Accounting Specialist

• 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, 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 and 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 receivables. 
• Assists customers, departments, and employees by providing answers and information regarding specific account information, discrepancies and/or basic accounting procedures; and 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, prepares correspondence. 
• Assists professional accounting staff with special projects as required. 
• Contributes to a positive work environment by participating in solutions to problems as they occur. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

When performing the Water/Sewer Billing assignment: 

• Sets up new accounts; processes and analyzes the utility accounts & notifies customers of excessive usage. 
• Calculates and processes utility adjustments due to leaks, penalty adjustments, or overestimating.
• Operates handheld equipment and computers utilized for meter reading, and processes and analyzes data reports from the handheld. 
• Sends out collection notices, final and late notices, and performs necessary collections and delinquency processing. 

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

• Perform detailed accounting and financial office support work accurately and in a timely manner.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Interpret, apply and explain policies and procedures.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Establish, maintain and research files.
• Make accurate arithmetic and financial computations.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Organize own work, set priorities and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer and handheld equipment and software programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence and independent judgment within general policy, procedural and legal guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees those contacted in the course of the work.