Department Information
This position is open only to current Colorado state residents.
An eligible list established with this recruitment may be used to fill other similar positions within the Colorado Department of Public Safety in the next 12 months.
Our Mission - Engaged employees working together to safeguard lives and to provide diverse public safety services to local communities.
Our Vision - Creating safer and more resilient communities across Colorado.
Our Core Values - Unity, Honor, Service
The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness.
The State is dedicated to non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.
At CDPS, our culture is driven by our commitment to creating a safer Colorado and guided by a public service focus. We strive to provide effective solutions and services to our fellow Coloradans. We model a culture of collaboration, innovation, and growth for our employees. We maintain a professional and inclusive workplace.
Careers With a Purpose
If you are passionate about public safety and public service, and are eager to dedicate your career to serving Coloradans, consider joining CDPS. Our team at CDPS consists of exceptional individuals and is an environment where you can challenge yourself and acquire new capabilities to build a rewarding and fulfilling career.
We are committed to providing public safety services to our communities including safety on our roads, preparing for and mitigating environmental disasters such as floods and wildland fires, disaster recovery, combating crime, promoting school safety, and victim services.
Classification and Salary: [UPDATE THIS SECTION - Link to the Class Description from HERE and the Salary Range from HERE]
ACCOUNTANT I
Starting Hiring Salary: $5,250 month; $63,000/year
Full Salary Range: $4,906 - $7,849/month; $58,872 - $94,188/year
Benefits
We provide a wide range of benefits to our employees.
- Medical and dental options are available for permanent employees and their dependents. We also offer short and long-term disability coverage, and life insurance that includes legal resources and discounts.
- Eligible employees receive Basic Life and AD&D insurance equal to their annual earnings subject to a minimum benefit of $50,000 and a maximum of $250,000. Basic Life and AD&D are provided by the State of Colorado at no cost to employees.
- The State of Colorado's Wellness Program, State of Health, is a no-cost, year-long program that supports an employee’s health and wellness goals. This program offers personalized health coaching, skill groups and more. Participants can earn a $20 per month health insurance premium discount.
- Through BenefitHub, State of Colorado employees have access to discounts, promotions and special programs from hundreds of retailers, restaurants, travel and entertainment venues throughout Colorado and across the country.
- State contribution into a Health Savings Account when enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan.
- Eligible employees have access to medical leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the State of Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI).
- Eligibility for hybrid or other flexible work arrangements based on the nature of the role.
- We offer excellent retirement benefits including mandatory PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans. For information on mandatory employee salary deferral (in lieu of contribution to Social Security), visit Colorado PERA for details.
- We provide generous time off including 11 paid holidays annually and accrued annual and sick leave and four annual wellness days.
- The Employee Assistance Program (C-SEAP) is available in every region of the state. It is our effort to support the well-being of employees and the workplace. EAPs provide short-term counseling, referrals and resources, as well as training and organizational development services.
- Tuition reimbursement and reduced college tuition at CSU Global and DeVry University.
- We offer Credit Union of Colorado membership eligibility.
To learn more about State of Colorado benefits, please visit State of Colorado benefits.
Description of Job
About The Work Unit
The Executive Director's Office (EDO) is the backbone of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, providing effective administrative and management services to the Department's operating divisions.
The EDO Includes The Following
- The Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director – Oversees strategic direction and operations for the department.
- Administrative Services Office - Provides division and department-level administrative and support functions encompassing accounting, purchasing and contracts, budget, logistics services (fleet, warehousing, material management and fabrication) and property services (property management, leasing, facilities maintenance, construction project management and insurance programs) to support the operations and programs of CDPS divisions.
- Human Resources Office - Supports recruitment, hiring, evaluation, benefits management, personnel actions, payroll and all other human resources functions.
- Compliance Office – Manages Departmental Policy, Risk Management, Workers Compensation Program, Workplace Investigations, Internal Auditing, Rulemaking, and ensures compliance with state and federal requirements and the State’s LESO 1033/1122 programs.
- Colorado Integrated Criminal Justice Information Systems – develops cost-effective information sharing services to provide access for criminal justice agencies while maintaining information security. CICJIS is a collaborative program designed to facilitate information sharing at key decision points in the criminal justice process. There are five participating CICJIS agencies: the Department of Corrections, Judicial, the Colorado District Attorney’s Council, the Division of Youth Corrections, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
- Office of School Safety – assists local schools and communities to create safe and positive school climates for pre-k through higher education schools in Colorado.
The Administrative Services Office provides internal administrative support to the Divisions within CDPS and include the following sections:
- Chief Administrative Officer’s office
- Accounting Services and Commercial Cards led by the Controller
- Budget and Policy led by the Budget Director
- Purchasing and Contracts by the Purchasing Director
- Logistics Services Section led by the Logistics Director
- Property Services Section led by the Property Services Director
Fire Billing is one of seven financial teams that comprise the Accounting section of the Administrative Services Office within EDO. The fire billing unit provides financial and fire billing related administrative support to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC); primarily the Wildland Fire Management Section (WFMS). All wildland fire related expenses and revenue are processed through the fire billing unit.
The mission of DFPC is to safeguard those who live, work, learn, and play in Colorado by reducing threats to lives, property and the environment. The Division safeguards the public through fire prevention and code enforcement; wildfire preparedness, response, suppression, coordination, and management; training and certification; public Information and education; and technical assistance to local governments.
Work Environment
- Hybrid, in office once a month or as needed for training and special events.
- Work unit core business hours, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with some flexibility available
About The Job
The purpose of this position is to serve as the senior technical subject matter expert (SME) and work leader (when augmented with temporary staff assigned to the benefit review role) for reviewing salary, benefit, and personnel classifications from cooperative agencies. The position provides advanced technical accounting support by evaluating cooperator benefit structures, constructing and maintaining complex financial templates, auditing Personnel Resource Status Reports (PRSRs) for compliance with established guidelines, and serving as an operational work leader over temporary and lower-level review personnel. This position will train others.
Key Responsibilities
Personnel Resource Status Report (PRSR) and Benefits
Serve as the senior technical subject matter expert (SME) and primary point of contact for the technical review, audit, and processing of cooperator benefit rates and Personnel Resource Status Reports (PRSRs). Monitor, classify, and organize incoming technical financial data from cooperators with the PRSRs. Perform compliance reviews of PRSRs and benefit documentation, evaluating structures against established guidelines, and cooperator pay plans to verify reimbursement eligibility. Develop, adapt, and maintain complex calculation templates and mathematical formulas to standardize non-routine benefit scenarios into percentage reimbursement rates. Provide operational work leadership, guidance, and technical instruction to temporary personnel assigned to review staff roles. Collaborate with unit supervisors regarding highly non-standard or ambiguous benefit calculations, and work directly with external cooperator agencies to resolve technical discrepancies.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions Of Employment & Appeal Rights
Note, to be considered for this position, you must meet one of the following options for consideration.
Proven Experience, Knowledge, Skills
- Four (4) years of relevant experience reviewing financial documentation.
OR Education And Experience, Knowledge, Skills
- A combination of related education (coursework requires 27 semester hours completed in accounting or auditing) and/or relevant experience reviewing financial documentation related to the work assigned equal to four (4) years
- Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will substitute for four (4) years of education
Preferred Qualifications And Competencies
- Advanced Excel skills (formulas, etc.)
- Exceptional customer service experience
- Professional verbal and written communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Critical thinking skills
- Previous experience training others
- Strong organizational acumen
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a Colorado resident at the time of application
- Requires successful completion of a background investigation that includes a polygraph exam, a fingerprint based criminal history search, reference checking.
Appeal Rights
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for the position, you may protest the action by filing an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the date you receive notice of the elimination. Also, if you wish to challenge the selection and comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the receipt of notice or knowledge of the action you are challenging. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for more information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at www.colorado.gov/spb. A standard appeal form is available at: www.colorado.gov/spb. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within 10 days of your receipt of notice or knowledge of the action: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038. Phone: 303-866-3300. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination.
Supplemental Information
Disability Accommodation
If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure equitable opportunity applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Human Resources at: cdps_hr@state.co.us.
The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
Colorado Department of Public Safety is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.
Recruitment Timeline Information and Important Notices
- Applications are considered complete and accurate at the time of submission. Therefore, additional information may not be solicited or accepted after your application has been received.
- Closing Date: All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications may proceed to the next step. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.
- Supplemental Question: Effective responses to Supplemental Questions will directly relate to your professional experience, career accomplishments, and views about organizational values and approaches, and how they relate specifically to this position and requirements as you understand them. Answers generated by AI-tools will typically be unresponsive.
- Transcripts: An unofficial copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application should education be used as qualification. Transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.
- Military Veterans: If you are a military veteran you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Member 4 Copy, and VA disability letter if available/applicable at the time of application so we can determine if you are eligible for veteran's preference points. Military personnel who are stationed outside of Colorado may be eligible for this position by submitting the completed DD-2058 "State of Legal Residence" form.
- Application Tips: For an overview of the State of Colorado application process and application tips, please view this video.
- Resumes, Cover Letters, or other documents submitted will not be reviewed, assessed, or used in the initial stages of the comparative analysis (transcripts submitted to verify that the applicant meets either the education requirement or minimum qualification substitution are exempt from this).
- Notifications: All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be sent via email to the email address listed on your application. Include your current working email address on your application and check the email provided on your application frequently as you could receive time sensitive correspondence regarding this position. We highly recommend that you set up your email to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email.
- e-Verify: CDPS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
- Selection Process: After applications are screened for the Minimum Qualifications, CDPS intends to use the comparative analysis process outlined below. Pursuant to state personnel board rule, if there are 6 or few candidates who minimally qualify, said candidates may be referred directly to the Appointing Authority for a post referral assessment and/or consideration.
- Comparative Analysis Steps may include (dates are tentative and subject to change):
- An online skills assessment - November 20 - 25
- Structured application review by a panel of SMEs - December 1 - 7
- Panel Interview - December 16th and/or 17th
The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information: www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits
Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to
view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.
01
Describe your experience validating external wages, unemployment insurance, worker's compensation, and other fringe benefits for compliance with predefined standards.
02
How does your background and skills relate to this position?
03
Describe how you would define good customer service.
04
I understand the hiring salary for this position is $5,250/month. If selected for hire, I am willing to accept an offer with this salary.
05
Positions within the Colorado Department of Public Safety require a comprehensive background examination, including a polygraph, a fingerprint based criminal history check and references. Are you willing to participate in this process as a condition of employment?
06
I understand that employees of the Colorado Department of Public Safety contribute to the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) retirement benefit plan and do not contribute to Social Security.
- Yes, I understand that
- No
- Required Question
