CSR/Cashier Utilities Administration

City of Phenix City; Phenix City (AL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Phenix City seeks a Billing Clerk to support utility billing operations. Responsibilities include processing payments, balancing cash drawers, and handling billing discrepancies. The role requires accurate data entry, filing, and report generation within a busy municipal office.

Experience in bookkeeping or cashiering is preferred, along with High School education and bookkeeping training. Customer service and phone skills are essential for daily interactions with residents.

Qualifications

• High School with additional training in bookkeeping/business technology.
• Office experience in bookkeeping, cashiering or related office environment or equivalent.
• Knowledge of customer accounts and billing processes.
• Ability to use computers for data entry and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Process payments and manage cash drawer balance.
• Handle billing discrepancies and provide customer information.
• Prepare daily cash reports and receipts.
• Deposit payments and verify account information in the system.
• Maintain filing and archiving of billing documents.
• Assist customers with payment forms and banking tasks.
• Answer telephone inquiries on billing balances, disconnections, and due dates.
• Coordinate with vendors for waste/recycling services as needed.

Skills

Billing knowledge

Cash handling

Data entry

Customer service

Phone skills

Education

High School diploma

Bookkeeping training

Tools

Accounting software

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

Under general supervision, receives payments and assists customers with billing discrepancies, secures cash drawer balances against cash reports; collects mail and distributes to appropriate personnel, receives mail-in payments, verifies account information and enters into computer, calculates totals and prepares reports; creates filing system, files and retrieves material as needed; compiles information and prepares various reports and performs additional duties in support of the department as needed or upon request.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statement of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this position. Other duties may be required, assigned and expected aside from those set forth below to address operational needs and changing operational practices.

• Access utility accounts and provides customers information regarding billing discrepancies and payments.
• Receives payments and deposits for utility accounts and issues receipts.
• Secures and maintains cash drawer; balances against payment edit report.
• Runs daily cash report of payments received on utility accounts, calculates monies and forwards to Accounting Clerk.
• Retrieves and issues customer account history reports upon request.
• Maintains file of billing receipts, transfers and secures in vault.
• Assists customers in completing bank draft authorization forms as needed.
• Contacts customers regarding incomplete documents or payments discrepancies.
• Collects mail from drop box, opens and distributes to appropriate personnel.
• Receives mail-in payments, verifies payment and account information, attached to billing statements and enters payment information into computer.
• Runs payment edit report for night deposits and mail-in payments; calculates check totals and balances against report.
• Prepares daily cash report, attaches payment edit report and forwards to accounting deposit; ensures necessary stamps are affixed to checks and payment statements.
• Answers multi-line telephone, direct calls or provides callers with billing information to include balances, disconnections, reconnects and due dates.
• Contacts service vendors to report missed pick-ups or to order garbage disposal cans and recycle bins for customers.
• Confers with dispatcher regarding water outages or other services needed.
• Occasionally attends customer training, workshops and seminars or departmental meetings.
• Assists dispatchers as needed or upon request.

Qualifications

Education & Experience Guidelines

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities required for this position would be:

Education/Training

High School with additional training in bookkeeping/business technology.

Experience

Office experience in bookkeeping, cashiering or related office environment OR equivalent combination of training and experience.

Licenses or Certifications Required

N/A

The following generally describes the knowledge and abilities required in order to successfully perform the assigned duties of the position:

Knowledge of:

• Customer accounts and billing including transactions, activities, forms, records and procedures.
• Computers and related office equipment used in billing.
• Reading skills to comprehend procedures, regulations and related documents of moderate complexity.
• Writing skills to prepare forms, records, narrative reports, schedules and similar documents.
• Math skills to add columns of figures, subtract, multiply and divide in performing calculations involving decimals and percentages including skills to balance numerical tables.
• Verbal communication skills to speak to individuals and talk on the telephone.
• Customer relation skills to effectively interact with citizens and promote positive image for the City.

Ability to:

• Plan activities and work efficiently to meet deadlines.
• Work as a member of a team.

Physical Demands & Working Environment

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the city encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations needed to perform the essential duties of this position.

Environment: Work location will be indoors

Physical Demands: See accompanying page for details

Key Working Relationship: Utility customers, Office Manager, Administrative Coordinator, CSR's, Utilities Director