ACCOUNTANT SUPERVISOR - 0013500

About the Position

The Illinois State Police (ISP) Forensic Sciences Command (FSC) is seeking a motivated individual to fill a Accountant Supervisor position at the Forensic Science Center at Chicago. The ISP FSC is the third largest forensic laboratory system in the world, and the Forensic Science Center at Chicago has over 150 employees at the facility. This laboratory has an over two-million-dollar budget. Through delegated authority, this leader will be responsible for the accounting work and fiscal transactions of these funds. This individual will be maintaining the highest level of quality for the work and providing reports and recommendations to laboratory management. The ideal candidate should be a critical thinker and detail oriented. This position will work cooperatively with various staff in the laboratory and fiscal personnel in Illinois State Police.

The State of Illinois continually strives for a workforce that reflects the growing diversity within the state. A variety of employee backgrounds, perspectives, ideals and experiences is crucial to the ISP’s ability to most effectively serve the public.

Job Responsibilities

25% 1. Independently prepares and audits technical accounting work such as annual and monthly fiscal reports, contracts, material requests, delivery orders, invoice vouchers, out-of-state/in-state travel requests, and travel vouchers.

• Monitors progress of fiscal transactions as they move through the proper channels using the computerized tracking report.
• Maintains complex accounts.
• Edits and completes fiscal records by examination to determine genuineness, propriety, and compliance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department of Central Management Services (CMS) and the Office of the Comptroller for various cost centers.
• Maintains a computerized fiscal database.
• Verifies accuracy and validity of reports, performs analysis of diversified entries on financial files, and initiates corrective action when required.
• Obligates funds. Balances, reconciles cost centers' expenditures, and prepares monthly reconciliation and expenditure reports.
• Provides a monthly report to the laboratory management detailing free balance, obligations, and expenditures.
• Monitors the work of the professional, technical, and clerical staff between vendors, user agencies, and professional staff.
• Resolve non-technical issues, inquiries, and explanations of procedures and services for the laboratory programs.

25% 2. Supervises a small fiscal staff.

•  Assigns and reviews work.
•  Provides guidance and training to assigned staff.
•  Counsels staff regarding work performance.
•  Reassigns staff to meet day-to-day operating needs.
•  Establishes annual goals and objectives.
•  Approves time-off.
•  Signs performance evaluations

25% 3. Assists laboratory management in preparing the annual laboratory budget (gathers information considering future program needs, makes recommendations, prepares paperwork, checks mathematical computations, and compares expenditures from previous year).

•  Provides laboratory management with fiscal projections.
•  Determines if proper accounting, fiscal and tax systems, procedures, and methods are being utilized and recommends changes in procedures and methods if necessary.
•  Gives fiscal guidance to professional/administrative staff.
•  Communicates with the fiscal personnel at Command, in other laboratories, and at the Office of Finance.
•  Updates and reviews annual laboratory contracts.
•  Ensures timely distribution of information from the Office of Finance, Chief Procurement Office, and the Office of the Comptroller.
•  Makes laboratory management/personnel aware of fiscal changes

(Job Responsibilities continued)

10% 4. Initiates contact with vendors or receives inquiries regarding payment status and other problems.

• Maintains good public relations with vendors.
• Represents the Forensic Science Center at Chicago for all fiscal audits.
• Monitors posting of financial information to fiscal records; reconciles, audits, and corrects all entries; closes cost center accounts.
• Prepares or assists laboratory/Commend personnel in preparing difficult financial reports for the department.

10% 5. Performs other complex account responsibilities.

•  Prepares complex technical reports and assists in office management.
•  Monitors the fiscal aspect of all equipment repairs.
•  Monitors the design of databases needed for generating documents and reports.
•  Monitors various laboratory database files such as those regarding laboratory inventory.

5% 6. Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Minimum Requirements

1. Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four years college, with courses in business administration and accounting.
2. Requires two years of professional experience in accounting, external auditing, budgetary planning and control or public accounting.

Preferred Qualifications

1. At least six (6) years of knowledge of accounting and auditing theory, principles, methods and procedures.
2. At least four (4) years of experience in preparing comprehensive accounting reports.
3. Bachelor’s degree with coursework in Accounting and/or Business Administration.
4. At least two (2) years of experience in evaluating more difficult accounting problems and to analyze and interpret more complex accounting records.
5. At least four (4) years of experience in reviewing detailed work including written or numerical data and to make calculations rapidly and accurately. 

6. At least two (2) years of knowledge of laws, rules and regulations relating to state or non-state accounting or auditing procedures.
7. At least two (2) years of experience in determining violations and noncompliance with the law and to detect and explain significant irregularities.
8. At least two (2) years of experience of office methods, procedures, standard office accounting machines and equipment.
9. At least one (1) year of experience in supervising a staff of subordinates engaged in general accounting, budgeting or external auditing activities.
10. At least two (2) years of experience in establishing and maintaining satisfactory working relationships with co-workers, law enforcement personnel, and legal system personnel.

Conditions of Employment

1. Successful completion of initial and on-going, random, alcohol and drug screens

2. Successful completion of a background investigation

3. Successful completion of a polygraph examination

4. Ability to travel on an as-needed basis

5. No felony or misdemeanor convictions.

About the Agency

The Illinois State Police strives for excellence, seeking to be one of the premier policing agencies in the country. Our core values are Integrity, Service, and Pride. We are seeking individuals with similar values to join us on our mission to promote public safety.