This series is used within the Office of Financial Management. Incumbents in these classes serve as professional financial consultants to other state agencies in support of statewide budgeting, accounting, and financial systems.

Incumbents at this level are delegated responsibility for assignments of limited scope but with statewide impact. 1) Serves as a consultant conducting business analysis, determining systems requirements, and developing statewide financial accounting, budgeting, reporting and administrative systems; OR 2) Serves as a consultant to state agencies on state accounting policies, regulations, principles, and practices to ensure implementation of generally accepted accounting principles for state accounting and reporting.

Consults with key state agency personnel regarding accounting, financial reporting, management information and financial system design, installation, operation, and maintenance;

Monitors agency monthly financial data for accuracy, appropriateness and conformity with state policy, state expenditure authority and national standards for accounting and financial reporting. Includes analysis of and recommendations for correction as necessary to agency monthly financial data. Coordinates adjusting entries when needed. Consults with staff of the State Auditor’s Office when necessary;

Evaluates the results of accountability and special audit examinations of the assigned agencies. Mediates disagreements between audit and agency personnel as needed. Reviews proposed corrective action to resolve audit findings and monitors implementation of corrective action plans and other audit recommendations. Maintains audit results information on the OFM Audit Tracking System (OATS);

Responsible for maintaining a specific section of the State Administrative and Accounting Manual (SAAM) such as the state’s capital asset policies SAAM Chapter 30. Interprets provisions of policies; reviews changes in accounting standards and state regulations related to the policy; and amends the chapter when appropriate or necessary. Reviews and prepares responses to agency requests for deviation from state published policies and procedures. Provides guidance to state agencies on assigned policy section by assisting them in updating their internal policies. Prepares for and conducts training on assigned policy section;

Participates in the preparation of the State of Washington Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Specific duties include: reviews and analyzes agency data for conformance with legal and accounting standards, initiates corrective actions as necessary; collects state disclosure forms and coordinates reconciliation of submitted data with the data on AFRS for assigned agencies; completes assigned sections – statements, schedules and/or note disclosure. Aids in other areas of the CAFR process as needed to complete project or meet deadlines:

Provides financial consulting for payroll functional, accounting and reporting requirements. Specific areas of consultation include: Account 035 reconciliation, issues related to deceased employees, and overpayments; coordinates and resolves payroll issues with central service agencies (DOP, DRS, HCA, L&I, and OST); troubleshoots payroll related accounting and reporting issues including basic payroll tax reporting issues; develops and maintains the approach to calculate year end leave accruals for financial reporting purposes and communicate with agencies;

Analyzes and evaluates legislation as related to state payroll policy and consult with OFM Budget Compensation Analyst. Additionally, serves as resource to the Labor Relations Office on payroll related questions;

Analyzes and evaluates process/system changes and technical material related to accounting for payroll. Develops policies and procedures to serve the state in a proactive manner. Payroll policy areas include SAAM Chapter 25 Payroll, Subsection 85.34 Payroll and Other Related Activities as well as related illustrative entries, and Payroll Resources. Develops and coordinates payroll policy training – classes as well as one-on one instruction. Establishes state pay dates including WAC update and proposes response to requests for alternate paydates;

Financial Consultant is assigned responsibility for participating and assisting in the business requirements gathering, business solution design, system documentation, and system testing;

Consults with key state agency personnel regarding accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, management information and financial system design, installation, operation, and maintenance;

General duties may include: soliciting business requirements from customers; preparing software requirement specifications; analyzing and prioritizing the requirements with the customers; writing and reviewing test plans; writing and updating user documentation; acting as facilitator between agency fiscal management, program management, information services personnel, and OFM staff; coordinating with development teams to ensure that customer requirements are properly implemented; coordinating the analysis and review of potential enhancements to the Statewide Financial Applications; and analyzing, designing and preparing briefings/reports containing the recommended actions and alternative courses of action;

Coordinates activities with respective program areas in other OFM divisions to ensure that a consistent approach is followed in dealing with agencies; provides guidance and recommendations regarding impacts of decisions on the statewide financial systems;

Researches and analyzes business problems to verify and understand how transactions were posted by agencies and provide business consulting to propose solution options or establish the correct business treatment for particular events;

Understands and queries agency and statewide data to analyze and understand issues, form accurate conclusions, resolves issues and communicates results to customers;

Evaluates proposed additions or modifications to statewide systems, policies and procedures and propose alternate approaches when required;

Prepares and maintains training materials and user documentations. Conducts training and provides help line support to statewide personnel on statewide financial systems.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Most positions require a Bachelor’s degree in accounting which includes 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of accounting or certification as a Public Accountant and four years of professional experience in budgeting, accounting, auditing, or financial reporting. A Master’s degree in a relevant field will substitute for two years of experience.

New class; replaces 12250 State Financial Consultant 1, effective June 1, 2005.
(1/10/2008) Revised salary, title (formerly State Financial Consultant 3), definition and general revision, effective January 11, 2008.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.