Accounting Technician

Position Description

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Under the direction of the Assistant Finance Director, the Accounting Technician represents the first level in a three level classification series of Accountants. The Accounting Technician represents a broad grouping of positions engaged in the maintenance and preparation of accounting records, processing, and transactions in assigned areas. Positions assigned to this classification require some specialized schooling, training and experience in accounting practices, principles and general operational procedures. Duties of the job involve handling and processing account payables, account receivables, and utility billing practices in accordance with established accounting operations and procedures of the City. The Accounting Technician differs from Accountant in that the Accounting Technician is generally responsible for performing an identified portion of the overall accounting processing of the City or department and where the complexity or experience requirement is less than that of the Accountant.

Essential Job Functions

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Performs specialized accounting support functions associated with the processing of utility billing. Representative tasks and duties include:

• Assists customers with a variety of questions over the phone or in person. Responds to requests from other departments, realtors, and title companies.
• Processes utility bill payments. Receives payments in person, mail, or bill pay on the computer. Keys and enters payments into finance system.
• Processes authorization forms received from customers who want to be set up for automatic payments in Open Edge.
• Maintains ACH drafting for auto pay customers in financial software.
• Reconciles daily receipts for credit card payments.
• Sends out payment reminder for new customers.
• Schedules appointments for meter checks and repairs in response to questionable meter readings.
• Analyzes and maintains utility accounts to identify errors, changes or concerns and updates billing information prior to processing monthly billing.
• Loads and unloads routes for meter readers from meter reading software and creates service orders for final meter readings.
• Calculates and coordinates printing and mailing of monthly utility bills, invoices, and escrows with an outside vendor.
• Creates journal entries to record and process City utility bills.
• Coordinate billing of customers who are billed through Eagan and South St. Paul.
• Reconciles daily receipts for delinquent utility payments with reconciliation of bank accounts, generates certification letters to customers, prepares an annual assessment roll, and certifies delinquent accounts to the county for collection.
• Processes monthly refunds for customers who have closed accounts or credit balances.
• Prepares quarterly reconciliations and assembles year\-end and audit information.
• Works collaboratively with third party vendors.
• Certifies delinquent utility billings on an annual basis.

Performs specialized accounting support functions associated with the handling and processing of accounts receivable. Representative tasks and duties include:

• Reviews invoices created by other departments in the City’s accounting software and applies payments received to appropriate accounts.
• Follows up on delinquent accounts with staff and customers. Recommends accounts to be turned over to collections and processes paperwork to do so.
• Receives, processes and applies accounts receivable payments for various licenses, permits and fees. Codes payments and generates end of month reports.
• Prepares daily deposits into general ledger. Completes end of day reports; balances and reconciles all daily monies taken in.
• Assists with identifying ACH wire transmissions into the City.
• Maintains escrow accounts and serves as a resource for City departments.
• Processes and applies payments for building (limited), fire or other permits and fees. Codes payments and generates end of month reports.
• Records all receipts and prepares daily deposits into City general ledger checkbook. Completes end of day reports; balances and reconciles all daily monies taken in.
• Responsible for the review, decisioning, and reconciliation of all electronically deposited checks within the city’s banking system.
• Creates journal entries and imports them into the accounting system.

Performs accounting support functions associated with the handling and processing of account payables. Illustrative tasks include:

• Maintains and oversees the accounts payable invoice management system, collaborating with the appropriate parties for the set up of new workflows and/or the modification of existing workflows. Provides appropriate training to city staff on performance of duties within this system. Routes and manages invoices within the system.
• Receives inputs and prepares performs data entry of invoices for electronic distribution in the City’s accounting software, including credit cards, and employee expense reimbursements for a weekly accounts payable check run.
• Determines the priority level of invoices based upon time received, departmental advice or other factors.
• Assists with the coding on invoices shared by multiple departments such as office supplies, gas/electric utility bills, and the city’s legal bill.
• Completes check request process for payables, payroll, and utility billings. Reviews printed checks for accuracy, compliance with sales and use tax laws and City policies. Obtains missing support documentation as necessary and to identify any discrepancies.
• Prepares accounts payable invoices for distribution and mailing.
• Releases ACH file to bank for payment.
• Reconciles accounts payables to the general ledger on a quarterly basis.
• Maintains vendor information and collects W9’s.
• Prepares and issues 1099’s to required vendors.
• Prepares unclaimed property report.
• Prepares sales tax reports, makes online payments and journal entries.
• Prepares quarterly reconciliation of accounts payable accounts and assist with year\-end reporting.

Performs other general accounting support duties. Illustrative tasks include:

• Researches, resolves, and communicates with vendors, department staff, City employees, or the public concerning questions, issues, problems or complaints concerning accounting support activities assigned.
• Prepares, generates and/or compiles financial information requested of department personnel, city managers, officials, or members of the public.
• Assists in compiling reports, journal entries, work papers or other information needed or requested by audit personnel.
• Maintains accounting files, records and related information pertaining to accounting assignments.

Performs other duties of a comparable level or type, as required.

Qualifications

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Requires a minimum of an Associate's Degree in Accounting or closely related area and at least 3\-6 months of accounting/bookkeeping experience; and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Supplemental Information

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Essential Knowledge And Specialized Subject Knowledge Required To Perform The Essential Functions Of The Job:

• Fundamentals of accounting and bookkeeping functions, procedures, and operations as it pertains to accounts receivables, accounts payable, and general ledger maintenance.
• Laws, rules, regulations and requirements pertaining to areas of accounting responsibility.
• Fundamentals of general office and general administrative procedures and operational requirements.
• Office equipment and typical productivity software, databases or customized systems/applications used within the county/department for accounting processing.
• Knowledge of basic record retention, record/file/database maintenance requirements.
• Basic understanding of data privacy requirements, provisions as it impacts the processing of accounting and financial records.

Essential Skills Necessary To Perform The Work:

• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with employees, supervisors, department heads and representatives of other agencies.
• Understanding, applying and following regulations, guidelines, statutes and reporting requirements/deadlines.
• Customer service and human relation skills in assisting others, dealing with and applying proper phone etiquette and informational assistance in dealing with employees, agencies, the public and department staff concerning addressing, accounts payable, receivables, or account questions, etc.
• Time management and organizing work priorities to accomplish tasks in accordance with deadlines and established schedules.
• Performing duties that require attention to precision, detail and accuracy.
• Reviewing, proofing, reconciling, coding and data entry of accounting records and transactions.
• Preparing accounting reports, summaries, balances and statutory reports and forms.
• Applying and following accounting and recordkeeping operations in the maintenance of and processing of financial records or reports.
• Performing general office and clerical functions required within the office of assignment.
• Basic math skills needed to add, subtract, multiple and divide units of measure using whole numbers, fractions and/or decimals.
• Keyboarding and ten key skills.
• Using and operating computers and applying office productivity software such as word processing, spreadsheet, database and customized accounting software or applications utilized by the department/City.

Work Environment:

Nature of assigned duties and responsibilities involve minimal hazards and risks associated with the performance of the work. Duties are performed in typical office environmental conditions.

Physical Job Requirements:

Employee is required to sit, occasionally stand and walk, continuously talk, listen and hear; frequent sitting, reaching with hands and arms, and uses hands/fingers dexterously. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

Pay and Benefits Information:

This position is covered under the union contract AFSCME. Maximum placement upon hire is step 7 and is based on experience and qualifications. The City of IGH offers comprehensive benefits including health, dental, vision, life, disability, and pension.

Grade Step Step Step Step Step Step Step Step Step Step

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12 $33\.29 $34\.26 $35\.22 $36\.17 $37\.15 $38\.11 $39\.08 $40\.04 $41\.00 $41\.99