DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY

Division of Financial Operations
Accounting Administration
400 West Congress Suite 500, Tucson, Arizona 85711

Salary: $29,822.00 – $42,702.00 Annually 

Grade: 16

Closing Date: November 12, 2025

Would you like to be part of an amazing team that helps Arizonans thrive? At the Department of Economic Security (DES), we strengthen individuals, families and communities for a better quality of life. DES is looking for individuals who are committed to service, community, and teamwork. To learn more about DES please visit des.az.gov; or click on the link here to view ‘Our DES’ video. Come Join the DES Team!

The Department of Economic Security, Division of Financial Operations, is seeking an experienced and highly motivated individual to join our team as an Accounting Specialist 1. This position is responsible for managing Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits received from the Social Security Administration, as well as other benefits such as those from Veterans Affairs, Railroad Retirement, Civil Service, stipends, and earnings. This role involves collaborating with various organizations, including DES/DDD Support Coordination, the DES/DDD Revenue Desk/Residential Billing, ALTCS, and qualified vendors and providers, to ensure that members' essential needs, such as housing, food, clothing, and medical care, are met. The Representative Payee Specialist is also tasked with daily monitoring of accounts and communicating with Support Coordination regarding accounts approaching the maximum federal resource limits. Additionally, the Accounting Specialist 1 prepares and submits reports for each assigned member, detailing how federal benefits are utilized, and reports any changes in circumstances to the Social Security Administration.

This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures.

The State of Arizona strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many agencies, boards, and commissions, many State employees participate in the State's Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona unless an exception is properly authorized in advance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Collaborates with DES/DDD Support Coordination, DES/DDD Revenue Desk/Residential Billing, ALTCS, and qualified vendors and providers to ensure that members’ needs such as housing, food, clothing, and medical care are met.
  
• Reviewing, analyzing, monitoring, and maintaining accurate financial records for assigned members. Approve or deny requests for funds and expenditures, issues disbursements, establishes budgets and payment schedules and ensures spending plans set by Support Coordinators adheres to the budget.
  
• Identifies any Social Security Income or billing variances or discrepancies, and works towards expedient resolution. Monitor and communicate to Support Coordination of accounts approaching maximum the Federal allowable resource requirements.
  
• Prepares and submits reports for each assigned member accounting for the use of Federal benefits received and reports changes in circumstances to the Social Security Administration. Reports earnings, account information, and submits annual eligibility documents to Social Security and ALTCS, in order to maintain member’s eligibility for benefits.
  
• Frequently provides policy interpretation and guidance to DES/DDD Support Coordinators and Qualified Vendors/Providers with regard to use of funds, Federal and State eligibility requirements, valid expenditures and receipts, ledgers, return of funds, and completion of Social Security required forms.
  
• The Representative Payee Specialist supports business needs by taking on additional caseloads to ensure continuity in members’ service, providing all functions of bill paying, receipt auditing, SSA, and ALTCS reporting. This position takes deposits to the bank, and driving is required.
  

Knowledge in:

• Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP). Principles, concepts, practices, methods, and techniques of governmental accounting;
  
• Federal and State laws, statutes, and regulations as they pertain to accounting; Maintenance of financial accounts and records;
  
• The preparation of balance sheets, financial statements, summaries, audits, reconciliations, and other reports.
  
• Researching cash receipts, expenditures, and revenue reconciliation.

Skilled in:

• Researching, compiling, and inputting data; Oral and written communications;
  
• Records management; Account reconciliation; Spreadsheet development;
  
• Work organization and accomplishment; Interpersonal relationships;

Ability to:

• Provide clear and concise documentation. Recognize and implement efficient office and work from procedures.
  
• Organize, prioritize, and multi-task while managing a very heavy workload; Reconcile accounts with a great deal of accuracy.
  
• Calculate, analyze, and reconcile data.
  

The ideal candidate for this position will have:

• One year of professional-level accounting experience in a related environment.
  

• 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: Driver’s License Requirements. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).
  
• Successfully pass background and reference checks; employment is contingent upon completion of the above-mentioned process and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.
  
• All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The Arizona Department of Economic Security offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:

• Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
• Participation in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and long-term disability plans
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Vacation time accrued at 4.00 hours bi-weekly for the first 3 years
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program).
• Sick time accrued at 3.70 hours bi-weekly
• Deferred compensation plan
• Wellness plans
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Stipend Opportunities
• Infant at Work Program
• Rideshare and Public Transit Subsidy
• Career Advancement & Employee Development Opportunities
• Flexible schedules to create a work/life balance

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

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

State employees are required to participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), the State sponsored retirement contribution plan and the Long-Term Disability (LTD) program after a 27-week waiting period. The ASRS defined benefit plan provides for life-long income upon retirement. You will also have the option to participate in a voluntary deferred compensation program to take advantage of tax-deferred retirement investments.

On, or shortly after, your first day of work you will be provided with additional information about the available insurance plans, enrollment instructions, submission deadlines and effective dates.

For questions about this career opportunity, please contact us at 480-952-7560 or email npina@azdes.gov.

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 480-952-7560 or emailing npina@azdes.gov. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.