Job Description

Summary:

Under direct or general supervision, assists other finance personnel in performing a wide variety of responsible clerical and technical accounting duties in the preparation, maintenance, and processing of accounting records and financial transactions, including accounts payable and accounts receivable; and performs related work as required.

Supervision Received and Exercised:

Receives direct or general supervision from the Director of Finance. No direct supervision of staff is exercised. May exercise technical and functional direction over and provide training to less experienced staff.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Account Clerk I: This the entry-level class in the Account Clerk series. Initially, under direct supervision, incumbents perform work in accounts receivable and/or accounts payable, in addition to performing a variety of record keeping, reconciliation, front counter, and utility billing support activities. As knowledge and experience are gained, the work becomes broader in scope and assignments are more varied and are performed under more general supervision. This class is alternately staffed with the Account Clerk II and incumbents may advance to the higher-level class after gaining the knowledge, skills, and experience that meet the qualifications for and demonstrating the ability to perform the work of the higher-level class.

Essential Functions:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

— Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maintains the daily financial records on utility accounts, including receiving utility payments, performing data entry, maintaining receipt records according to prescribed guidelines, printing and auditing reports, entering field data, preparing and balancing invoices, preparing deposits, and preparing work orders.
• Issues business licenses and processes renewals, including batching receipts for incoming renewals, assessing penalties and late fees, and recording new license numbers.
• Assists other finance personnel in performing a variety of technical accounting duties in the preparation, maintenance, and processing of accounting records and financial transactions, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing functions, and business licenses.
• Verifies, posts, and records a variety of financial transactions; prepares and maintains spreadsheets, records a variety of periodic and special financial, and accounting reports.
• Enters and retrieves information using standard word processing and spreadsheet software.
• Reconciles transactions and data as directed; records changes and resolves differences, maintains the accuracy of basic accounting and financial records related to the assigned functional area; handles cash transactions.
• Prepares receipts for utility, business and dog licenses, insurance payments, and other accounts receivable.
• Assists customers, departments, and employees by providing answers and information regarding specific account information, discrepancies and/or basic accounting procedures; updates related files and departments on action items.
• Generates and assists in the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial, summary, and technical reports, as directed.
• Performs general office support duties, such as filing and record keeping, preparing correspondences, and sorting and posting mail.
• Assists professional accounting staff with special projects as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

An equivalent combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education, Training, and Experience Guidelines
Any combination of training and experience which would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities
is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Account Clerk I/II: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade.

Account Clerk I: One year of responsible clerical experience.

License and Certification Requirements:

None.

Knowledge of:

• Terminology and practices of financial and accounting document processing and record keeping, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, utility billing, purchasing, and business licensing.
• Business arithmetic and statistical techniques.
• Records management principles and practices.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to the public and Town staff, in person and over the telephone.

Ability to:

• Performing detailed accounting and financial office support work accurately and in a timely manner.
• Responding to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Interpreting, applying, and explaining policies and procedures.
• Composing correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Establishing, maintaining, and researching files.
• Making accurate arithmetic and financial computations.
• Entering and retrieving data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Organizing own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operating modern office equipment, including computer equipment and specialized software application programs.
• Using English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone and in writing.
• Using tact, initiative, prudence and independent judgment within general policy, procedural and legal guidelines.

Physical Demands and Working Environment:

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person, and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, typewriter keyboard, or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects necessary to perform job functions.

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Fair Labor Standards Act labels cannot be given to a group of employees. Each employee must meet every requirement for the claimed exemption. The designation mentioned above is for general manager guidelines.