Account Clerk III - Central Office

Syracuse City School District•Syracuse, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Syracuse City School District is seeking an Account Clerk III for the Accounting Department at Central Office. This role involves performing highly specialized clerical work in connection with keeping financial records of great variety and complexity for a governmental department or agency. The position requires maintaining current financial records according to specific account classifications, such as cash receipts and disbursements, journals, and general ledgers. While professional accounting knowledge is not required, incumbents often have complete responsibility for the fiscal operation of a small department or division. This role may involve supervising clerical subordinate staff and requires technical independence, with review by an administrative superior or auditors. A background check may be required.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of bookkeeping principles and practices involved in setting up, maintaining and balancing general and ledger accounts.
Thorough knowledge of methods used in preparing both financial and statistical reports.
Thorough knowledge of methods and procedures established for a fiscal office.
Ability to operate adding machines, calculators, and/or peripheral automated accounting system equipment and other accounting office machines.
Ability to make arithmetic computations rapidly and accurately.
Ability to supervise the work of others in a manner conducive to full performance and high morale.
Ability to apply bookkeeping principles to the setting up and maintenance of fiscal and accounting records.
Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to accept and implement recommendations of accountants or auditors which will improve and "streamline" account keeping procedures, particularly if they are out-dated or unnecessarily lengthy and involved.
Ability to use common office equipment, including personal computers (PCs).
Promotion: One (1) year of permanent competitive status as an Account Clerk II or Account Clerk Typist II.
Open Competitive: Three (3) years of account keeping work experience or its part time equivalent, the major job function of which is the maintenance of financial accounts, at least one (1) year of which must have included the personal operational maintenance of accounts and general and subsidiary journals and ledgers, or the processing and maintenance of fiscal transactions including accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash management and statistical data and records.
Open Competitive: Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration or Finance.
Open Competitive: Successful completion of eighteen (18) semester credit hours in accounting from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college, university or business school.
Three semester credit hours in Accounting may be substituted for six months of required work experience.

Nice To Haves

Successful completion of a background check.

Responsibilities

Processing invoice processing, processing/updating vendor and adherence to payment terms
Producing bills/invoices, customer account management, reconciling payments, resolving discrepancies
Collecting/depositing cash, balancing cash drawer, reconciling discrepancies
Maintaining books, ledgers and journals which control the financial transactions of a small department or a government agency.
Posting entries to various accounts, using supporting records, which may be prepared by subordinate staff, either manually or by use of a data entry terminal or personal computer (PC).
Maintaining accurate, current records of all appropriations and encumbrances; posting encumbrances against code appropriations and determining unencumbered balances.
Taking monthly trial balances, reconciling with fiscal reports; making adjustments, when appropriate, and closing books for designated fiscal period.
Reviewing all accounts periodically for discrepancies in expenditures as related to agency, fund, appropriation and correct coding.
Supplying appropriate code numbers for newly funded accounts or increases in appropriations for maintenance and operation costs.
Maintaining inventory in terms of appropriations and disbursements for equipment and supplies.
Recording weekly or biweekly account totals to maintain controls on amounts expended for personnel services.
Preparing bank deposits for cash and checks received i.e. fees for services, state and federal revenues, etc. and allocating amounts to appropriate accounts.
Preparing requests for transfer of funds; keeping record of travel expenses encumbered by staff.
Assisting department head or supervisor in preparation of annual budget by providing financial and statistical reports based on current financial records for department of divisions of the department.
Communicating with vendors and other departmental staff on matters concerning processing of financial documents.
Making changes in methods of account keeping when recommended by an administrative superior or a local or state auditor.
Training new employees assigned to accounting section; planning and assigning work to subordinates engaged in maintaining financial records.
Using a personal computer (PC) for filing or obtaining information.