Consumer Accountant

Who We Are

At Sertoma Star Services, we're on a mission to empower individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and those living with mental illness to reach their goals and lead fulfilling lives. With a strategic presence in South Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, we proudly serve over 2,000 consumers through a diverse range of vocational, educational, therapeutic, and residential programs.

Department: Finance Status: Full‑time

The Consumer Accountant is responsible for all benefit and financial reporting done on behalf of the consumer. This position is responsible for monitoring and completing necessary follow‑up in relation to Representative Payee Social Security Benefits. This position works closely with Program Staff to ensure timely filing of benefits, including Social Security, Public Aid, Medicare/Medicaid, and LINK. The Consumer Accounting Analyst will ensure accurate consumer financial reconciliations and accurate data entry into the accounting system for all cash receipts and cash disbursements.

Completes consumer reconciliations monthly to ensure proper accounting of inflows and outflows. Updates shared spreadsheets to ensure communication with Program Staff.

• Reviews new consumer intake paperwork for our Residential Programs and requests Representative Payee changes to Sertoma Star Services, Inc. Ensures new data is added to systems and storage databases.
• Completes and manages Social Security Representative Payee Reports.
• Adheres to guidelines set forth by Social Security and Sertoma Star Services, Inc., as a designated Representative Payee.
• Tracks and updates shared spreadsheets related to the filing of renewals for consumers Medicaid Eligibility, Link redeterminations as needed.
• Maintains bank accounts, True Link accounts, IL ABLE accounts for consumers and monthly reporting of balances internally/externally as needed.
• Monitors all Financial Earned Income records on a monthly basis to ensure consumers do not go over the allowed gross earned income amount per Social Security Guidelines (maintain and track community pay stubs) and submits reports to Social Security office monthly.
• Manages the CILA SSA/SSI Group bank account, which includes entering all benefit checks received, producing monthly spreadsheets by consumer, tracking funds received and given out, and ensuring all the proper documentation has been received.
• Maintains the consumer personal needs accounts, processes all disbursement requests and maintains personal needs account schedules for all consumers, and reconciles to the general ledger.
• Notifies Social Security, Public Aid, and LINK office if a consumer transitions out of services.
• Works with Program Staff to transition all consumers to electronic payments, personal needs accounts and statements.
• Prepares monthly expense analysis for ICILA Consumers.
• Records receipts of all monthly benefits for all CST Consumers for which Sertoma Star Services is Representative Payee.
• Maintains a spreadsheet of CST consumer transactions that records all disbursements from their funds (e.g., rent, utilities, and individual money requests), ensuring that consumer does not exceed their available funds; reconciles to the general ledger.
• Processes monthly rent invoicing or internal rent transfers for CST and CILA/ICILA consumers.
• Works collaboratively with other agency staff and external customers to enhance communication, maintain positive work relationships, identify the needs of others, provide timely response and promote teamwork for the common purpose of internal and external customer service.
• Demonstrates the capacity to manage multiple demands, with flexibility in adapting to new challenges, while maintaining priorities.
• Attends Program department meetings as Finance liaison.
• Responds in a timely manner to CST consumer funding requests made by CST Team as needed.
• Performs periodic audits of CST expenses, CILA expenses, and consumer assets for residents of the CILA program.
• Prepares all weekly and bi‑monthly reports as requested and ad‑hoc reports as needed.
• Attends all agency‑mandated training within required time frames.
• Meets requirements and maintains…