Senior Account Clerk

This classification is scheduled to receive a 5% COLA effective July 2027.

The current vacancy is in the Department of Public Works.

The eligibility list created from this recruitment may be used to fill any current or future vacancies in ANY Butte County Department. 

FLSA: Non-Exempt

DEFINITION

Under general supervision, assigns, directs, reviews, and participates in the work of fiscal support staff performing a variety of routine to complex fiscal, financial, statistical, and accounting support duties in the preparation, processing, and maintenance of fiscal and accounting records and transactions; produces, balances, and maintains both manual and computerized accounting and financial records; receives, documents, and deposits payments; and performs related duties as assigned. 

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from assigned supervisory or management personnel. Exercises technical and functional direction over and provides training to lower-level staff. Exercises no direct supervision over staff. 

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced journey-level classification in the Account Clerk series responsible for performing the most complex work assigned to the series. Incumbents regularly work on tasks which are varied and complex, requiring considerable discretion and independent judgement. Positions in the classification rely on experience and judgement to perform assigned duties. Assignments are given with general guidelines and incumbents are responsible for establishing objectives, timelines, and methods to deliver services. Work is typically reviewed upon completion for soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to policy and requirements. This class is distinguished from the Accounting Technician in that the latter performs specialized and complex technical accounting work such as responsibility for a major accounting system monitoring and implementing a complex accounting system, and/or resolving complicated problems independent of supervision.

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Typical functions may include any of the following tasks, knowledge, abilities, and other characteristics. The list that follows is not intended as a comprehensive list; it is intended to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed, and may be required to perform additional, position-specific tasks.

• Provides lead direction, training, and work review to assigned fiscal support staff; organizes and assigns work, sets priorities, and follows up to ensure coordination and completion of assigned work; assists in the evaluation, development, and implementation of work procedures and methods.
• Maintains complex financial records and reviews financial transactions; prepares periodic or special reports; gathers data to assist in the preparation of financial and statistical statements and reports and for audits.
• Checks and balances reports and records of other County departments and offices; ensures records maintained and procedures followed comply with legal requirements, accounting procedures, and County policies.
• Leads and participates in the performance of a variety of fiscal support duties related to accounts receivable, accounts payable, billing, business licensing, and/or department-specific fiscal support duties, including posting, balancing, adjusting, and maintaining manual and computerized account and financial records according to established policies and procedures.
• Assists customers, departments, and employees by providing answers and information regarding specific account information, discrepancies, general accounting procedures, and/or department specific issues and problems; researches issues regarding specific transactions; and updates related files and departments on action items.
• Maintains a variety of ledgers, registers, and journals according to established policies and procedures; reconciles transactions and data as directed; records changes and resolves differences; maintains the accuracy of accounting and financial records.
• Posts cash receipts to subsidiary accounts receivable ledgers; balances and reconciles accounts; posts and balances accounts payable ledgers for programs and purchase orders; codes accounts; prepares summaries; prepares annual cost statistics; distributes ledger charges according to the functions of the various programs.
• Prepares and batches financial and statistical information for processing; reviews and balances input documents; monitors and reconciles data processing printouts; makes adjustments and corrections as necessary.
• Computes, collects, processes, balances, and deposits various fees and payments and maintains cash balance worksheets.
• Receives requests and processes reimbursements; collects receipts and verifies charges; codes and enters expenses; forwards documents for management review and approval; files documents. 
• Receives, sorts, and organizes a variety of financial documents, including bills, claims, invoices, and payments and reviews documents received for completeness, accuracy, correct entry, mathematical accuracy, and proper coding.
• Assists with departmental payroll recordkeeping, expense allocations, cost accounting, implementation of internal financial controls, and budget preparation, as assigned. 
• Performs general office support duties such as opening and routing mail and deliveries; preparing correspondence; filing and record keeping; duplicating and distributing various written materials; and ordering and keeping inventory of office supplies.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles of providing functional direction and training.
• Terminology and practices of fiscal and accounting document processing and recordkeeping, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, and/or payroll. 
• The organization and operation of the County and functional responsibilities of County departments.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Business arithmetic and basic financial and statistical techniques. 
• Methods of preparing and processing various records, reports, forms, and other documents.
• Principles and practices of financial/statistical recordkeeping. 
• Principles and techniques for working with groups and fostering effective team interaction to ensure teamwork is conducted smoothly.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and County staff.
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

 Ability To:

• Plan, organize, and coordinate the work of assigned staff.
• Effectively provide staff leadership and work direction.
• Lead and perform fiscal, financial, statistical, and accounting recordkeeping work with speed and accuracy. 
• Prepare and process various financial and statistical records, reports, forms, and other documents specific to assigned department/division/program.
• Research and compile a variety of information and materials.
• Understand, interpret, explain, and apply all pertinent laws, regulations, codes, and ordinances and County policies and procedures relevant to work performed.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Make accurate arithmetic and basic financial and statistical computations.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, recordkeeping, and tracking systems.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet critical deadlines, and follow-up on assignments.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and procedural guidelines.
• Effectively use computer systems, software applications relevant to work performed and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, using appropriate English grammar and syntax.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

 Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

 Equivalent to completion of the twelfth (12th) grade; and

 Four (4) years of increasingly responsible accounting or bookkeeping experience.

 Certifications and Licenses:

• A position assigned to this class may require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required; occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information; ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 10 pounds.
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen.
• Hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone.
• Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment.

 WORKING CONDITIONS 

• Office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances.
• Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

 EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS UTILIZED

• Equipment utilized includes personal computer and standard office equipment.

 Disaster Service Worker

All Butte County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.