information and systems to prevent, detect, and correct errors.

·        Experience developing, modifying, and implementing accounting systems and policies.

·        Extensive knowledge of governmental or fund accounting, including sources of funds, segregation, and display of expenditures and revenues; thorough understanding of complex cost structures at State Agencies.

Most work is performed in a professional office setting. There is frequent work under tight deadlines, including daily and monthly deadlines, as well as fiscal year-end deadlines. Extended hours will be needed during fiscal year-end reporting. There will be occasional travel on official State business for meetings, conferences, public hearings, and trainings, some of which may include evening work and/or overnight stays. This job will involve occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

·        External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. Click this link for the External Candidate job aid, and view this video for additional information.

·        Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account. View this job aid for assistance.

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Please Note: In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the “What are we looking for?” section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application material.

DEQ provides veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For more information on veterans’ preference, please visit Veterans Resources, or call the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ preference documents when initially applying. You will be asked to submit those at a later time.

As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. Please visit http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information. Please note: the salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect an additional 6.95% (6% goes to PERS and .95% covers payroll taxes). Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.

DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. On the first day of employment, all hires will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. In addition, hires will have three business days from their first day of employment to present documents that establish employment authorization and identity. DEQ is an E-Verify employer and will use E-Verify to confirm that hires are authorized to work in the United States.

If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, please contact Grecia Lora Motz, Human Resources Analyst, at grecia.loramotz@deq.oregon.gov or (503) 863-0621. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.

Are you interested in an Informational Interview with DEQ to learn more about working at DEQ, how current DEQ employees got to where they are today, and what opportunities there may be for you at DEQ? Please go here and complete the form: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/about-us/Pages/humanresources.aspx. Please note that informational interviews are not tied to an open recruitment. If you complete the form above, you will be put in the queue to have an informational interview with a Hiring Manager from our Informational Interview Registry.