Accountant III

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Opening Date: September 4, 2024

Closing Date: September 17, 2024

Job Class Code: 0323
Grade:  21
Salary: $44,803 / $62,691 annual

Position Number: 02024-0471 

Location: Winthrop

                                           Only Employees with promotional status within DHHS may apply.

The Accountant III is the lead fiscal position in Disability Determination Services. This position is responsible for financial reporting to the Social Security Administration and the State of Maine.

Core Responsibilities:

•    Maintain, review, and reconcile financial records for the DDS. 
•    Tracking expenditures and preparing the Annual Budget, spending plans, and other state and federal financial documents and reports by the required due dates.
•    Ensuring adequate funds are available to process federal workloads in a timely manner. 
•    Consult with supervisors and managers regarding potential fiscal problems, case needs analysis, budget preparations, monetary state allotments, contracts status, expenditure tracking, and problems related to audits.
•    Troubleshooting complex inquiries on secondary billings from medical community, claimants, and other service providers including making available additional information (i.e. checks, check numbers electronic fund transfers, as necessary). 
•    Understanding Social Security POMS and applying the rules and policies correctly to properly track and report DDS fiscal information.
•    Trains subordinate staff in the principles, practices, policies, and procedures of accounting in order to maintain or improve employee proficiency.
•    Consults and confers with superiors and other agency professionals to provide technical guidance and advice.
•    Implements improvements and changes to state/SSA accounting standards, departmental procedures, or other state policies to ensure compliance with established procedures and maximize unit efficiency.
•    Reviews and analyzes costs and expenditures to accurately assign SSA/State program costs to proper accounts and grants and ensure the proper utilization of funds.

Minimum Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a closely related field and two (2) years of professional accounting or auditing experience to include at least one (1) year of supervisory experience. Related professional work experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

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Agency information: 

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.

The Office for Family Independence is responsible for administration of eligibility determination for a number of programs, including MaineCare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Supplement and Child Support.The Division of Disability Determination Services (DDS) is located in Winthrop and works cooperatively with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to provide timely, accurate and fair disability determinations for Maine citizens seeking social security disability benefits in accordance with Social Security policies, standards and regulations. 

Application Information:

 Please submit all documents or files in  PDF format.

For additional information about this position please contact Ann Joy, Director DDS, (207) 287-9601. 

To request a paper application, please contact Ashley.Smith@Maine.gov .

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96 - $12,514.32 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State. 
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($387.92 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 13.29% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS). 

• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role. 

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. 

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.