Utilities Accounting Specialist

City of Stoughton•Stoughton, WI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Stoughton Utilities is seeking a detail-oriented, organized, and customer-focused Accounting Specialist to support the financial operations that keep our utility running smoothly. The role of this position is to process accounts payable, utility employee payroll, miscellaneous accounts receivable, and daily cash deposits; assist with monthly account reconciliation; perform customer account billing corrections; and complete other related accounting functions as requested by the Utilities Finance Manager. Located along the Yahara River in downtown Stoughton, Stoughton Utilities provides reliable electric, water, and wastewater services to residents and businesses. As a trusted public utility, we are committed to dependable service, responsible financial management, and strong community partnership. The Accounting Specialist helps uphold these standards by ensuring the accuracy and integrity of our financial processes—work that directly supports the essential services our customers rely on every day.

Requirements

High school diploma, associate degree in accounting or business, with three years of experience related to financial/accounting operations, preferably in a municipal or utility environment, required, or any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Windows and other computer software used in a business environment, including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, and automated accounting, financial, and billing systems.
Valid motor vehicle operator’s license is required, or the ability to obtain independent transportation for required training and events.
Must pass a background check, driver’s license check, pre-employment physical, and drug screen.
Ability to classify, compute and tabulate data and information, following a prescribed plan requiring the exercise of some judgment.
Ability to compare, count, differentiate, measure and sort information.
Ability to assemble, copy, record and transcribe data and information.
Ability to explain, inform, demonstrate and clarify to others within well-established policies, procedures and standards, as well as the ability to follow specific instructions and respond to simple requests from others.
Ability to utilize a wide variety of advisory data and information such as work orders, financial statements, police reports, customer billing information, billing reports and statements, financial reports and ledgers, accounting systems, computer software operating manuals, city and utility policies and procedures, guidelines, routine and non-routine correspondence, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) rules and regulations, and safety rules and manuals.
Ability to communicate in writing and orally with customers, department and all levels of City personnel, financial auditors, bank personnel, accounts payable vendors, and the general public.
Ability to prepare letters, statements, notices, memos, narrative and statistical reports, and other correspondence using prescribed formats according to accepted rules of punctuation, grammar, and style.
Ability to maintain confidentiality in relation to all employee and customer information.
Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; calculate percentages, fractions, and decimals; and interpret and develop basic descriptive statistical reports.
Ability to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to problem resolution.
Ability to use functional reasoning and apply rational judgment in performing diversified work activities.
Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness, and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against measurable criteria.
Ability to operate office equipment and machinery requiring simple but continuous adjustments, such as computer workstation, calculator/adding machine, cash register, postage meter, photocopier, paper cutter, hand punch, telephone, and other items used in performing essential functions.
Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet, and limbs in performing semi-skilled movements such as typing.
Ability to exert very moderate physical effort in sedentary to light work, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling.
Ability to work under safe and comfortable conditions where exposure to environmental factors is minimal and poses little to no risk of injury.

Nice To Haves

preferably in a municipal or utility environment

Responsibilities

Compile accounts payable invoices, review for accuracy, code for payment, and process and ensure timely payment via appropriate method.
Maintain an accurate record of all credit card, ACH, wire, and check transactions.
Audit invoices to ensure proper tax-exempt status, notify vendors of tax-exempt status as necessary, and file exemption forms.
Research and review all new vendors to verify business legitimacy and maintain current vendor information, including 1099 data.
Download and process monthly credit card transactions.
Process and calculate biweekly employee payroll for Stoughton Utilities. Tasks include but are not limited to preparing and updating time sheets, compiling department employee time records, calculating pay and withholding, and printing employee paychecks.
Maintain employee setups and files and perform all requested changes and updates for employees, including employee benefits, tax withholdings, levies and garnishments, pay deductions, wage modifications, deferred compensation, address changes, and other related data.
Prepare and process quarterly and annual year-end tax information, including employee W-2 reports, vendor 1099s, unemployment report, workers' compensation report, Wisconsin Retirement, etc., and submit to the appropriate taxing authority.
Process and post journal entries, related reports, and account activity into utility financial and accounting software system, and perform monthly and annual close-out processes and reports.
Balance, file, and pay monthly sales and use tax.
Process and post customer account corrections, wire payments, miscellaneous receipts, and other transactions in the Customer Information System (CIS) software.
Run month-end aging accounts receivable reports.
Close out month and year in CIS.
Prepare miscellaneous invoices for billable construction and maintenance work and damaged infrastructure.
Prepare and send past-due notices to customers with unpaid balances.
Work with utility leadership and Technical Operations Division staff to collect outstanding balances through established collection methods.
Prepare and distribute various accounting and financial reports, including recurring monthly, quarterly, and annual reports related to accounts payable, employee payroll, sales and use taxes, work order status, and more.
Prepare other scheduled and unscheduled reports.
Prepare daily bank records for deposit and verify deposited funds.
Monitor bank statements for returned payments and process account adjustments in CIS.
Alphabetize and file reports and invoices.
Attend conferences, workshops, and other educational opportunities related to job responsibilities.
Comply with all internal control policies and procedures.
Comply with all Stoughton Utilities Safety Programs.
Attend and assist with utility-sponsored public events, prepare educational materials, and participate in outreach efforts.
Greet and direct visitors.
Answer, direct, and route telephone calls and messages.
Provide backup for various front-office tasks, including but not limited to processing customer payments, organizational filing, negotiating deferred payment agreements, etc.
Provide backup for daily visits to City Hall and local post office to receive and process incoming and outgoing postal and interdepartmental mail.
Sort and distribute received postal and interdepartmental mail to their intended recipients.
Provide backup for processing customer payments received through various physical and electronic methods, including but not limited to, banking lockbox, online My Account payments, Autopay (ACH and credit card), night deposit box, in-person, energy assistance, etc.
Perform related office tasks such as filing, faxing, photocopying, computer operation, maintenance of mailing equipment, and procurement of general office supplies.
Provide emergency after-hours phone support as needed during widespread outages and other emergencies.
Assist other division personnel as required, including but not limited to monthly account reconciliation, processing of journal entries, annual audit preparation, regulatory reporting, including the annual Public Service Commission reports, etc.
Assist all other Stoughton Utilities divisions as required.