Financial Assistant I

Job Title: Financial Assistant I

Department: Legislative Council Service

Salary: $59,980 – 70,577 BOE

Reports to: Assistant Director for Administration/Chief Financial Officer

The Legislative Council Service (LCS) is the central drafting, legal and policy research agency for the New Mexico legislature. The LCS also serves the executive and judicial agencies and is the main point of contact for members of the public who are interested in legislative matters. The LCS is nonpartisan, and much of the agency's work is confidential. The primary job of each LCS employee is to help the agency meet the expectations of the people it serves and to maintain and enhance the integrity and effectiveness of the legislature and the legislative process.

Job Summary:
The Financial Assistant I performs a variety of payroll, procurement, accounting and budgetary functions. Work is performed under general direction. Guidelines include state and federal laws, rules and regulations, agency policies and procedures and accounting manuals.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Prepare, process and review accounting, payroll and budget documents and reconcile accounts such as biweekly payroll, payment expenditures and monthly fiscal reports for accuracy.
• Assist the certified procurement officer with procurement verification and compliance with laws, regulations and accounting procedures.
• Ensure that expenditures are within authorized budgets.
• Administer employee benefits.
• Gather data from financial records to prepare special reports for management.
• Assist in analyzing and maintaining operating budgets.
• Maintain inventory of office supplies.
• Assist the Chief Financial Officer with preparing for the external audit as needed.
• Reconcile legislator travel monthly in preparation and verification of the end of year member reports.
• Assist members with travel reimbursements.
• Assist staff with questions related to committees, travel and payroll as needed.
• Communicate and maintain professional working relationships with the DFA, the PERA, the State Treasurer and other outside agencies as needed.

Required Skills/Abilities:
The Financial Assistant I makes daily decisions concerning the accounting treatment of financial transactions, recommends solutions to accounting problems occurring in the agency operations and proposes changes or revisions to the accounting system or its operational features. The
Financial Assistant I must be able to work under stressful conditions.

• Accurately interpret, analyze, summarize and compile financial data.
• Use good judgment in appraising financial situations.
• Apply state laws and regulations to accounting documents and to procurement matters where appropriate.
• Prepare reports.
• Comprehend accounting language, software and documents.
• Present comments clearly and concisely.
• Operate equipment in order to complete accounting functions.
• Maintain effective working relationships with associates and other individuals.
• Participate in continuous and ongoing training through the DFA and other state agencies.
• Assist members and staff with accounting, per diem and mileage questions.

Education and Experience:

• Associates degree or years of relevant experience equivalent to a degree. Accounting certificate or 12 hours of accounting principles is preferred

Basic knowledge of accounting methods and principles and their application to public accounting; state accounting and budgeting laws, regulations and manuals; methods to collect and analyze financial data; report preparation; and accounting documents and their use.

Good knowledge of accounting methods and principles and their application to public accounting; state accounting and budgeting laws, regulations and manuals; methods to collect and analyze financial data; report preparation; and accounting documents and their use.

Physical Requirements:
Employees work in a general office setting. Some lifting and carrying of files, boxes and computer equipment is common.

Working Conditions:
Employees work in a professional office setting in the State Capitol. During legislative sessions, the agency is open seven days per week, long hours are the norm and staff may be on-call depending on session demands. Travel and additional hours are sometimes required, primarily for interim committee staff.

Legislative employees are exempt from the Personnel Act and from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. No overtime pay is provided to regular, year-round staff. Compensatory time is provided at the discretion of the LCS director for some of the additional time worked during session.

Please complete the LCS application at www.nmlegis.gov/employment and attach your resume and letter of interest. Please feel free to email any questions to [email protected].

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $59,980.00 - $70,577.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Have you taken 12 hours of accounting principles?

Education:

• Associate (Required)

Experience:

• related: 3 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Santa Fe, NM 87501 (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Santa Fe, NM 87501: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Santa Fe, NM 87501