Accounting Tech III

Helena, City of • City-County Building - Helena, MT

6d • Onsite

About The Position

As a critical trusted member of our Finance Division, you will drive the vital fiscal and administrative engines that keep our city thriving. In this highly dynamic role, you will blend technical accounting expertise with exceptional coordination to power essential city services—from managing utility revenues to licensing and public safety systems. Working at the active center of municipal operations, you will serve as a trusted partner to city departments, outside agencies, and the general public, directly enabling the daily success of our community.

Requirements

• Customer service techniques including active listening and problem-solving skills
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment.
• Complex, menu driven billing software and how it relates to the general ledger software.
• Operations, services, and activities of a utility billing program.
• Principles of mathematics.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Multi-task and work with routine interruption.
• Prioritize work assignments to assure an orderly and timely workflow within the division.
• Perform effectively under pressure and meet deadlines
• Perform varied and responsible fiscal and operational duties involved in the completion of Division operations.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive, harmonious, and effective, professional working relationships with employees and the public.
• Learn and become highly functional in several major modules of the City’s software systems
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of City ordinances, policies and procedures.
• Possess a valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record at the time of hire and have the ability to obtain a valid MT driver’s license within six months of hire.

Nice To Haves

• Certificate of completion or graduation from a two-year business, vocational, trade school or college curriculum with emphasis in accounting
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Interoffice and public communications
• Frequent interpersonal contact in the performance of duties.

Responsibilities

• Collect, reconcile, receipt, post, and deposit utility payments from customers, staff, and the public daily.
• Research and resolve payment discrepancies.
• Research, record, and prepare “exception” statements.
• Provide specific and general balance and payment information, and assistance to customers, staff and the public.
• Present payment options to customers and establish each account to comply with customer requests.
• Provide support for the Accounting Division’s reconciliation of the general ledger.
• Calculate and input rate changes, route changes, charges, and credits.
• Transfer monthly meter readings used to calculate current utility statements.
• Calculate and manually enter miscellaneous accounts receivable submitted by other departments and outside entities.
• Prepare monthly bills for all customers and assure monthly cycle of bills is transmitted to outside vendor for printing and mailing.
• Coordinate with various City departments to establish, verify changes, maintain customer accounts, calculate, bill and collect for various charges.
• Monitor all utility and miscellaneous accounts for delinquency.
• Generate and mail delinquency notices.
• Review and issue shut off notices to delinquent water/wastewater customers.
• Work with delinquent customers to negotiate and maintain payment contracts; ensure appropriate fees are collected before service is reestablished.
• Coordinate service terminations with Utility Maintenance, Transfer Station or other City personnel as appropriate.
• Create and maintain delinquency roster for utility and miscellaneous accounts and distribute to appropriate department personnel.
• Coordinate between City Treasurer, City Attorney, and other operating personnel for collection of payments returned from bank or e-pay vendor.
• Review, apprise, and assist City Attorney staff in the collection of delinquent accounts deemed uncollectible.
• Responsible for issuing, renewing, collections and reconciliation of many types of City licenses. These include business, animal and liquor licenses.
• Responsible for auditing liquor licenses to compare to the state issued licenses.
• Staff must maintain a thorough knowledge of City ordinances, policies, and procedures related to licensing to allow for proper license processing and communication with licensees.
• Provide customer service on all utility, licenses and miscellaneous accounts, in person, by phone and by email.
• Respond to specific and technical requests for information and assistance from consumers, City staff, and representatives of other organizations.
• Serve as primary information source regarding billing policies, procedures, objectives, and operational functions.
• Investigate and coordinate customer services with appropriate city department personnel to ensure problems are resolved quickly and efficiently.
• Handle customer complaints, maintaining a composed and courteous manner.
• Establish, verify changes, and maintain customer accounts.
• Utilize relevant information (geo code, physical address, property owner name, contractor name, meter size, commercial or single/multi family structure) acquired from the Building Department construction reports to create new utility accounts.
• Coordinate final readings on sale of property with realtor, owner, Title Company, and utility maintenance and operations staff.
• Provide technical assistance to all software vendors with support issues.
• Performs other duties and assumes other responsibilities as apparent or delegated.

Benefits

• The City of Helena is an equal opportunity employer. Veterans, minorities, members of the LGBTQ community, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

What This Job Offers

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