TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT:  www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs

Accounting Assistant/Senior Accounting Assistant
Accounts Payable Vacancy
Finance and Technology Department
RECRUITMENT #18-B10-001
Salary: Assistant: $43,785 - $53,222/Year Senior: $48,137 - $58,511/Year

INTRODUCTION
Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment?  Do you have excellent customer service skills coupled with a clerical accounting background in accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash handling or purchasing?  The City of Ventura is accepting applications for an Accounting Assistant/Senior Accounting Assistant opportunity on our collaborative Accounts Payable team in the Finance and Technology Department.  To be considered for this rewarding career opportunity, apply online at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs by the 6/2/2019 filing deadline!
To learn more about the City of Ventura's Finance and Technology Department, visit  https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/156/Finance-Technology.

THE POSITION
Under general supervision, performs responsible clerical and technical accounting work involving the maintenance and reporting of financial or statistical data, such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, accounts auditing, revenue receipt, input and balancing, purchasing, payroll, or capital projects processing; provides information and assistance to staff and the public; participates in the preparation of various reports; and performs a variety of clerical accounting tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.
This position is flexibly staffed and may be filled at either level depending on the qualifications of the incumbent and the staffing needs of the City.
An eligibility list is being established to fill the current Accounts Payable vacancy, as well as future related full-time or part-time vacancies. 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Has proven accounts payable experience
Is energetic and organized, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Is accurate and attentive to detail
Handles multiple tasks efficiently, making logical decisions and meeting deadlines
Has excellent data input and general accounting skills
Uses spreadsheet and word processing software proficiently
Works well independently, with only minimal supervision

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Performs a variety of responsible clerical accounting and financial office support duties in areas such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, purchasing, payroll, utilities, and public works.
Calculates finance charges for outstanding invoices; prints and mails monthly statements; contacts past due customers; makes payment arrangements; submits past due invoices to collection agency and prepares general ledger journal entry; establishes and maintains collections and small claims court files.
Performs duties in support of the City’s accounts payable function; receives incoming invoices for payment and reviews for accuracy and proper authorizations and account coding; researches discrepancies; prepares batches for data entry; ensures that payments are included and processed in a timely manner.
Enters reviewed invoices for payment; reviews data input and data entry batches completed by others for accuracy and makes necessary corrections; obtains necessary signatures for approval.
Process accounts payable disbursements from batches entered in current accounts payable cycle; receives and inputs special accounts payable batches for manual checks on an as-needed basis.
Prepares, maintains, and verifies a variety of accounting, financial, and statistical records, ledgers, logs, and files; gathers, assembles, tabulates, enters, checks, verifies, balances, adjusts, records, and files financial data; codes data according to prescribed accounting procedures; reviews information to ensure accurate reporting; resolves discrepancies; establishes and maintains various files and records.
Performs data entry; posts information to various City accounts and funds.
Assists in the preparation of financial, accounting, and statistical statements, analyses, documents, and reports; assists other accounting staff and departmental management in the preparation of reports; gathers and organizes data.
Performs duties in support of the City’s purchasing function; receives purchase order requisitions; verifies amount and account numbers used; verifies that City policies and procedures were followed; contacts vendors and receives quotes for assigned items; assembles and maintains related documentation and files; establishes and maintains vendor information files; requests tax information from vendor as necessary;; issues Administrative Purchase Orders and Change Orders and acquires appropriate signatures; procures supplies, materials, equipment and services; distributes purchase orders to vendors and appropriate departments; evaluates and analyzes bids; maintains related documentation; assists with the disposition of surplus property; administers the City’s CAL-card program, including processing new CAL-card requests, maintaining City’s account by utilizing an on-line third party system, issues CAL-cards and required documentation and forms, coordinates and conducts training for cardholders, maintains and monitors City’s CAL-card cardholder database, verifies purchases are within allowable limits,  audits transactions on all statements, reconciles transaction receipts to statement charges,  processes all statements for payment, receives and processes rebate checks, and researches and responds to staff inquiries related to all aspects of the CAL-card program; administers and maintains city-wide Staples account; receives and processes city-wide business card orders; updates Vendor Master File with vendor registration information; maintains division records storage and retention system.
Performs duties in support of the City’s accounts receivable function; generates invoices; reviews for accuracy and proper authorizations and account codes; enters customer information into billing system; assembles related documents; print invoices and mails to customers; maintains files for outstanding and paid invoices; maintains records of issued and outstanding invoices; prepares journal entry for new invoice charges and posts to general ledger.
Performs a variety of general office support functions including typing, record keeping, proofreading, and forms and report generation; receives and sorts incoming mail; files documents.
Researches and/or responds to employee, vendor, and citizen inquiries, requests, and complaints in a courteous manner; provides information within area of assignment; resolves complaints in an efficient and timely manner.
Performs special projects and studies; collects and compiles statistical and financial data for special reports, as directed.
Calculates and verifies sales tax on invoices.  Calculates and accrues sales tax for out-of-state vendors.
Perform “Stale Dated” check confirmation with vendors.  Cancel and re-issue checks.
Inputs a variety of fiscal and statistical information in to the City's computer system.  Prepares accounts payable and accounts receivable data, as well as control and account verification within the accounting system.
Receives, processes and inputs payments from a variety of sources, including business licenses, utility billings, utility users tax, transient occupancy tax, alcohol permits, capital project contractors, claims and insurance.  Opens and closes accounts.  Maintains various ledgers, registers, and journals according to established account classifications.  Verifies invoices for payment and posts to proper accounts.
Audits invoices and claims for payments, verifying accuracy and consistency of information.  Inputs accounting transfers.  May assist professional staff in auditing financial records, accounts and invoices, by performing cost extensions, rate verifications and verifying totals, as assigned.
Acts as central cashier for all city revenues, including citywide water/wastewater payments, while utilizing a variety of databases.  Posts water/wastewater/stormwater payments received by mail, and over the counter through a remittance processing system and check encoder.  Downloads and records daily on-line electronic payments for posting to customers’ accounts and recording to an automated cash receipting system.  Returns rejected items received electronically to the paying financial institution.  All central cashiering functions are recorded to the City’s financial system while ensuring accurate account coding.    Accurately closes and balances assigned cash drawer in time to prepare for daily deposit.
Reviews petty cash reimbursement requests for appropriate signatures and coding, and balances petty cash drawer on a weekly basis.
Performs other cashier and public counter activities such as issuing dog licenses, and bus passes.
Maintains records and files.  Prepares reports pertaining to specific area of assignment.  Performs routine clerical duties such as typing and filing.
Prepares Personnel Action Forms (PAF), enters timesheets into accounting system for payroll processing.
Performs related duties as assigned.

LICENSE/CERTIFICATES
License: Depending on assignment, possession of a California Class C driver's license may be required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
A combination of training, education and experience equivalent to completion of high school and one year of clerical accounting experience, including some financial and/or statistical record keeping, are required. Additional specialized training or college level course work in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related filed is highly desirable.
In addition, Senior Accounting Assistant requires one year of experience equivalent to that of an Accounting Assistant with the City of Ventura, or two years of clerical accounting experience in a computerized accounting environment.  Prior experience with a public agency is highly desirable.  Additional specialized training or college level course work in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related filed is highly desirable.

BENEFITS
To view benefits, please visit our website at https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/971/Benefits .

SELECTION PLAN
Submit a City application and supplemental questionnaire by the filing deadline. The preferred method of application is online and you are highly encouraged to apply at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs. If you are unable to apply electronically, you may request paper application materials by calling (805) 654-7853 during regular business hours. Paper applications can be FAXed to (805) 648-4467, or mailed, or hand delivered to City Hall at: 501 Poli Street, Room 210; P.O. Box 99; Ventura, CA 93002. If you FAX, it is highly recommended that you also send the original documents. The Eligibility List established may be used to fill other regular and temporary vacancies at the discretion of the City.
Once your application has been submitted, all future correspondence from the City will be via e-mail. Please keep your contact information up-to-date. You may also view notices send to you by the City in the "My Applications" tab at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs.

Department Selection Interview
A select number of candidates will be invited to a department selection interview being held in June 2019, date to be determined.