Account Clerk III

Job Description

Account Clerk III (220)

Education and Experience

Combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to completion of an Associate of Arts degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field and three (3) years of progressively responsible accounting experience; or graduation from high school or its equivalent and five (5) years of increasingly responsible accounting or financial record keeping experience. Additional qualifying experience may be substituted on a basis of one year equals 30 semester units of the required education. Personal computer experience working with spreadsheet, database, and online accounting applications in a Windows based environment is required. Previous experience in the areas of payroll, industrial utility billing, accounts payable, inventory control, purchasing, or revenue collection is required. Municipal financial record keeping experience is preferred.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a sub-professional position in the classified service and is distinguished from the next lower level of Account Clerk II in that positions at this level require the frequent use of a high degree of independent judgment and interpretative ability related to a technical knowledge of some special areas of accounting or financial record keeping. Incumbents in this class use computers on a daily basis in accomplishing their work. Incumbents in this class are expected to supervise and provide technical guidance to accounting and other personnel assigned to their work area.

Typical Tasks

May include any or all of the following. Under general supervision: Responsible for the preparation and processing of accounts payable and accounts receivable; schedules, assigns, and checks the work of clerical personnel; verifies, approves, and screens fiscal documents such as warrants, requisitions, purchase orders, and invoices; calculates and records interest charges, sales tax, and trade charges; prepares progress payments on City contracts; prepares Tax Returns; consults with City Attorney on litigation; answers inquiries from the general public and city vendors; using on-line mainframe accounts payable system, initiates weekly vendor check printing, registers, and Bills & Claims reports for submission in City Council agenda package. Responsible for the preparation and processing of the billing and maintenance of all City accounts including the settlement of delinquent accounts; schedules commercial utility accounts; processes bankruptcy claims of industrial customers and maintains applicable files; makes necessary corrections on accounts when required; answers questions pertaining to utility billing procedures and utility rate schedules and resolves high bill complaints; prepares analysis breakdown of billing computations indicating for commercial and industrial consumers how bills are computed; prepares final notices for mailing to delinquent industrial customers; determines deposit amount and informs customers accordingly. Schedules, assigns and checks the work of other personnel involved in the receipting and balancing of cash; oversees the preparation of bank deposits, collection of return checks, and inputs data into the computer; traces payments received without remittance advice to determine account to be credited; prepares monthly activity report; types forms, letters and other correspondence; interfaces with public concerning the administration of delinquent accounts; deals tactfully and courteously with customer complaints or questions. Responsible for the preparation of City payroll; verifies salary claims and computes and proves payroll deductions; audits departmental payroll reports and prepares payroll transaction notices for machine processing; makes necessary payroll changes to process judgments, tax levies and injury compensation payments; reconciles all bi-weekly distribution of salaries, compensation and retirement; prepares monthly, quarterly and annual and special reports from payroll records; updates knowledge of City and other agency payroll requirements by reading technical literature; analyzes and implements contract provisions relating to payroll processing; and performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of methods, practices, and terminology used in general accounting and financial record keeping work including knowledge of accounts payable, accounts receivable, industrial utility billing, and/ or payroll. Ability to post financial data and make accounting computations rapidly and accurately; prepare and verify financial statements, payroll transactions, invoices, and reports; interpret and explain utility rate schedules and computations, payroll deductions, and other financial information; supervise and train subordinate personnel performing a variety of responsible accounting and office work; understand customer questions and complaints and to make satisfactory explanations; establish and maintain effective working conditions with supervisors, other employees and the public; and type from clear copy at a speed of not less than 25 words per minute. Ability to operate adding machine or calculator by touch is desirable.

Supervision Received

Works under the general supervision of the department head or other unclassified personnel as assigned.

Supervision Exercised

May assist in the training or supervision of subordinate personnel as assigned.

Other Requirements

Must be able to perform all of the essential functions of the job assignment.

Approved, June 1999