Job Description

Posting number: 55938

Department: Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education

Division: Finance

Job classification: ACCOUNTANT

Posting type: Open

Categories: Accounting and Finance

Summary

Are you seeking a unique State of Alaska accounting position?

Do you enjoy working independently and managing a dedicated team?

Do you believe supporting Alaska’s students in their educational path a worthwhile endeavor?

If you answered yes to these questions, you are encouraged to apply for this position!

Position Summary:

The Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) is seeking an Accountant 5 as a subject matter expert on the financial aspects of Alaska Student Loan Corporation (ASLC) loans and Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE); the platforms used to originate and service loans, account for balances, and report activity; and the structures necessary to establish efficient and accurate controls and reporting. This position is responsible for completion and coordination of work efforts of loan-related disclosures and workpapers in the financial statements for the ASLC.

This position supervises staff responsible for recording and tracking financial activity on the loans in the general ledger (IRIS); confirming the timeliness and accuracy of loans originated and financial activity recorded in the subsidiary ledger (COMPASS); and analyzing, monitoring, maintaining, and reporting on loan related assets, liabilities, equities, revenues and expenditures recorded in multiple funds and within multiple bank accounts.

Why Join Our Team:

Mission: ACPE provides sustainable solutions for college, career and technical training. We are a collaborative team that supports one another. We actively support and model ACPE’s values: Service, Innovation, Empowerment, Quality, and Accountability. For more information about ACPE, our mission and our services, visit our website at: http://acpe.alaska.gov

Culture: We value continuous learning and growth. ACPE is the State’s postsecondary education agency, promoting access to, and success in, education and career training after high school. We are Alaska’s trusted higher education agency; our purpose is to serve Alaskans. We operate with integrity in everything we do.

Professional Growth: We support training for employees and have opportunities for upward mobility. ACPE seeks engaged candidates who are eager to expand their knowledge and skills. We are committed to providing the training and support needed for the right candidate to succeed.

Office Location: This position is located in Juneau. ACPE’s Juneau office is located in the Vintage Business Park area of Mendenhall Valley; conveniently close to public transportation and we have ample parking available.

Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule: This position offers a flexible/hybrid work schedule. However, during the probationary period, employees are required to work full-time, in person, at the Juneau office, Monday through Friday. For more information, please review the State of Alaska Telework Policy.

Upon successfully completing the probationary period, employees become eligible to telework from Juneau, AK. Employees may telework up to four days per week and work in-person at the Anchorage or Juneau office one day per week. Currently, all staff work in-office on Wednesday; this schedule may change based on agency needs, operational needs, special projects, meetings, or other job responsibilities that may require employees to work in the office more frequently. Employees should be prepared to report to the office as needed.

Benefits: As a State of Alaska employee, you may be eligible for a comprehensive benefits package. Actual benefits vary based on bargaining unit, position type, and full – or part-time status.

For complete information about insurance, retirement, and leave benefits, visit the State of Alaska Division of Retirement and Benefits website.

Insurance Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contributions
• Employer-paid Basic Life Insurance (additional optional coverage may be available)
• Optional insurance plans, including long- and short-term disability, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), long-term care, and supplemental survivor benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits:

• Membership in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) or Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), as applicable
• Employer contributions to defined benefit or defined contribution retirement plans, depending on date of hire
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity in lieu of Social Security
• Optional participation in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program

Paid Leave and Other Benefits:

• Personal leave that increases with years of service
• Twelve paid State holidays each year

What You’ll Do:

• Manage, serve as primary source of staff coverage and review work of staff responsible for education loan payments, scholarship/grant and education loan funding, education loan disbursements and refunds, accurate recording of all activity to the general ledger, tracking and clearing deposit activity, transferring loan receipts from depository bank account to proper bank account, reconciling the depository bank account and various balance sheet accounts.
• Finance liaison for loan servicer (AES) responsible for: understanding and relaying updates to the loan servicing guidelines or other documents, managing finance loan related oversight and monitoring tasks, understanding AES’s financial and administrative processes and reports, and constructing tools and resources for finance staff in relation to the servicer’s loan data.
• Manage and review work of staff responsible for monitoring federal loan reporting required by USDOE; paying/depositing of net SAP and Interest Benefits; validating federal loan repurchases; tracking federal consolidations and claims, properly recording related entries in IRIS, and the preparation of the schedule of federal financial assistance related to participation in federal loan programs, and the annual federal awards report for the ASLC.
• Assist with the coordination of efforts to manage the preparation of loan related audit schedules that support ASLC financial statements which includes but is not limited to: liaison for loan related tasks; coordinate staff schedules and assignments; review partner SOC I reports and document results; ensure user entity controls are in place and documented; ensure loan and origination support documentation is accurate; document and/or provide partner and loan related process overviews; manage and review work of staff responsible for loan related disclosures and workpapers, including preparing workpapers used to support the estimate loan and interest loss allowances and reconciling the education loan system to the general ledger.
• Assist staff with developing, updating and implementing processes and procedures to comply with governing rules and regulations, eliminate duplication of effort, enhance efficiencies and ensure sound financial and internal control practices. Edit, approve, publish, and ensure accuracy and maintenance of procedures, guides, tools, forms on ACPE’s SharePoint site.
• Research issues, test and implement updates, maintain mapping documents, and relay changes between AES, ACPE, and DOA (IRIS only) related to IRIS and InfoCentre structures. Manage and assist staff responsible for creating, editing, and publishing ALDER reports for the Finance loans unit and intermittently payable/budget unit. Design, implement and maintain structures for various systems used by loan staff: IRIS and Infocentre.
• Manage and review work of staff responsible for calculating and recording subsidized interest on non-Federal loans accurately.
• Serve as Finance representative (in-person and via MS Teams) on agency wide projects as needed and manage and support staff participating in loan-related projects, such as: annual write-offs, PFD garnishments, and new year loan offerings.
• Other duties as assigned, including ad hoc and routine loan data analysis and reporting.

What We’re Looking For – Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge:

• Accounting theory, concepts, principles, methods, and terminology.
• Sound internal controls.
• Responsibilities associated with supervising and managing staff.
• Data processing as applied to financial control and accounting systems.
• Federal and state laws, regulations, guidance and precedents relating to ACPE and ASLC.

Skills:

• Analyzing accounts, interpreting the significance and interrelationships of financial data, and preparing sound financial management recommendations.
• Preparing accurate, complete, and concise financial reports and statements.
• Developing, analyzing, maintaining and implementing improvements to manual and/or automated financial systems.
• Communicating technical financial information to those who may not have an accounting background.
• Being objective and discrete in obtaining and using sensitive information.
• Developing an approach to solve complex problems in a timely manner.
• Managing change.
• Producing an effective and efficient work product with limited guidance.
• Managing staff and projects with competing deadlines.
• Using computer-based software spreadsheet applications and accounting systems.

Abilities:

• Design approaches to new programs/processes with limited prior exposure.
• Design new approaches to existing programs and processes.
• Resolve issues where governing laws and regulations are highly interpretive and precedents are nonexistent or conflicting.
• Plan and coordinate problem resolutions that involve a number of organizational units.
• Conduct examinations requiring an integrated analysis of intricate and complex accounting systems and business activities.
• Instruct, supervise and evaluate employees.
• Communicate effectively with others, verbally and in writing.
• Team building.

Examples of duties

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in Accounting or Finance

AND

Two years of advanced professional-level accounting or financial management experience.

The required experience includes such work as analysis, preparation, or evaluation of financial records and reports; financial auditing; or accounting systems administration.

Substitutions:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college that includes at least 15 semester/20 quarter hours in Accounting or Finance, of which at least 9 semester/12 quarter hours are upper-division coursework will substitute for the required degree.

Four years of any combination of post-secondary education from an accredited college (3 semester/4 quarter hours equal one month) and/or practical, responsible accounting experience will substitute for the required degree, if it includes at least 15 semester/20 quarter hours in Accounting or Finance of which at least 3 semester/4 quarter hours are upper-division coursework.

Certification as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, or Certified Government Financial Manager will substitute for the required degree and one year of advanced professional level accounting experience.

Special Note:

“Upper-division coursework” means coursework that is specialized, in-depth and advanced. Such coursework emphasizes problem-solving, analytical thinking skills, and theoretical applications, with depth and rigor in a discipline’s theories and methods; specialization in a particular field or profession; refinement of general education; and/or development of specific intellectual and professional skills. Upper-division coursework is commonly identified in college catalogs as 300 level and higher. “Practical, responsible experience” means active participation applying the practices and methods of a profession based on good judgment and sound thinking with personal accountability and reliability. Clerical experience is not considered practical, responsible experience.

Qualifications

Other Information:

This is a fully exempt job class under AS 39.25.110(11).

Additional Required Information:

COVER LETTER REQUIRED

In accordance with the State of Alaska Cover Letter Policy, this position is a Range 17 or higher. The duties of this position require the evaluation of competencies that cannot be fully assessed through the application alone; therefore, a cover letter is required and must be submitted with your online application. You cover letter should be no more than one page (2-3 paragraphs).

In your cover letter, describe how your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience align with the key responsibilities and desired qualifications outlined in this job bulletin. If you reference work experience that is not already documented in your application, include the employer’s name, job title, dates of employment, whether the position was full-time or part-time, and a brief description of your responsibilities.

Applicants who do not submit a cover letter or who fail to adequately address the requested information may not advance to the next stage of the recruitment and selection process.

Education: If postsecondary education is being used to meet minimum qualifications, you must complete the Education and Training section of the application and attach your transcripts to your application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of credit hours earned in the “Degrees Obtained” field.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Interview:

Applicants invited for an interview will be required to provide the following at the time of the interview:

• List of three (3) professional references including current daytime phone numbers.
• Copies of your two (2) most recent performance evaluations. Letters of reference may be substituted for evaluations.

THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY

This recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet Alaska Residency Requirements to be considered for employment at this time.

Special Notice: Please Read Carefully.

An applicant’s response to the minimum qualification question must be supported by the job application.

This position is established as an exempt position range 22.

This position is in the exempt service; therefore, it is not covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. As a result, ACPE may choose to fill this position as soon as a qualified applicant is identified. While ACPE is in the Department of Education and Early Development for administrative support services only, the Commission and its staff are not subject to the direction of the Commissioner of Education and Early Development nor the State Board of Education.

Applicants with an educational loan through the Commission must be current in payments to be considered for employment. A routine background check will be conducted on those applicants interviewed and under serious consideration for the position.

EEO Statement:

The State of Alaska complies with Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or 465-4095 in Juneau or 907-465-3412(TTY) or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.

Supplemental information

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE

Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov. For applicant password assistance please visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword

Or call: 855-524-5627

For specific information about this position, please contact the hiring manager at the following:

Kerry Thomas, Executive Director

Kerry.Thomas@alaska.gov