What are the responsibilities and job description for the Accounting and Representative Payee Specialist position at Columbus Community Center?
Status: Non-exempt
Program/Department: Accounting
Reports to: CFO
Position
The Accounting and Representative Payee Specialist is responsible for two separate functions within the Accounting department. The list of duties and responsibilities for each function are outlined below.
Representative Payee Duties/Responsibilities
Summary:
In this position, you will represent the agency as the Social Security Representative Payee for individuals in our care. This includes the responsibility of applying for all benefits that may be available to the client, such as Medicaid, Medicare, Section 8 housing, food stamps, and HEAT assistance. You will also pay bills, maintain financial records, and complete reviews and reports to ensure our clients remain eligible for these benefits.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Complete initial Social Security paperwork to become rep payee if a client so desires.
- Complete annual reports, phone interviews, disability reports, and any other information that is requested by Social Security Administration for all existing payee clients
- Gather documentation and signatures to open bank accounts for payee funds
- Act as the client’s agent to setup online banking as needed, pay bills, write checks for home account funds, transfer money to prepaid cards, and reconcile monthly bank statements
- Develop individual budgets based on a client’s spending habits and coordinate with residential managers or designees to ensure that the client has home account funds and money for major purchases
- Develop a written report for each client detailing income and expenditures and send to all parties involved for review
- Monitor accounts to ensure each client maintains a balance below the threshold to avoid the loss of benefits, and spend down if necessary
- Prepare for and participate in financial audits by outside agencies, which include agencies such as DSPD, SSA, CARF, and DWS
- Complete recertification paperwork for benefits such as Medicaid, Section 8 housing, and food stamps
- Coordinate annual housing inspections
- Submit required tax forms to the IRS
- Maintain individual leases and advocate for the client during interactions with landlords
- Respond to concerns and answer questions from stakeholders regarding financial matters
- Document all transactions in multiple accounting systems and file and organize all receipts and reports in each individual client fil
Accounting Assistant Duties/Responsibilities
Summary:
In this role, you will be responsible for billing, coding, and other accounting related tasks. This will include generating customer invoices, applying and depositing payments, collecting on accounts, and processing weekly vendor payments.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Accurately handle billing activities on specified dates
- Collect data from multiple sources and combine information for billing
- Record and apply cash, checks, and credit card receipts to outstanding invoices and directly interact with customers to reconcile discrepancies and answer questions
- Follow up on past due accounts
- Establish and maintain confidential employer and business files
- Maintain financial documents using an organized filing system
- Verify the accuracy of vendor invoices and code them to the correct general ledger accounts
- Respond to external vendors and internal managers regarding all aspects of the accounts payable process
- Perform other general accounting tasks as needed
Education/Experience/Certifications/Licensure:
- Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Four or more years accounting experience required
- Equivalent combination of education and/or experience will be considered
- Experience with automated accounting programs (Quickbooks and Therap experience preferred)
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must have a valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and a clean driving record.
- Must pass an initial criminal background and yearly thereafter
Required Qualities/Skills:
- Highly organized
- Extremely ethical and honest
- Strong prioritization skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Reliable and responsive
- Analytical
- Assertive
- Ability to work individually and as part of a team
Physical Demands:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
Columbus will follow all requirements as needed to meet all federal contract requirements and is an equal opportunity employer.
