Accountant Advanced

Introduction

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is a department under Maryland's Executive Branch. Formed in 1972 by the Maryland General Assembly to address the agriculture needs for the State of Maryland, the Department oversees and serves as a regulatory body for animal health, consumer services to include marketing and lab services, plant and pest management and resource conservation. As the number one industry in Maryland, the diversity of agriculture programs in the State continue to expand and grow.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Fiscal Services Department supports the agency’s programs and operations through effective management of accounting, budgeting, payroll, financial reporting, and other fiscal activities. The Department helps ensure the responsible management of State and federal resources while supporting MDA’s mission and programs.

17

MDA Headquarters:
Annapolis, MD

Assists the Director of Budget and Capital Grants and the Fiscal Services Chief with examining, analyzing and interpreting MDA's accounting systems (FMIS & Web-Focus), records and reports by applying generally accepted accounting principles in order to monitor and maintain MDA's accounting systems (FMIS & Web Focus); prepare financial reports and statements and give fiscal advice to management. In addition, applies the principles of accounting to develop and implement detail sub-accounting systems and spreadsheets not available in the general accounting systems (FMIS & Web Focus).

These specialized duties are performed in areas of Revenue, Expenditure & Encumbrance Accounting, Cost Accounting, Systems Accounting, Federal Fund Accounting, Easement Accounting and Budgetary Accounting.

Duties include but are not limited to the following:
Conducts reconciliations of expenditure, revenue, to determine the accuracy and materiality, selecting the proper accounting treatment and maintain documentation of accounts. Performs advanced level cost accounting, systems accounting, federal fund accounting in preparation of financial reports for use by management, which includes instituting and maintaining accounting systems for fund allocations and reconciling these accounts to internal and external accounting systems projections.

Reviews and authorizes detailed costs and systems accounting changes, federal fund distributions for inclusion in the general accounting system. Prepares and processes adjustments to correct errors and allocate payments in FMIS (RST ARS), including correcting errors as reported by FMIS (RSTARS). Meets with agency management personnel and program managers to discuss and resolve advanced level accounting problems and issues.

Assists in the preparation of MDA's operating budget by using the new enterprise budget system - BARS. Become a subject matter expert on BARS. Participate in budget meeting every year during the budget season. Prepares transfers, budget amendments and supplemental requests to reconcile appropriations and revenues with actual and estimated expenditures based upon reconciliations. Prepares quarterly expenditure projections; analyzes past and present budgetary data to identify trends and to project budgetary needs.

Assign, direct, and review requests for additional funds (budget amendments) as well as identification of funding sources and assist Local Departments and Central staff in proper spending of fiscal resources and in identification of funding sources. Assists with close-out by ensuring that items are properly accrued and adjusted at fiscal year end. Participants in the audit process of agency fiscal operations by providing auditors with explanations of accounting procedures, providing documentation of fiscal transactions and assisting in the formulation and implementation of corrective action plans precipitated by audit exceptions.

Reviews and authorizes financial transaction records for submission on FMIS (R
* STARS); approves purchase order in FMIS (ADPICS) for coding and funding availability.

Education:

A Bachelor's degree in Accounting from an accredited college or university, including…