Accounts Payable Specialist

The Accounts Payable Specialist is under the direction of the Accounts Payable Manager and performs complex accounting support work with responsibility for accounts payable functions. Serves as the lead team member for the Accounts Payable team, providing technical guidance and ensuring compliance with established policies, procedures, and accounting standards.Responsibilities:

• Collection & opening of incoming interoffice & postal mail.  Date stamp, identify, research, sort, & send to departments or distribute to appropriate finance team members
• Pre-audit invoices submitted for payment to check for signatures, final payment, vendor number, invoice number, date, department time stamp, amount and payment type
• Prioritize invoices by payment type and date to ensure compliance with the FL Statute
• Verify accountant approval for capital expenses, leases, liabilities and revenue disbursements.  Must also ensure expenses for Grants & Contracts have been reviewed for accuracy and approved for payment 
• Perform daily data entry of invoices into the financial accounting software system
• Purchasing Card processing, reconciliation and uploading into database for payment
• Perform credit card payments to vendors via telephone and on-line processing, follow up with vendors and ensure cards are clearing from the bank to reconcile the weekly reports & spreadsheet
• Reconcile & audit data entry
• Scanning documents into imaging archive software system for record retention, verify redaction of confidential information while maintaining clean and accurate records
• Balance and process weekly check run to completion, creating, reconciling, posting files to bank and preparing weekly warrant list report for distribution
• Close Purchase Orders with zero balance on quarterly basis and perform roll/close at year end
• Updates and maintain various spreadsheets including but not limited to AP stats
• Facilitate payments to be voided and possibly reissued
• Receive W-9s for vendor maintenance to setup or update within ERP
• Preparation of journal entries & uploads necessary for various transactions, posting or reclasses
• Prep, audit, process manual online check run payments for ACH/Wires/Manual Credit Card payments that need to be recorded
• Pre-1099 audit, preparation, analysis and submission to IRS
• Reconcile year end general ledgers for Accounts Payable, Due to Other Governments and Prepaid accounts
• Prepare invoices to bill various departments or agencies
• Lead the AP team providing support and managing the workflow to meet deadlines
• Create, test and update SOPs
• Facilitate training and current best practices
• Able to file, research and reconcile vendor statements monthly
• Provide customer service to BOCC departments and their vendors via phone and email
• Support various areas of the finance office 
• Performs additional duties and provides operational support across the Finance Department and the organization as assigned by the Accounting Managers, Clerk, Chief Operating Officer, or Directors

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in accounting (B.A.) or finance-related field.
• Five (5) years of professional experience and/or training in the area of Accounts Payable.
• Any combinations of education, training, and experience will be considered.
• Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting, Auditing and Financial Reporting (GAAFR), and Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience working for a local, state, or federal government agency in the area of Accounts Payable. 
• Minimum of two (2) years in a supervisory capacity supporting a staff of 4 or more finance-related employees.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrates excellent customer service and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain cooperative, tactful, and effective working relationships with coworkers, attorneys, external agencies, and the public.
• Communicates clearly and professionally, both in person and by telephone, using appropriate vocabulary and grammar to convey routine and complex information in a respectful and understandable manner.
• Exhibits strong written communication skills to prepare correspondence using correct grammar, punctuation, and formatting appropriate for the intended audience.
• Possesses strong computer proficiency, including use of Microsoft Office applications, database systems, email, PDF documents, internet research tools, and standard computer peripheral equipment.
• Maintains knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems, including word processing, records management, transcription, form development, and general office practices, equipment, and terminology.
• Demonstrates the ability to learn, interpret, and apply specialized information such as codes, rules, policies, procedures, forms, and legal terminology to perform job duties accurately and efficiently.
• Handles confidential and sensitive information in compliance with state and federal regulations and established guidelines.
• Exhibits strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize workload in an environment with frequent interruptions and multiple competing demands.
• Is dependable and able to meet assigned work schedules, with flexibility to adapt to changing work assignments and operational needs.
• Works independently with minimal supervision while exercising sound judgment and discretion.
• Adheres to legal advice restrictions and operational guidelines of the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller’s Office.
• The statements contained in this section are intended to describe the general nature of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all competencies associated with the position.

Physical Demands: 
While performing the duties of this job, the Deputy Clerk is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, and communicate verbally and in writing. The employee is frequently required to use hands and arms to operate computers and office equipment and to reach or handle materials.
The employee may occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus for reading legal documents and computer screens.
Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment with occasional travel to meetings, court facilities, or legislative sessions as required.