Accounting Technician

Join the City of New Hope’s finance team. New Hope is a city of almost 22,000 residents located eight miles northwest of downtown Minneapolis. This position is responsible for processing accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash receipting and special assessment records for the City, as well as occasionally processing payroll and utility billing. You will work closely with the City’s accountant, utility billing clerk, financial consultants and leadership team. Communication skills are key as you will also routinely interact with coworkers throughout the organization. Work is performed under the general direction of the director of HR and administrative services at New Hope City Hall.

Essential Functions

• Completes data entry for journal entries, as prepared by the accountant or financial consultant.
• Performs data entry, filing, correspondence, duplicating and other items to complete routine daily tasks.
• Assists the accountant and financial consultant in the preparation of the annual budget.
• Assists the accountant and financial consultant in the generation/distribution of financial reports.
• Maintains city-wide accounts payable system; maintains vendor master file, reconciles purchasing card transactions. Reviews accounting codes and performs data entry on all invoices submitted for payment.
• Coordinates check writing and electronic payment file creation and prepares related reports; processes electronic cash disbursements as approved by the accountant.
• Prepares claim reports for the City Council.
• Answers vendor inquiries regarding payment and follows up with other departments to trace and resolve problems.
• Issues W-9’s to vendors, maintains files for completed W-9’s, updates vendor information, issues 1099’s at year-end, electronically files the Federal 1099’s and the 1096.
• Assists in preparation of bi-weekly payroll and payment of payroll-related liabilities.
• Assists with W-2 processing and issuance.
• Prepares the Unclaimed Property Report and files with the State of Minnesota.
• Prepares and maintains various schedules utilizing daily cash reports, etc.
• Prepares and issues accounts receivable invoices and reports; notifies departments of delinquencies; reconciles to the general ledger.
• Prepares and maintains special assessment records; reports pertinent data to the utility billing clerk for annual certification to Hennepin County.
• Maintains alarm registration database, generates renewal invoices and ensures compliance.
• Prepares daily bank deposits for electronic transmission and maintains cash flow schedule.
• Provides back-up for utility billing clerk.
• Works with daily receipts and receivables for city operations.

 
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of accounting documents and processes.
• Thorough knowledge of standard accounting policies, practices and procedures.
• Comprehensive skill reviewing and composing invoices, statements and financial reports.
• Thorough skill operating standard office equipment and applicable hardware and software systems.
• Thorough skill operating standard accounting software.
• Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions and decimals.
• Ability to compute rates, ratios and percentages.
• Ability to understand and apply governmental accounting practices in the maintenance of financial records.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff members and the general public.

Education and Experience
Associates/Technical degree with coursework in business, or related field and moderate experience working in accounting, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
 
Physical Requirements
This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions, frequently requires walking and occasionally requires standing, speaking or hearing, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and lifting; work requires close vision; no special vocal communication skills are required; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines and observing general surroundings and activities; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).Tentative Timeline:
Nov. 12 – Interview with Staff
Online Office Skills Testing
Nov. 17 (evening) – Interview with Personnel Board
Nov. 24 – Interview with City Manager
December – Starting timeframe

Salary : $33 - $41