ACCOUNT CLERK III

                                                                   Created: 8-2011

 General Purpose and Characteristics

Under general supervision, performs basic & advanced financial, and office support functions for the organization including but not limited to: collecting, reviewing, and entering all relevant customer account data to facilitate timely issuance of accurate water bills to customers; performs data entry to ensure accurate customer account records; This employee will also be responsible for various financial accounting functions within the organization.  And will be required to perform a variety of technical tasks relative to assigned areas of responsibility.

Distinguishing Characteristics

 Account Clerk III is distinguished from other levels in the Account Clerk class series by the performance of the most complex and/or specialized office support responsibilities. Employees perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to this series including but not limited to monitoring, and maintaining various accounting systems, compile and prepare appropriate data for accounts receivable billings; ensures accuracy of data for billing purposes; calculates and processes billings and billing adjustments up to authority level; calculates and processes special billings. Investigates and resolves billing errors, and various other accounting functions within the organization. Reviews and tracks assets and inventory. Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area of responsibility.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

Provides support to customers, members of the general public, and other staff of the organization in person, by email and/or phone, answering inquiries related to the organization’s operations including: request for information on new service requirements and conservation programs. He/she will per customer request initiate, add to, update, or terminate residential and commercial water service accounts; obtains required account information data; enters the data into the District’s customer account system or other database; explains billing practices and rates; processes service turn-on or –off field work orders; computes required activation fees according to District policies. Possesses familiarity with and explains to the public and others, the organization’s rules, policies, and procedure.

Verifies accuracy and enters readings for active, new, and turned-off accounts; researches and determines potential problem accounts; reviews computerized generated exceptions to meter read books; evaluate meter readings outside established parameters; releases accounts for billing; researches and resolves billing problems; generates bill preparation for books when problem accounts have been resolved; performs data entry to ensure accurate account records regarding all actions taken. 

Answers correspondence and questions by telephone and in person about utility bills; conducts research to resolve customer account questions, problems and complaints; reviews consumption history; requests/initiates meter re-reads and meter tests; reviews field results; follows up with customers to provide information on actions taken. Receives and enters payments collected from customers in person or received via mail, drop box, or direct debit. Balances cash and receipts; prepares deposits.

Requests/initiates emergency and non-emergency requests for field service orders for meter replacements or repairs, investigation of water leaks and other problems; prepares field service orders for follow-up on problem accounts; records service comments in customer account records; reviews and correct records on problem accounts that have been field checked; enters account comments and data on account problems and actions taken.

Receives, processes, and verifies bills, customer payments, invoices, purchase orders, and related materials; tabulates and codes data for processing; posts information to appropriate accounts, logs, and/or reports; makes adjustments in accounts and balances totals as appropriate; traces and corrects errors and omissions.

Establishes, maintains, and processes a variety of records and transactions; determines acceptability and accuracy of information and selects appropriate processing procedures; codes, classifies, and verifies data; compiles summaries and analyses; corrects errors and omissions.

Enters, formats, and retrieves data and prepares periodic or special reports and/or spreadsheets using a database, off-the-shelf or customized software programs, or other computerized formats to meet organizational needs.

Participates in financial record keeping, budget, accounts payable and receivable systems for the organization. Compiles and prepares appropriate data for accounts receivable billings; ensures accuracy of data for billing purposes; calculates and processes billings and billing adjustments up to authority level; calculates and processes special billings. Participates in technical accounting activities including data entry, review of records, researching and analyzing problems, performs various accounting activities; maintains and reconciles a variety of accounts and general ledgers; prepares monthly financial and special reports relating to the status of assigned accounts, analyzes revenues and expenditures; examines and corrects accounting transactions to ensure accuracy; determines, prepares and enters appropriate journal entries based on analysis.

Reviews statements for mis-postings; verifies bank postings to general ledger.

Daily deposit of revenues; counts cash, runs reports, prepares forms and spreadsheets, and categorizes revenue and expenditures. Inputs various documents into the appropriate modules in computerized accounting program.

Performs a variety of general clerical duties including typing, maintaining files and records, and processing the mail; works on a variety of special projects as assigned; performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

Desired Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge of:

Basic office administrative practices and procedures; principles and practices of sound business communication; correct English usage, including spelling, grammar and punctuation; bookkeeping principles and practices; operations, services, and activities of a computerized financial system; principles and procedures of financial record keeping and reporting; advanced clerical accounting methods and techniques; principles and procedures related to accounts payable and receivable; basic fixed asset accounting practices and procedures, advanced principles of mathematics, pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and ordinances; spreadsheet and word processing software

Ability to:

Operate standard office equipment including a personal computer and utilizing appropriate word processing, financial, and desktop publishing software;

Interact positively with others including the general public, elected officials, other organizational staff, and coworkers;

Acquire knowledge of the District’s rate and charge schedules and other policies and procedures relating to customer billing functions and practices; operate a computer, word processing and other related software and standard office equipment; accurately tabulate, record and balance assigned transactions; manage multiple and rapidly changing priorities; type at a speed necessary for successful job performance; organize, set priorities  and exercise sound independent judgment within areas of responsibility; organize, research and maintain office files; communicate clearly and effectively, orally and in writing; prepare clear, accurate and concise records and reports; understand and carry out oral and written instructions. Analyze and interpret financial and accounting records; Prepare a variety of fiscal reports and analyses; Utilize computer equipment and software to produce financial reports, informational items, tracing systems, and related documents; Apply federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to accounting and auditing activities; Understand and interpret the principles, laws, and procedures involved in fiscal record keeping, general ledger, and fixed asset in accounting and/or payroll functions;

Required Training and Experience:

Graduation from high school or a GED equivalent, a valid Nevada driver license, and must be bondable.

 Physical and Mental Demands

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to sit; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone, and use hands repetitively to operate, finger, handle or feel office equipment; and reach with hands and arms. Employees are frequently required to stand, walk and occasionally lift up to 20 pounds.

Mental Demands:

While performing the duties of this class, employees are regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret data and information; observe and interpret situations; analyze and solve problems; make basic arithmetic calculations; learn and apply new information and skills; perform highly detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks; and meet incentive and rapidly changing deadlines and priorities; and exercise tact and diplomacy in interacting with District staff, employees, and the general public.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Employees generally work under typical office conditions and the noise level is usually quiet. However he/she may be required to perform temporary assignments in extreme outside weather conditions at remote locations.