Administrative Assistant- Finance, Bureau of Revenue/Division of Water & Sewer Services

Howard County Government•Ellicott City, MD

About The Position

The Administrative Assistant provides senior technical-level administrative support for the Bureau of Revenue’s Division of Water & Sewer Services. The position coordinates billing activities, handles payment processing and account reconciliation, prepares adjustments and refunds, researches account issues, and responds to customer inquiries escalated by staff. It also supports system updates, staff training, scheduling, and general division operations. The position may act as lead in the absence of the supervisor, address difficult inquiries staff cannot resolve, review and analyze meter investigation reports, and prepare and process adjustments, refunds, and journal vouchers. It supervises in the absence of the Division Chief and works under general supervision. This is a classified position, represented by a collective bargaining unit, and requires completion of a probationary period of at least six months. The anticipated starting salary is $30.17–$34.04 per hour ($62,751–$70,806 annually). Final salary is determined based on experience and internal equity. The position requires an associate degree and four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Requirements

Associate degree and four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents and policies.
Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
Ability to write reports, speeches, and articles using original or innovative techniques or style.
Ability to independently troubleshoot and problem solve, or collaborate with a team, in a timely manner and in high-pressure situations.
Ability to work with intricate budget documents and apply budget concepts.
Ability to apply logical thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems.
Ability to travel independently to meetings, accident scenes, and job sites.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

Prepare schedules to coordinate monthly billing activities and deadlines across four divisions.
Coordinate, verify, and release PDF billing documents to the County’s print vendor for printing and mailing.
Review billing and invoicing out-sorts, verify consumption, correct readings, release billing, and resolve EMMA errors.
Prepare Domestic Sewage Billing for Miscellaneous Billing.
Process sewer surcharge rate changes, new accounts, and closed accounts.
Research and post payments with invalid account numbers.
Research, transfer, and resolve misapplied or missing payments.
Retrieve daily online payment totals and return payments.
Post internal agency payments and journal vouchers.
Transfer data files to the bank for ACH direct debit and prenotification verification.
Retrieve and process direct debit items not honored by the bank.
Monitor account change activity, run queries, and make corrections as needed.
Prepare and process water/sewer adjustments, penalty waivers, and refunds.
Review and analyze material investigations and close out online work orders.
Verify and sign returned check letters and delinquent fire protection letters.
Review and verify account entries completed by other division members.
Work with the Bureau of Utilities on complex accounts.
Access County, vendor, and state systems to research and verify account details.
Respond to inquiries escalated from water/sewer staff.
Ensure coverage of the customer service area.
Train subordinates on required job duties.
Work with the SAP team and consultants on system updates and issue resolution.
Attend staff meetings and other meetings related to water/sewer services.
Assist with interviewing.
Act as a lead person in the absence of the supervisor and handle difficult inquiries staff cannot resolve.
Supervise in the absence of the Division Chief.
Perform other related duties as assigned.