Finance Assistant - Town of Brookline

The Town of Brookline is seeking a Finance Assistant to perform administrative and financial work consisting of auditing and posting Real Estate, Personal Property, Water, Refuse, Tax Titles, and Deferrals into a database, and verifying, depositing, recording and cataloging municipal revenue. Performs diversified duties in support of other divisions within the Finance Department as needed and assigned. Performs all other related work as required.

Qualifications:
Associate’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration or Finance; Bachelor’s degree preferred plus at least two years of office, municipal or banking experience including cash receipts, bank statements, deposits and accounts receivable experience preferred; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Must have strong Excel skills, excellent attention to detail, and communication skills. Knowledge of MUNIS and VADAR desirable.

Salary: $29.47 hourly with generous benefits and great work environment. Please apply with resume and cover letter. Position open until filled.

Job Description - Finance Assistant

Position Purpose:
The purpose of this position is to perform administrative and financial work consisting of auditing and posting Real Estate, Personal Property, Water, Refuse, Tax Titles, and Deferrals into a database, and verifying, depositing, recording and cataloging municipal revenue. Performs diversified duties in support of other divisions within the Finance Department as needed and assigned. Performs all other related work as required.

Essential Functions:
(The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.)

Responsible for daily balancing and depositing of departmental receipts and payments of municipal bills.

Verify and process cash receipts; enter data into the accounting system; generates receipt reports; maintains receipts and reports and forwards to the Comptroller.

Conducts research and generates correspondence to resolve misapplied payments, posting errors and billing errors; tracks unidentifiable electronic payments.

Assists Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer with monthly bank deposit reconciliation. Reconciles excise tax and maintain records.

Verify check and ACH files, transfer funds and submit wires for payments and print vendor check warrants. Void checks online for Vendor, School and Town Payroll accounts. Maintain file of bank statements.

Research payments posted from the Collector’s Office and checks issued from the town payroll or vendor accounts.

Update accounts receivable with data from refunds, abatements, bounce payments, and transfers.

Provide assistance to taxpayers, mortgage companies, law firms, as well as other Town departments regarding payments; by telephone and via email and research issues as needed.

Provide assistance and backup to the Assistant Collector for data entry, research, status of funds and file maintenance of Tax title.

Separate and process payments whether by credit card, lockbox, Invoice Cloud, or cash at the window for Real Estate, Personal Property, Water, Refuse and Excise Tax bills according to established procedure.

Processes and maintains Treasurer, Collector and Payroll’s office supplies and expenses. Sends payments to vendors upon receipt of services or supplies.

Responsible for general shared duty of responding to office mail, email, and voicemail.

Attend training, as needed.

Cross-trained to perform functions of other finance department office staff as needed and assigned.

Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation dictates.

Supervision:
Supervision Scope: Performs varied and responsible functions requiring a thorough knowledge of departmental operations, policies, procedures and practices.

Supervision Received: Works under the direct supervision of the Assistant Treasurer, Assistant Collector and broad supervision of the Finance Director.

Work Environment:
Work is performed in an office environment. Majority of work is performed in a moderately noisy work environment. Operates computer, printer, telephone, copier, and all other standard office equipment. Makes frequent contact with taxpayers, mortgage companies and lawyers as well as other town departments regarding payments and researching missing, duplicate or misapplied payments. Employee has access to confidential financial information. Errors could result in delay or loss of service, possible monetary loss and possible legal ramifications.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience:
Associate’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration or Finance; Bachelor’s degree preferred plus at least two years of office, municipal or banking experience including cash receipts, bank statements, deposits and accounts receivable experience preferred; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill:
Knowledge: Knowledge of office practices and procedures; knowledge of basic accounting and bookkeeping principles, computer applications used to perform the operations of the department; familiarity with Accounts Receivable. Knowledge of MUNIS, VADAR, popular word process and spreadsheet software, Internet research, and Laser fiche.

Ability: Ability to organize time and accomplish tasks with accuracy and attention to detail. Ability to meet deadlines. Ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form; ability to multi-task; ability to keep work current; must be discreet and trustworthy. Ability to utilize personal computers and popular word processing and spreadsheet applications. Ability to research, track and resolve accounting or documentation problems and discrepancies.

Skill: Expertise and skill in utilizing personal computers, popular word processing and spreadsheet applications. Strong problem-solving skills and organizational skills. Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills Skill in all of the above listed tools and equipment.

Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to work at a desk for at least 75% of the time; regularly communicate with taxpayers and town employees; regularly move about inside the office to access file cabinets and office machinery; traverse stairs, make bank runs. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 15 pounds, such as supplies, folders and books. Ability to operate a keyboard and calculator at efficient speed and to view computer screens for extended periods of time. Ability to discern numerical details.

(This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.)