Nature of Work
Under general supervision, an employee in this class performs technical bookkeeping and fiscal-clerical work in the Finance Department. An employee will need to be detail-oriented and impose a strong drive for accuracy upon themselves. The employee must have a keen awareness of their assigned duties and time management to ensure those duties are completed on time. The employee must exercise considerable tact and courtesy in dealing with the public and employees on a daily basis.
Duties and Responsibilities
Audits invoices and travel reimbursement vouchers, assigning vendor numbers to invoices and batching invoices for processing. Along with Chief Finance Officer ensures the pre-audit function is met prior to making payment.
Contacts and confers with vendors and/or school personnel as necessary to resolve discrepancies in purchase orders, vendor invoices, and associated records.
Employee is responsible for ensuring proper and timely payment on vendor accounts, direct pays from school to school, PR batch deductions and various contracted services, and for preparation of associated accounting reports.
Weekly batches of employee reimbursements are processed via ACH. A weekly .txt file is generated to be uploaded into our online banking system. Along with Chief Finance Officer ensures sufficient funds are transferred into the account to cover direct deposit payment of reimbursable expenditures to employees.
Weekly batches of vendor payments. Some vendors only accept physical checks. This employee ensures those are mailed on a weekly basis. Other vendors accept payment via credit card/virtual payment. Those vendors are setup such that it will generate a .txt file which is uploaded into our online banking system. Payment similar to employee reimbursement mentioned in preceding paragraph.
Attaches copies of checks to corresponding purchase order details and invoices in preparation for filing.
Maintains file of outstanding purchase orders, invoices, and receiving documentation.
Vendor setup for vendors being introduced to our system. This requires ensuring a valid W9 is received from the vendor and inputting information into our financial software. Contact information, address, HUB status, etc.
Monthly sales tax reporting to the NC Department of Revenue.
Handles the accounts payable function for the Northwest RESA. WCS serves as the fiscal agent for this DPI agency. Employee tracks purchases of fixed assets, defines the correct asset category and useful life, and keys them into the fixed asset system. Maintains a physical log of all fixed assets in our system. Also removes those assets from the fixed asset system as those assets are disposed of.
Completes the TD-19 report for the LEA’s transportation department. This is a process of reassigning state-funded expenses on locally owned assets. We must ensure any local expenses paid for out of our state allotment for yellow buses are reimbursed.
Maintains the AS400 system. Daily, weekly, quarterly & yearly backups. Also downloads and distributes monthly reports from DPI. Cash zero out, allotment balance reconciliation report & monthly cash certification to name a few.
Answers telephone and greets visitors, receiving and responding to inquiries or referring callers to proper officials, records and relays messages, as necessary.
Distributes mail for the finance department.
As a Central Office staff, we rotate duties at the reception area to ensure the full-time receptionist is given a break and lunch.
Attend NC Association of School Business Officials (NCASBO) courses as needed/required.
Performs other related work as required.
Minimum Training and Experience
High school diploma supplemented by secretarial or business courses with an associate’s degree preferred. 1 to 2 years of experience in office administration, technical accounting, or bookkeeping work; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Essential Job Functions
Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines including computers, calculators, printers, copiers, etc. Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
Requires the ability to arrive promptly at the prescribed starting time and provide consistent attendance.
Requires ability to adapt to technology. The ability to type accurately at a moderate rate is a must. The ability to research topics on the internet is regularly needed. An ability to use features within Microsoft Excel to extract and mine data is needed. The ability to sort, filter, and use formulas within Excel is expected.
Requires the ability to use the telephone and email as daily forms of communication. Requires the ability to communicate to individuals and to groups of individuals. Public speaking will not be the everyday norm but it will be needed at times.
Requires the ability to read and prepare a variety of correspondence, reports, forms, statements, invoices, purchase orders, accounting journals, etc.
Requires the ability to apply principles of accounting to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Also requires the ability to respond to questions based on considerable knowledge of these principles.
Requires the ability to deliver information, explain procedures, follow oral and written instructions so sharing of knowledge can occur. Ability to cross-train within the department to increase flexibility of the team is needed. Must communicate effectively in a variety of technical or professional languages including accounting, insurance, and government terminology.
Requires the ability to deal with people in a professional manner beyond giving and receiving instructions. A positive experience with co-workers, customers, and the public is the expectation. Must be adaptable to performing under stress or in emergency situations.
Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics of data, people, or things.
Requires the willingness to assist within the department when situations arise. Also a willingness to take on new assignments, or try new ways of working in order to create greater efficiency.
Requires strong organizational skills to allow for maintaining complete and accurate records and complex files.
Requires a general knowledge of state, local, and school system fiscal regulations, policies, and procedures.
Requires the ability to stay current on ever-changing duties/reporting requirements.
Requires the ability to work independently or in groups of people with little guidance.
Requires the ability to maintain confidential information.
Reports to: Chief Finance Officer
FSLA Status: Non-Exempt
Disclaimer: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees in this job.
Updated: July 7, 2016