Accountant I or II

City of Valdez; Valdez (AK); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13.5 paid holidays

Annual personal leave ~24 days (2+ yrs

Excellent health insurance (90/10)

Supplemental Life Insurance & AFLAC

State employee retirement system

457 deferred comp + city-matched 401(b

Tuition reimbursement & training

Relocation expense reimbursement

Job summary

City of Valdez is seeking an Accountant I or II to join the Finance Department. The role handles accounts receivable and property tax activities and provides essential support for payroll or accounts payable. A strong customer service mindset and solid accounting knowledge are essential.

Ideal candidates possess advanced Excel skills and a degree in Finance or Accounting. This full-time, benefits-rich position rewards initiative, collaboration, and integrity, with opportunities for professional

Qualifications

• High school diploma and 2+ years of experience in governmental accounting or customer service.
• Solid knowledge of basic accounting principles and billing best practices.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.

Responsibilities

• Billed and collected revenue for utilities, accounts receivable, special assessments and property taxes.
• Interact daily with customers regarding billing or property tax questions.
• Ensure accuracy of daily cash deposits into general ledger systems and financial computer information system.
• Prepare annual property tax notices and statements.
• Monitor delinquencies and coordinate with collection agency as needed.
• Support payroll or accounts payable as assigned.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Accounting knowledge

Billing best practices

Excel proficiency

Education

Finance/Accounting degree or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Join the City of Valdez Finance Department as an Accountant I or II!

Are you detail-oriented, customer-focused, and ready to grow your career in municipal finance? The City of Valdez is seeking a motivated Accountant I or II to join our Finance team. Under the general supervision of the Comptroller, this role is responsible for Accounts Receivable and Property Tax functions, and provides essential operational support for Payroll or Accounts Payable.

This is a full-time, fully benefited position (37.5 hours/week) offering competitive compensation and an exceptional benefits package, including:

• 13.5 paid holidays
• Approximately 24 days of annual personal leave for employees with under 2 years of service
• Excellent, affordable health insurance (90/10 coverage with low deductibles)
• Optional Supplemental Life Insurance & AFLAC
• Participation in the State of Alaska Public Employees Retirement System
• Optional 457 deferred compensation plan + City-matched 401(b) when enrolled in the 457
• Tuition reimbursement and advanced training opportunities
• Relocation expense reimbursement

Who We're Looking For:

• Strong customer service and communication skills
• Solid knowledge of basic accounting principles and billing best practices
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel

The ideal candidate is disciplined, innovative, resourceful, and thrives working both independently and collaboratively. A background in customer service is highly valued. A degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field is preferred, though an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

All candidates should demonstrate integrity, dedication to service, innovation, and a commitment to celebrating team and community success.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

(Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. This list is ILLUSTRATIVEONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbents of this class.)

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Assignment to Accounts Receivable:

• Accurately bills and collects revenue for utilities, accounts receivable, special assessments and property taxes.
• Interacts on a daily basis with customers related to billing or property tax questions.
• Shares in assuring the accuracy and integrity of daily cash deposits into the general ledger systems, and the financial computer information system.
• Collects monthly billing from other departments and checks for accuracy and compliance with policy.
• Imports revenues from external departments.
• Reconciles all billing-related activities in the general ledger systems.
• Maintains accuracy of property tax roll and property records and updates information in system as warranted.
• Prepares and provides annual property assessment notices.
• Works closely with Tax Assessor.
• Prepares and provides annual Property Tax Statements.
• Monitors account delinquencies and corresponds with customers accordingly; works closely with the collection agency.
• Prepares property tax foreclosure information and works closely with the City Attorney
• Ensures all activity complies with Federal, State and local City of Valdez statutes and policies.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

Knowledge of:

• City and Department policies and procedures.
• Accounting principles and standards related to Public Sector financial administration.
• Computer accounting software.
• Microsoft Office: Excel, Word, Outlook.
• State and Federal statutes, rules, codes and regulations.

Skill in:

• Customer Service to include both written and oral Communication Skills.
• Following accounting procedures and performing, reviewing, and correcting mathematical computations.
• Correcting and updating financial and accounting information systems.
• Utilizing personal computers and a variety of software applications.

Values:

• Integrity
• Stewardship
• Innovation
• Celebration

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed in an office environment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A high school diploma and two (2+) years experience in governmental accounting or customer service, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.