Financial Clerk II

Anne Arundel County; Annapolis (MD); On-site; USD 55,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Anne Arundel County is seeking a full-time, permanent accounting clerk in the Finance Section, Bureau of Engineering, Department of Public Works. The role involves handling complex clerical accounting for all CIP procurements and disbursements with coordination to Project Managers and the County Finance Office.

You will generate procurement documents, manage approvals, balance accounts, and prepare financial statements and reports. Strong data entry and auditing skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school including or supplemented by accounting or accounting-related coursework, and four or more years’ experience in bookkeeping, payroll, or disbursements.
• Thorough knowledge of accounting documents and their uses in a billing or accounting system.
• Familiarity with data processing billing or accounting systems.

Responsibilities

• Analyze procurement requests for correctness of form, funding, and documentation.
• Prepare and route procurement requests; create capital project procurements.
• Analyze and verify disbursement data for accuracy and funding.
• Collate vendor disbursement data and track payments, encumbrances and retainages.

Skills

Accounting concepts

Financial data analysis

Mathematical accuracy

Interpersonal communication

Documentation and record-keeping

Office equipment operation

Education

High school + accounting coursework

Tools

Oracle-Harbor

eBuilder

MS Word

MS Excel

Job description

This posting will be used to fill full-time, permanent positions in the Finance Section, Bureau of Engineering, in the Department of Public Works.

NATURE AND VARIETY OF WORK

This position handles complex clerical accounting work for every Capital Project managed by the Bureau of Engineering. The main purpose of this position involves creating, compiling, verifying, recording and reporting financial data for all procurements and payment disbursements associated with the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) in coordination with Project Managers and user Agencies and in conjunction with the County's Finance Office.(Note: The duties and responsibilities enumerated in this class specification are for the purpose of determining a common set of minimum qualifications and salary level for all positions in this class. They are not intended to include all of the essential functions of all positions in the class.)

• Analyzes procurement requests for correctness of form and method, sufficient Capital funding, and completeness of documentation.
• Generates procurement request documents. Creates Capital Project procurements in the financial accounting system.
• Routes procurement requests for approval. Assigns 1st and 2nd level approvals of procurements in the financial accounting system.
• Analyzes and verifies disbursement data for correctness of form and method, sufficient funding, math and completeness of documentation.
• Compiles disbursement data for each vendor which tracks and records financial and related data, such as billing periods, invoice processing schedules, current and accumulated gross and net payments, and remaining encumbrances. Also, monitors retainages withheld and reimbursed for each construction contractor.
• Assigns approval/disapprovals of disbursements in the financial accounting system.'
• Compiles procurement and disbursement data for tracking purposes and to maintain project and payment schedules.
• Contacts vendors, departmental personnel and others to obtain information and resolve financial issues.
• Updates, monitors and maintains financial aspects of the project management database eBuilder.
• Monitors retainages withheld and reimbursements for each construction contractor.
• Tracks deadlines for advertising Notice to Contractors, Consultant Selection Committee procurements and payment disbursements.
• Assists managers and support staff with all aspects of the financial accounting system, such as budget inquiries, purchasing procedures, Enterprise One / Work Day financial reporting, or procurement/disbursement methods.
• Work involves responsibility for performing varied and complex clerical accounting operations requiring knowledge of accounting system characteristics and the interrelationship of manual and computer processes.
• Duties include performing tasks for a major transaction area of the central accounting system or for the maintenance of a subsidiary billing or accounting system of a department or division
• Work is performed with considerable independence within the framework of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures governing the recording and reporting of financial transactions.
• Work is performed under general supervision and is subject to review by superiors and internal and external audit.
• Posts encumbrances, expenditures, cash receipts, revenues, and disbursements to journals.
• Reconciles and balances accounts. Analyzes and evaluates data input and output of a computerized system.
• Examines departmental requests for monies from accounts and confirms the availability of funds. Monitors accounts and notifies agency personnel of over expenditures.
• Authorizes disbursements to vendors and/or taxpayers. Examines vouchers, claims, invoices, checks and supporting data for conformance with established procedures and regulations. Maintains large computer files, database and/or accounting systems.
• Compiles data and prepares financial statements and other statistical and financial reports in accordance with standardized accounting procedures.
• Contacts vendors, departmental personnel, grant recipients and others to obtain and provide information and resolve disagreements.
• May assign, review, approve, supervise and/or train other office support personnel. Handles more complex problems referred by lower level office support personnel. Performs related work as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Thorough knowledge of various accounting documents and their uses in a billing or accounting system.
• Thorough knowledge of departmental accounting transaction practices and procedures and related laws and regulations.
• Familiarity with data processing billing or accounting systems and their use in the assigned system or sub-system.
• Thorough knowledge of technical accounting and bookkeeping principles, practices, and procedures.
• Skill in operating a variety of office equipment including calculator, scanner and personal computer.
• Ability to make arithmetical computations rapidly and accurately.
• Ability to maintain a wide variety of complex accounting records and to prepare reports.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the public.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Thorough knowledge of various accounting documents and their uses in a billing or accounting system.
• Thorough knowledge of departmental accounting transaction practices and procedures and related laws and regulations.
• Familiarity with data processing billing or accounting systems and their use in the assigned system or sub-system.
• Thorough knowledge of technical accounting and bookkeeping principles, practices, and procedures.
• Skill in operating a variety of office equipment including calculator, typewriter, CRT terminal and personal computer.
• Ability to make arithmetical computations rapidly and accurately.
• Ability to maintain a wide variety of complex accounting records and to prepare reports.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the public.

Graduation from high school including or supplemented by accounting or accounting-related course work; and four (4) or more years’ experience in bookkeeping, payroll, or disbursements.

NOTE: This is a confidential position

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• 1.) Experience in accounting for procurement/disbursements.
• 2.) Experience and proficiency using Oracle-Harbor or a related automated financial system.
• 3.) Experience and proficiency using eBuilder Project Management System.
• 4.) Experience and proficiency using MS Word and Excel.