Account Clerk III na City of Charlottesville, VA

About the Department

• For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits.
• The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. For questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at 434-970-3462.

Position Duties

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The essential functions of the job are not limited to those listed in the job description.  The City retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of the position at any time.

• Prepares, reconciles, and assists with the maintenance of financial records; entering, verifying, and checking data; processing accounts payable, accounts receivable, issuing checks, purchasing, inventory, budget and/or other financial accounts. 
• Audits applicable credit card statements to verify all purchases are within City and/or departmental guidelines, to include tax exemption if applicable.
• Processes the issuing of payments to customers, vendors, outside agencies, and/or the public; conducts research; audits account coding; ensures current or new vendor data is accurate and necessary information/documentation is obtained.
• Sorts, analyzes, prioritizes, and preps incoming work daily for accuracy and compliance with applicable policies and procedures. Identifies and responds to discrepancies and issues appropriately.
• May balance check proposal to the prior days invoice postings, identifying and resolving discrepancies. May generate receivable invoices that are not automatically produced in other City systems. Monitor outstanding invoices and attempt to collect when past due.
• Voids and/or reissue checks. Ensures proper documentation is received and distributed to ensure a void or stop payment has been issued.
• Processes manual checks or check requests, as necessary. 
• Provides customer service to vendors and city personnel. Performs administrative duties by answering and directing inquiries, providing information, compiling data for reports, filing documents, processing various reports, maintaining files, compiling information, and keeping logs. 
• Compiles and assembles information to be used by others, such as documents and financial records, and other applicable records for internal and external auditors.
• Maintains specialized database(s); inputs, retrieves, and analyzes data; reviews reports to ensure that data is current and accurate. 
• May provide technical support to system users and participate in system upgrades and testing.
• Responsible for appropriate use and maintenance of City equipment, tools and other resources, including work time. 
• Regular and reliable attendance.

• Depending on assignment, coordinates trash sticker process including inquiries, orders, and deliveries to merchants.
• Performs additional duties to support operational requirements as apparent or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Candidates may qualify by demonstrating the required knowledge and skills outlined for the job through experience(s) other than formal education.

• High School diploma or GED AND 3 years of experience in accounts payable/receivable, bookkeeping, accounting or related area 

• 5 years of experience in accounts payable/receivable, bookkeeping, accounting or related area

• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of the specific requirements listed above.

• Required to successfully pass a pre-employment background check and pre-employment drug screen.

• Thorough knowledge of routine bookkeeping, accounts payable/receivable, and accounting principles, practices, methods, and terminology.
• Thorough knowledge of standard office procedures, practices, and equipment.
• Knowledge of automated AP/AR systems.

• Intermediate: ability to read and understand written materials such as financial documents, financial reports, books, magazines, journals, multi-step instruction manuals, and reference materials.  

• Intermediate: ability to organize data and write clear and concise reports, business letters, explanations, and summaries with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, using all parts of speech.  Maintains complex financial records and prepares financial reports accurately.

• Intermediate: ability to deal with number systems; simple formulas, practical application of fractions, percentages, ratios/proportions and measurement.  

• Intermediate: Provides and receives complex information. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with City staff, leaders, vendors, and the public. May include interactions that involve stressful, negative interactions requiring high levels of tact and the ability to respond to aggressive interpersonal interactions. Elements of persuasion may be necessary to gain cooperation and acceptance of ideas.

• Requires General Direction: normally performs the job by following general instructions or established standard operating procedures and/or policies.  There is some discretion when making decisions among a few easily identifiable choices of the appropriate procedure or policy to apply to duties.   Performance is reviewed frequently.

• Skilled: comprehensive, practical knowledge of a technical field with use of analytical judgment and decision-making abilities appropriate to the assigned and apparent job responsibilities.Intermediate skill in Microsoft Office programs, SAP, and financial management systems and software.

• Prepares accounting, budget, and purchasing documents; and does research to justify language used in documents.

• No responsibility for direction or supervision of others. However, may guide and monitor work of helpers, assistants, seasonal employees, interns, or temps.

• Organization and time management skills; sometime under strict time constraints.
• Frequent change of tasks.
• Tedious or exacting work.
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Works closely with others as part of a team.
• Must work effectively with sensitive and confidential information.
• May require dealing with angry, frustrated and/or upset individuals.

Other Qualifications

Physical Demands:

• Light Work: Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• Moves about inside the office to access file cabinets and office machinery.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• Must be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.  Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

• Typically requires use of standard office equipment and telephone, and related software and hardware; and any other equipment as appropriate or as assigned.

• Work is performed in an office environment where there may be exposure to computer screen for extended periods of time, monitor glare and dust.  
• The noise level is usually moderate.