ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR

As the Accounting Coordinator at the Office of Child Support Services, your primary responsibilities will include supervising the accounting functions related to the disbursement of over $500 million in child support payments annually, ensuring accuracy and timeliness in processing and reconciliation. You'll assist the Director in managing the Accounting Unit, evaluate the quality of work from accounting staff, conduct regular audits, and maintain oversight of emergency manual check processing. This role is crucial for supporting the overall function of the accounting department and safeguarding the needs of families.

To qualify for the Accounting Coordinator position at the Office of Child Support Services, candidates must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, including 24 semester credits in accounting. Alternatively, a valid New York State Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is acceptable. Candidates should have at least one year of experience as an Accountant at Level I or two years of professional accounting or auditing experience. This ensures that the Coordinator can effectively manage the responsibilities of the role with confidence.

The Accounting Coordinator plays a vital role in ensuring efficient operations at the Office of Child Support Services by supervising the accounting staff, guiding them in their tasks, and routinely assessing their performance. In collaboration with the Director, the Coordinator identifies areas for improvement and implements training to enhance skills. Close monitoring of collections and disbursements further helps in maintaining the flow of finances accurately while troubleshooting any issues that arise, thereby increasing overall departmental efficacy.

An Accounting Coordinator at the Office of Child Support Services works in a supportive and inclusive environment that values diversity. The role involves collaboration with various teams, including interactions with Fiscal and Enforcement Services Directors, fostering teamwork and open communication. With structured hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., this role provides a balanced work-life atmosphere while allowing you to engage meaningfully with the community.

Accounting Coordinators at the Office of Child Support Services have several career advancement opportunities as they gain experience in handling complex accounting operations. Your supervisory experience and the insights gained from managing a team could lead to higher-level positions within the accounting department or even opportunities in management roles across the organization. Continuous professional development and additional certifications further enhance your eligibility for advancement.

When answering this question, outline your attention to detail and systematic approach. You could discuss employing reconciliations, regular audits, and collaborative reviews with your team to ensure accuracy. Mention how you adapt to new accounting regulations and keep up with best practices to maintain data integrity.

Begin your response by emphasizing the importance of investigating discrepancies thoroughly. You may want to say that you trace the source of discrepancies and involve relevant stakeholders, ensuring transparent communication throughout the resolution process. Your proactive approach to documenting findings and implementing solutions is crucial to fostering trust and accountability.

Share an example from your previous experience, focusing on how you lead by example, set clear expectations, and provide constructive feedback to your team. Discuss how your mentoring has contributed to team growth and how you've identified training needs for your staff.

List specific accounting software you’ve used and how you leverage its features to enhance productivity. Also, mention your commitment to continuous learning, such as attending workshops or participating in online training to keep up with advancements in technology and accounting practices.

Focus on a specific example where you analyzed your team's workflows and pinpointed a bottleneck. Discuss the steps you took to communicate your findings and implement more efficient processes or technologies that improved accuracy and saved time.

In answering this question, describe your method for organizing tasks based on urgency and importance. You might discuss the use of project management tools or creating a schedule to keep both short-term and long-term deadlines in view. Emphasize your ability to communicate effectively with your team to ensure everyone is aligned.

Discuss challenges such as maintaining compliance with evolving regulations and managing differing payment schedules of clients. Show your understanding of the implications by explaining how you would prepare to address these challenges with transparent communication and process optimization.

Express a passion for community service and the importance of child support. You could also highlight how the mission of OCSS aligns with your professional values and how your skills can contribute to achieving its goals effectively.

Articulate a systematic approach to auditing, including setting a schedule for audits, reviewing compliance with accounting principles, and engaging team members in the process. Speak to how audits help maintain transparency and reliability in accounting operations.

Focus on your empathetic approach to team dynamics. Discuss how you engage in dialogue with struggling team members, understand their challenges, offer appropriate resources or training, and encourage a collaborative atmosphere to help them overcome obstacles.