Public Utilities Accounting Specialist

West Virginia; Charleston (WV); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

WV State Auditor’s Office is seeking an Accounting Technician for Public Utilities in Charleston, WV. The role supports the state’s regulatory accounting for utility services and related funds, emphasizing accuracy in tax distributions and intergovernmental payments.

The position requires an accounting background, experience with accounts receivable, and proficiency in spreadsheet tools and financial systems.

Qualifications

• Accounting fundamentals, including accounts receivable, cash receipts and accrual of interest.
• Reconciliation of totals between independent sources. Most tasks end with a balance that must agree to an outside figure and discrepancies must be explained.
• Spreadsheet proficiency, including formulas, lookups and pivot tables.
• Ability to follow written procedures precisely and to report discrepancies between a procedure and the system.
• Clear written English. Correspondence with county officials and federal agencies.
• Ability to work to fixed deadlines across a defined annual calendar.
• Databases and financial systems. Training provided on each.

Responsibilities

• Print the annual tax tickets for ~500 public service businesses and verify distributions before billing.
• Post payments to accounts receivable, apply timely payment deductions and 9% interest on late installments.
• Update statutory interest on open accounts on the first working day of each month.
• Certify unpaid assessments to county sheriffs after the second installment due date.
• Prepare annual delinquency referrals to the Attorney General and Secretary of State for prior five tax years.
• Prepare deposits, verify postmarks and reconcile deposit reports to tape totals.
• Issue receipts and maintain deposit records.
• Draft memoranda transferring funds between accounts and authorizing payments, citing relevant Code sections.
• Prepare intergovernmental transfers and check refunds requests.
• Enter tentative values from Tax Department and manage tax-year account statuses.
• Enter values by taxing entity from Tax Department reports per division rules.
• Enter levy rates from orders and rate sheets; reconcile totals.

Skills

Accounting fundamentals

Reconciliation

Spreadsheet proficiency

Follow procedures

Clear written English

Fixed deadlines

Databases and financial systems

Education

Associate degree in accounting

Bachelor’s degree with accounting coursework

Equivalent combination

Tools

Microsoft Access

State financial system

Division public utility system

Job description

WV State Auditor’s Office is seeking an Accounting Technician for Public Utilities in Charleston, WV. The role supports the state’s regulatory accounting for utility services and related funds, emphasizing accuracy in tax distributions and intergovernmental payments.

The position requires an accounting background, experience with accounts receivable, and proficiency in spreadsheet tools and financial systems.