Accounting Clerk - A/P & A/R

Clay Today; Washington (Washington County); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision

PERS Retirement

Job summary

The City of Cashmere is seeking a dedicated Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable Accounting Clerk to join our municipal team. This role handles payments to vendors, customer service, records management, and miscellaneous billing with a focus on timely cash flow.

We value cross-training across office functions and expect a versatile team player who can cover absences while meeting deadlines under municipal guidelines.

Qualifications

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative support, bookkeeping, or clerical office experience.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills required; ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Strong time-management and organizational abilities.

Responsibilities

• Process accounts payable and accounts receivable; ensure payments and coding.
• Prepare payment warrants, check registers, and financial summaries for council review.
• Maintain vendor records, W-9 forms, and 1099 filings in compliance with IRS rules.
• Handle customer service at front desk and over the phone; balance daily cash.
• Assist with utility billing, permits, and records management.
• Cross-train across office functions to support team needs.

Skills

Administrative support

Bookkeeping

Customer service

Microsoft Excel

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

CITY OF CASHMERE (WA)

Job Description

Title: Accounting Clerk

Department: Administration

Reports To: City-Clerk Treasurer

Supervises: None

Work Schedule

Schedule: Monday to Friday

Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Hours per Week: 40

Lunch Break: 1-hour unpaid lunch break daily

CASHMERE COMMUNITY

Cashmere is a charming, supportive small town that perfectly balances career growth with an exceptional quality of life. Nestled in a beautiful rural setting surrounded by rich agriculture, Cashmere offers an idyllic community complete with quality schools, a quaint downtown filled with unique shops, local parks, river access, and a historical museum. While you enjoy the safety and comfort of small-town living, major healthcare facilities, big-box retailers, and diverse dining options are just minutes away in neighboring Wenatchee and Leavenworth. It is also a true mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, offering year-round adventures right outside your front door—from hiking, mountain biking, golfing, and boating in the summer, to skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling in the winter.

Position Summary

The City of Cashmere is seeking a dedicated Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable Accounting Clerk to join our close-knit, collaborative municipal team. Because we operate as a small team, it is essential that the person we hire is a versatile team player who is eager to cross-train into other areas and step in seamlessly to ensure uninterrupted operations when others are absent. This position is responsible for ensuring that the City meets its financial obligations on time and maintains steady cash flow by managing both payments due to the City and the payments the City owes. In this multi-faceted role, you will handle customer service, accounts payable & accounts receivable, records management, and miscellaneous billing, at times, managing high-volume transactions under strict operational deadlines. The ideal candidate will possess a minimum of three years of experience in secretarial, clerical, and bookkeeping procedures, alongside advanced Microsoft Office skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable

• Invoice & Payment Processing: Verifies that vendor invoices are correct, approved, and properly coded.
• Ensure payments are made in a timely manner to avoid penalties and maintain vendor relationships.
• Create and manage miscellaneous accounts receivable statements, billing, collections, and financial balancing.
• Council Reporting: Prepare payment warrant lists, check registers, and financial summaries for review by the finance director and presentation to the city council.
• Audit Preparation: Assist with fiscal year-end closing, maintain compliance with municipal procurement policies, and pull documentation for annual independent audits.
• Research and answer vendor, employee and department questions regarding the status of accounts and payments.
• Calculate, record, and disburse monthly or quarterly excise tax payments to relevant state or local tax agencies.
• Print checks and prepares check remittances for mailing.
• Mails checks to vendors.
• Prepare manual checks, when necessary, with approval of City Clerk-Treasurer.
• Assists with accounting department audit requests.
• Maintains vendor W-9 forms and produces and files 1099 forms in accordance with IRS regulations.
• Credit Card Statement Management: processes, monitors and ensure payment of monthly statements; reviews for compliance with City Purchasing card policies.

Other Administrative & Customer Service Responsibilities

• Front Desk: Assist customers at the counter and on the phone with positive public relations.
• Cash Handling: Process utility, financial, and development payments; perform daily balancing procedures.
• Office Support: Prepare work orders for city departments, compose correspondence, and create/update office forms.
• Council Support: Assist with preparing City Council packets.
• Records Retention: Organize and maintain the city filing system and official records.
• Permits Management: Processing and managing permits such as rafting permits and miscellaneous permits.
• Insurance Claims: Serves as the insurance claims coordinator assists with the administrative work for insurance claims.
• Fixed Assets Management: Asset Lifecycle Tracking: Identify, log, and track the acquisition, depreciation, transfer, and disposal of all city-owned fixed assets and capital equipment.
• Surplus Administration: Coordinate the decommissioning and disposal of surplus city property, ensuring proper paperwork is filed and financial records are adjusted upon sale or destruction.
• Inventory Administration: Track supplies for all departments, and complete purchase orders.
• Program Compliance: The annual Tree City application, and annual census updates.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support team goals, including cross-training in other office functions and responsibilities.

Process Improvement

Advocates for improvements and participates in office process improvement events and activities.

Cross-Training Requirements

Account Management

• Set up new customer accounts and process final closings for water and sewer services.

Billing Operations

• Calculate, generate, and mail monthly utility bills; process adjustments, leak credits, and payment arrangements.

Delinquency Control

• Manage delinquent accounts, issue past-due notices, and coordinate service shut-offs.

Work Orders

• Create work orders for public works crew.

Utilities Customer Support

• Answer questions regarding water rates, sewer fees, and usage spikes; create and mail leak letters.

Digital Media

• Cross-training to maintain and update the City of Cashmere website.

Desk Coverage

• Cross-training across all administrative, clerical, and utility desks to ensure seamless office coverage during staff absences.

Payroll Operations

• Cross training in payroll processing is required.

Permit & Licenses

• Cross-training in processing, tracking, and issuing city permits (including deposits) and managing the Business Licensing database.

Cemetery Clerk Responsibilities

• Cross train in Cemetery records management, interments, deed processing, crew coordination and financials.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support team goals, including cross-training in other office functions and responsibilities.

Qualifications & Requirements

Time Management & Execution Skills

Demonstrated ability to meet strict project deadlines and manage competing priorities. Strong time-management skills with the ability to track progress and adjust plans to meet target dates. Proactive communicator who flags potential project delays or bottlenecks early. Capable of thriving in an occasional fast-paced environment while maintaining high-quality output. Prioritize tasks effectively based on shifting project scopes and urgent operational requirements. Process periodic heavy transaction volumes without sacrificing accuracy.

Minimum Qualifications & Education

High school diploma or GED equivalent. Three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative support, bookkeeping, or clerical office experience. Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Associate degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field. Prior Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable processing Prior utility billing processing and account management experience. Prior payroll experience Prior public sector or municipal government experience. Able to obtain a Valid Notary Public license (Fees Utility Billing Software: Experience with specialized municipal utility billing or accounting systems. Website Administration: Ability to update maintain the city website.

Required Computer Software Proficiencies

Microsoft Office Suite

Advanced knowledge of Word for correspondence and Excel for utility spreadsheets.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Environment

Work is performed in an indoor office setting at a public service counter with, at times, high customer volume.

Noise Level

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, typical of a busy municipal office.

Physical Demands

Sit or stand at a desk for extended periods; frequently walk, bend, reach, and handle office documents.

Vision & Hearing

Must have the visual acuity to read computer screens and printed text, and the hearing capacity to communicate clearly via telephone and in person.

Lifting

Ability to occasionally lift and move office supplies or record boxes weighing up to 20 pounds.

Mental Demands

Handle frequent interruptions, multi-task effectively, and interact professionally with frustrated or emotional customers.

Benefits

• 100% Employer paid - Medical, Dental and Vision for Employee and Family
• Vacation leave will be earned at a rate of 8-hours per month.
• Sick leave will be earned at a rate of 8-hours per month.
• Annual Paid Holidays (1st year prorate): Eleven 8-hour designated holidaysone 8-hour floating holiday.
• Membership in the WA State Public Employee Retirement System (PERS).