Occ. Code 1905200

BUSINESS OFFICER 2,GRADE 62
BUSINESS OFFICER 1, GRADE 61

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

NATURE OF WORK

Incumbents of Business Officer positions provide management direction and control of business administration, fiscal and support service 8ctivities at a Psychiatric Center of the Office of Mental Health or Developmental Centers of the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Under the policy direction of a Deputy Director for institution Administration, they coordinate all such activities with clinical program supervisors to insure that the activities are supportive of facility treatment objectives. The Business Officer plans, organizes, directs and controls the principal activities of all support departments (excluding the facility personnel office and at some centers, the security force); oversees the preparation of facility's annual other than personnel service (OTPS) budget requests and the personnel service budget requests for support departments: oversees the expenditure of and accounting for funds appropriated in the annual budget; prepares and monitors facility contracts with other providers of support or clinical services according to appropriate rules and regulations of the State Comptroller; and assists clinical program supervisors with the evaluation, utilization, leasing and control of program space on and off the facility "campus."

CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA AND DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Business Officer 2 is the top level business and fiscal management position at a facility having 250 or more positions budgeted for support services. Business Officer 1 is the top level business and fiscal management position at a facility which has less than 250 positions budgeted for support services.

Critical to these classes is the responsibility for effective management of services in support of treatment activities and objectives; for preparation and monitoring of annual facility budgets; for operation of the business office; and for direction of such activities as plant operation and maintenance, food service, laundry services, housekeeping, and transportation.

Positions of Assistant Business Officer may perform many of the same activities as a Business Officer. Assistant Business Officers serve as second in charge to a Business Officer or, in large facilities, may serve as a Principal Assistant to a Business Officer.

Business Officers exist only in facilities of the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Positions of Institution Steward in the Department of Correctional Services are also responsible for fiscal management and support services at their agency facilities. However, the size of such facilities and the scope and standardization of their activities distinguish this class from Business Officer.

TYPICAL ACTIVITIES, TASKS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Supervises the activities of the facility's business office.

Prepares annual personal service budget requests for support services departments.

Oversees the expenditure of and accounting for funds appropriated in the annual budget.

In conjunction with users of service, prepares and manages contracts and shared service agreements between the facility and outside providers of clinical or support services, to insure that services are delivered efficiently and effectively at the lowest possible cost.

Assists clinical program supervisors in the evaluation, utilization, lease and control of program space on and off the facility ''campus."

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

The nature of a Business Officer's activities requires frequent verbal communication with support services department heads, clinical chiefs of service, the Deputy Director, the facility personnel officer, central office staff and community groups. Much of the verbal communication with the Deputy Director and clinical chiefs involves the identification of administrative and operational problems and the exploration of alternative solutions. The Business Officer's particular contribution to such matters is an evaluation of the physical and financial resources available to meet operational and program needs.

Verbal communication with Central Office and other state agencies involves the exchange of information regarding a particular request or expenditure and the development of justifications in support of such transactions.

Business Officers are involved in the development of comprehensive service delivery systems for treatment programs. Their involvement typically occurs as each facility negotiates with county mental health agencies, voluntary hospitals and others regarding budget making, planning for and delivery of support services, and deployment of clinical programs in the community. The Business Officer may represent the facility independently or in conjunction with higher management, in discussions of service contracts, shared staffing agreements, preparation of unified services budget plans and similar matters.

Business Officers prepare narrative and tabular materials for the facility's annual budget request and for special projects requiring an analysis of the fiscal implications of a proposed program or course of action or a financial status of a particular program. In addition, written reports are prepared periodically on levels of expenditures, with particular emphasis on identifying potential problems.

NATURE OF SUPERVISION

Positions in this class are generally supervised by a Deputy Director. The Deputy issues policy and program guidelines and reviews the work output of the Business Officer in terms of these guidelines. The Business Officer provides the deputy with frequent verbal and occasional written reports on activities and problems and may refer disputes with clinical chiefs over the allocation resources to the deputy for resolution.

In turn the Business Officer supervises a number of support services department heads. This supervision is not over the day-to-day activities but involves the setting of priorities, the solving of operational and staffing problems, the review of periodic reports for conformity to standards of efficiency, effectiveness, quality and quantity; and frequent inspections of work areas.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

One year of permanent service as an Assistant Business Officer.

Revised: 9/00