Accounting Administrator

This position serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and principal fiscal advisor to the Director of Administrative Services while providing authoritative guidance to the Executive Director and Commissioners on fiscal policy revenue forecasting and resource allocation. The CFO directs agency accounting operations statutory fund governance legislative budget development and financial reporting to ensure transparency accountability and strict compliance with the State of Arizona Accounting Manual (SAAM) and applicable Arizona Revised Statutes including Titles 35 and 40. The position strengthens continuity and resilience in financial administration by establishing robust multi-source statutory fund accounting defensible cash-flow modeling routine division-level reporting comprehensive internal controls and continuous audit readiness across Commission funds.

Executive Fiscal Advisory & Strategic Planning - Serves as the principal financial advisor to the Director of Administrative Services and provides objective data-driven fiscal analyses to the Executive Director and Commissioners. Develops transparent long-term forecasts accounting for legislative appropriations statutory caps cash-flow requirements and calendar-year versus fiscal-year revenue cycles.

Statutory Fund Governance & Budget Execution - Directs development reconciliation and execution of the Corporation Commissions complex fund structure including URRF the Securities Investment Management Fund Public Access Fund and non-lapsing Audits and Studies appropriations. Enforces statutory restrictions so funds are used only for authorized purposes and establishes documented system-supported processes for transfers and reallocations. Prepares and supports defense of legislative budget submissions to OSPB and JLBC.

Accounting Operations & Division Partnership - Directs daily accounting and fiscal operations in AZ360/AFIS including payroll certifications such as Form GAO-60 warrant disbursements accounts payable/receivable reconciliations and financial reporting. Partners with Division Directors through clear monthly budget reports expenditure forecasts and variance analysis.

Audit Readiness Internal Controls & Compliance - Establishes and enforces internal accounting controls separation of duties expenditure pre-audits documentation standards and reconciliations consistent with SAAM including Topic 05. Maintains continuous audit readiness and leads fiscal coordination for internal or forensic reviews the Arizona Auditor General and other external reviews. Ensures accounting adjustments are documented supported approved and traceable.

Financial Systems Modernization & Data Analytics - Leads modernization of financial reporting by reducing reliance on ad-hoc spreadsheets and advancing centralized automated dashboards and controls within AZ360 and other State ERP platforms. Streamlines grant accounting including applicable PHMSA and FRA funding and develops transparent fee- and assessment-modeling tools.

Interagency Fiscal Liaison & Confidential Assignments - Serves as the Corporation Commissions primary fiscal liaison with ADOA General Accounting Office (GAO) the State Treasurer OSPB JLBC staff and other State fiscal partners. Performs special administrative confidential and complex fiscal analyses or evaluations at the direction of the Director of Administrative Services.

Knowledge:
State governmental accounting budgeting financial reporting and fiscal administration principles and practices.
Specialized statutory fund accounting under Arizona law including non-lapsing special line appropriations dedicated regulatory revolving funds and assessment revenue ceilings including A.R.S. 40-401.
SAAM requirements and internal control frameworks including COSO/SAAM Topic 05 concepts designed to prevent unsupported fund transfers fiscal misstatements and compliance findings.
Legislative appropriations revenue forecasting cash-flow planning grants audit preparation and public-sector financial governance.


Skills:
Translating complex statutory budgets into clear defensible plain-language reporting for division leaders executive leadership Commissioners and legislative bodies.
Forensic financial analysis; cash-basis and accrual reconciliation; variance analysis; and identifying structural revenue gaps versus timing differences.
Advanced financial modeling forecasting reconciliation data analytics ERP reporting and repeatable management dashboards.
Executive communication collaborative problem-solving staff leadership process improvement and presentation of complex fiscal information.

Abilities:
Foster an open collaborative customer-service-oriented partnership with agency divisions and treat Division Directors as stakeholders in fiscal planning.
Maintain exceptional integrity objective transparency sound professional judgment and appropriate independence in accounting and reporting practices.
Interpret and apply statutes appropriations policies and accounting standards to complex fiscal situations and document conclusions clearly.
Build sustainable processes strengthen separation of duties reduce single points of failure manage competing deadlines and maintain continuous audit readiness.

Required: Bachelors degree in Accounting Finance Business Administration Public Administration or a closely related field plus progressively responsible professional experience in governmental accounting budgeting financial management audit or a related fiscal discipline. A combination of relevant education and experience that demonstrates the required knowledge and capabilities may be considered consistent with applicable State requirements.

Preferred: CPA CGFM and/or CPFO certification; Masters Degree in Business Administration Accounting Finance Public Administration or a related field; and demonstrated experience in public-sector forensic auditing state governmental fund accounting or utility/securities regulatory accounting frameworks.

Any offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background/reference check confirmation of any degrees/certifications and an MVD records check.
A.R.S. Section 40-101 prohibits Commission employees from having certain interests in entities that the Commission regulates. Applicants shall be required to disclose any interests they may have in the regulated entities during the application process and as a condition of employment to divest themselves of any prohibited interests.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business then the following requirements apply:Drivers License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Excellent comprehensive benefits including a top-ranked retirement plan low-cost health coverage supplemental policies such as vision and short-term disability and generous paid vacation and sick leave programs
Career and personal development support; multiple training and education opportunities and resources; qualifying Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer
Interesting challenging work in a public sector environment with the chance to make a real difference in our state
We are an Equal Employment Opportunity agency and a recognized Arizona Veteran Supportive Employer.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave programhere. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona please visit our benefits page

Arizona state employees participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).

If you have any questions please feel free to email for assistance.

The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by contacting Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.