Part Time-Accountant Utility Billing

City of Brawley • Brawley, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Assistant Finance Director, this part-time position performs a wide range of highly skilled technical accounting duties including utility billing, payment arrangements, bank deposits, and daily reports. The role requires considerable initiative and judgment in organizing work and assisting accounting assistants with tasks such as accounts receivable and handling customer inquiries. This position also supports business license applications and questions.

Requirements

• Considerable knowledge of the principles, methods, procedures, and practices of municipal accounting, governmental accounting, auditing and financial reporting.
• Perform accurate mathematical calculations.
• Follows methods and techniques for accurate record keeping.
• Utility billing procedures and accounting.
• Proper cash handling practices.
• Data processing procedures relating to accounting.
• Use and management of Excel spreadsheets.
• Research methods and techniques.
• Prepare and submit clear, concise and accurate reports orally or in writing.
• Ability to establish and effective working relationships with employees, City officials and the general public.
• Strong customer service skills with the ability to explain policy and procedures to the general public.
• Work with internal and external auditors in the preparation of annual financial reports and statements.
• Regularly and predictably, attend work.
• Follow directions from a supervisor.
• Understand and follow posted work rules and procedures.
• Observe safety principles and work in a safe manner.
• Accept constructive criticism.
• Associate’s degree in business or public administration, with concentration in accounting.
• Two to four years’ governmental accounting experience at the staff accountant level required.
• Any combination of experience and/or education which provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this work will be considered.
• Strong customer service skills are a must.
• A minimum of three years of providing excellent customer service is required.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the City’s utility billing including customer service, collections, and adjustments.
• Prepares monthly utility billing statements and ensures their accuracy.
• Works with Accounting Assistants in explaining utility bills.
• Oversees collections and reviews adjustments for utility billing customers.
• Assists with customer inquiries and complaints both verbally and in writing.
• Provides day-to-day direction, coordination, and support to Accounting Assistants assigned to utility billing, accounts receivable, payment processing, customer service, and related accounting functions.
• Assists in coordinating workflow, prioritizing assignments, ensuring adequate coverage, and reviewing work for accuracy, completeness, and timely processing.
• Processes and audits payments such as Franchise Fees, Utility User Taxes, Transient Hotel Taxes, and third-party services provided by the City.
• Prepares and reviews computer input data for monthly expenditure and encumbrance reports, establishes control figures, and reconciles monthly computer detail reports with general ledger expenditure and encumbrance control accounts.
• Verifies, reconciles, and prepares various invoices for payment by the City.
• Reconciles citywide daily cash and prepares deposits.
• Assists with the performance and/or management of internal and external audits to ensure compliance with all processing procedures as required by Federal/State/Local Financial Assistance and related programs.
• Reviews and recommends improved financial procedures and implements appropriate procedures to minimize vulnerability to fraud, waste, or abuse.
• Serves as a liaison, establishes, and maintains positive working relationships with internal department heads, internal staff, outside agencies, and the public to answer inquiries and ensure understanding of the City’s utility billing transactions.
• Coordinates work activities of the department to ensure proper and timely interface and posting of accounting transactions and adjustments.
• Responsible for the annual Business License Renewal process.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Disaster service workers are required to participate in such disaster service activities as may be assigned to them by their employer or by law.
• Disaster plans are continuously being evaluated, drills are scheduled, and employees engage in training where they practice executing emergency support services.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree