FISCAL OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

Fiscal Operation Specialist: Employee will perform paraprofessional accounting work in revenue and tax collections, utility billing, customer service, payroll and accounts payable. This position serves as the tax collector for the Town. Starting salary is $55,763.

In addition to a base salary, there is also a comprehensive medical, dental and retirement benefits package available for all Town employees. Submit resumes to Heather Finnell. Position is open until filled.

Distinguishing Features of the Class:

An employee in this class participates in a wide variety of fiscal and administrative tasks.

Work includes involvement with utility billing, revenue collections, and customer services functions; performing ad valorem tax billing and collections; processing payroll and accounts payable; and performing other general paraprofessional fiscal tasks. Work requires customer service skills, technology skills, accuracy, and knowledge of NC statutes regarding ad valorem tax collections.

Work is performed in accordance with established municipal finance procedures, local ordinances and North Carolina General Statutes governing the responsibilities of local government finance.

Work is performed under the direction of the Finance Director and is evaluated through conferences, reports, and by an independent audit of financial records.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Tasks:

• Participates in the utility billing, revenue collections and customer services functions; oversees the creation and maintenance of utility customer accounts, account close outs, utility billing, and accepting and accounting for Town revenues including utility bills, occupancy tax, ad valorem tax, parking tickets, dock fees, etc.; involved in the customer service function for the Town that assists citizens, taxpayers, and the general public with  Town services and information.
• Serves as Tax Collector for the Town; receives data from the County and downloads into Town database; reviews and verifies files; prints and mails bills; performs discoveries and releases; applies interest; sets up payment plans; tracks payments; performs delinquent tax collections.
• Performs payroll processing; maintains data base and updates with changing information; audits and enters timesheets and generates payroll; submits direct deposit file to bank; maintains leave balances; prepares a wide variety of payroll and personnel records and reports; assists employees with payroll issues; pays payroll vendors; prepares and distributes W-2s.
• Participates in occupancy tax billing and collections.
• Performs accounts payable including establishing vendor files, obtaining W-9s; coding and entering invoices into the data base, generating and obtaining signatures for checks before mailing them; troubleshoots issues with invoices and vendors; prepares and distributes 1099s.
• Performs a wide variety of financial reporting and monthly, quarterly and annual close outs and reconciliations; reviews bank statements; prepares journal entries; performs fixed assets.
• Assists the auditors during the annual audit of Town financial records; follows up on findings.

Additional Job Duties

Performs related duties as required.

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines

Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices or paraprofessional accounting.
• Considerable knowledge of the application of information technology to fiscal operations and reporting.
• Considerable knowledge of the Town’s personnel, budgeting and purchasing policies and procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of revenue collections laws and regulations including NC General Statutes Machinery Act regarding ad valorem tax collections and occupancy tax collections.
• Working knowledge of related laws and regulations such as FMLA, FLSA, and other regulations related to payroll.
• Skill in collaborative conflict resolution and customer service excellence.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, departmental heads, governmental officials, and with other Town employees.
• Accuracy and thoroughness in the analysis and preparation of financial records and reports.
• Ability to organize work for efficient processing, set and follow effective work priorities and meet established deadlines.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of reaching, standing, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
• Must be able to perform light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift objects.
• Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, perform accounting processes, operate a computer terminal, and do extensive reading.

Desirable Education and Experience

• Graduation with an associate’s degree in accounting or business, and considerable experience in fiscal operations and customer service preferably in a municipal environment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirements

Ability and willingness to obtain Tax Collector certification from the School of Government.

The Town of Holden Beach is an equal opportunity employer.