Senior Account Clerk

City of Dana Point; Dana Point (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Dana Point's Administrative Services Department seeks a customer service–oriented Senior Account Clerk to handle clerical and technical accounting duties in payroll, accounts payable, and accounts receivable, while supporting city administration.

Under general supervision, you will maintain employee data, generate financial reports, and assist callers and visitors. This non-exempt position offers exposure to governmental finance and room for growth.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of basic accounting and financial record keeping practices.
• Arithmetic skills including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Cash handling and banking procedures.
• Proficiency with office software (word processing, spreadsheets, databases).
• Ability to provide high quality customer service.
• Ability to collect data, conduct basic research, and analyze information.
• Understanding of record keeping principles and procedures.
• Solid command of English spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Commitment to safe work practices.

Responsibilities

• Perform a variety of general accounting activities including payroll processing and basic A/P/A/R duties.
• Maintain employee data such as hours, salary changes, and leave records.
• Create and maintain accurate financial records and run reports from the city system.
• Prepare routine financial, statistical, or operational reports.
• Provide administrative support, respond to vendor calls, and manage supplies.
• Research information and prepare related spreadsheets or reports.
• Respond to public inquiries courteously and resolve complaints efficiently.
• Assist with special projects as needed.

Skills

Basic accounting

Arithmetic

Cash handling

Office procedures

Customer service

Data collection

Record keeping

English usage

Safe work practices

Education

High school diploma or GED; 2 years clerical/accounting experience

Job description

The City of Dana Point’s Administrative Services Department is seeking a customer service–oriented, detail-driven professional to fill the Senior Account Clerk position. This role offers an excellent opportunity for candidates who want to gain hands‑on experience in governmental finance, accounting, and city administration.

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Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

DEFINITION

Under general supervision, perform a variety of clerical and routine technical accounting duties and administrative support work in areas such as payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general administration; assist callers and visitors; and perform other related duties as assigned.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

Incumbent works under general supervision and performs diverse tasks that require judgment in applying established practices and procedures in which the individual has been fully trained. Higher level classifications are distinguished by increased experience, greater level of responsibility and independence, complexity of work assignments, greater accountability, and level of supervision received and exercised.

This position is non-exempt under FLSA standards.

Essential job functions may include, but are not limited to, the following: (Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job).

1. Perform a variety of general accounting activities, including payroll processing; provide general assistance with accounts receivable transactions and accounts payable as necessary; prepare associated reports.
2. Maintain data on full‑time and part‑time employees, including total hours, changes in name or address, salary changes, exemptions, and vacation and sick leave records.
3. Create and maintain accurate financial records, logs, and files; input and retrieve data in City’s computerized accounting system.
4. Prepare basic periodic financial, statistical, or operational reports as assigned.
5. Perform a variety of administrative support duties, including division filing and records retention, responding to vendor calls, and requesting necessary supplies and equipment.
6. Research information using standard procedures and prepare related spreadsheets and/or reports.
7. Respond to public inquiries in a courteous manner; provide information within the area of assignment; resolve complaints in an efficient and timely manner.
8. Perform special projects and assignments as requested.
9. Perform other related duties as assigned.

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Basic accounting and financial record keeping methods, practices, and procedures.
• Arithmetic including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Cash handling and banking procedures.
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Methods and techniques of effective customer service.
• Basic methods and techniques of data collection, research, and analysis.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Safe work principles and practices.

Ability to:

• Perform a variety of accounting clerical duties.
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions and successfully follow established procedures.
• Understand and apply basic principles, laws, and procedures involved in fiscal record keeping and accounting.
• Tabulate, record, and balance assigned transactions.
• Prepare routine correspondence.
• Provide high quality customer service.
• Provide courteous and responsive communications with City staff, City officials, and the public.
• Plan and organize work to meet deadlines on a timely basis.
• Prepare and maintain accurate records and files.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Follow established safe work practices and procedures.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience

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

• Graduation from high school or a GED and two years of responsible clerical and technical accounting experience. Completion of college‑level related coursework is highly desired.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND 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. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Physical Requirements:

Position may require the ability to perform occasional light lifting and carrying; sitting for prolonged periods of time; occasional walking, standing and/or bending. Continuous hand use and finger dexterity is needed to use the computer keyboard and operate standard office equipment; it may require occasional pushing and pulling. This position also requires the ability to have a near vision for reading correspondence, reports, agendas and other records. Good hearing is required when communicating on the telephone or in person.

Work Environment:

Primarily office environment with controlled temperature conditions and exposure to environmental factors and hazardous physical substances are minimal and pose little to no risk of injury. Occasional transportation to meetings and/or events may be required.

Note: All employees of the City of Dana Point are designated by both State law and City ordinance to be “Disaster Service Workers.” In the event of a declared emergency or an undeclared emergency or natural disaster that threatens the life, health and/or safety of the public, employees may be assigned to assist rescue and relief workers. Such assignments may be in locations, during hours and performing work significantly differently from the employees’ normal work assignments and may continue through the recovery phase of the emergency.