Fiscal Assistant

To perform a variety of routine clerical and standardized accounting and budgeting source transactional entries and tasks associated with cash receipts, payment requests, travel reimbursements, manual checks, student payments, internal billings and other disbursements; and to perform clerical tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general direction from an assigned supervisor.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the entry level classification in the Fiscal classification series. This classification is distinguished from the Fiscal Technician, Fiscal Specialist and Fiscal Analyst classifications by the performance of routine and standardized duties.

1. Understand and assure compliance with all applicable department standards, requirements, codes, rules, and procedures related to assigned areas; recommend procedure improvements.
2. Perform a variety of clerical and standardized budgeting and accounting source entries and tasks related to the area assigned.
3. Monitor, balance and reconcile object code level transaction records against source documents.
4. Verify that income received for deposit or items requested for purchase or expenditure are properly identified, categorized and charged to the appropriate account and object code classifications.
5. Provide assistance and support to the department and management including but not limited to financial research, answering phones, mail distribution, copying, ordering supplies, meeting preparation, routine source document filing, and maintain a variety of records; keep calendars and reminders.
6. Contact appropriate department or vendor personnel to provide pertinent information and resolve questions;
7. Navigate financial system to provide accounting, budgeting, and available funds balances related to the accounts payable process for assigned areas .
8. Receive and reconcile disbursement documents and payment authorizations with invoices and other source documents such as cash receipts, deposits, purchase orders and invoices; resolve differences as needed among staff, students, and vendors; maintain accurate and complete vendor and student payment files for review and audit.
9. Receive, verify, organize, and process detailed records to support payments made to vendors contractors, and students; issue and distribute payments, including student disbursements; monitor regular weekly and bi-weekly check runs, resolve routine related issues and process manual checks as appropriate. Ensure that all progress and retention payments made for formal bids adhere to the contractual requirements.
10. Collect, balance, and reconcile accounting information and verify against sales reports to cash receipts from multiple sources; combine multiple deposits into consolidated bank deposits utilizing a variety of cash processing equipment.
11. Maintain accountability and physical security for the cashier's office vault by following set access protocol; maintain applicable cash handling and internal controls standard
12. Perform teller and/or cashier tasks including cashing checks, depositing monies, balancing cash drawer daily in dual custody, and posting cash receipts.
13. Initiate and perform returned and lost check collection activities, including completing replacement affidavits, canceling and reissuing check, and making adjustment entries to financial system records.
14. As determined by the department workflow, review and validate the work of other staff for accuracy and adherence to department standards.
15. Participate in internal audit reviews to validate transactions in the general ledger.
16. Assist in the development, integration and enhancement of the District's automated accounting and financial systems. Participate in testing of new system functionality and/or system enhancements.
17. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

Knowledge of:

• Utilize accounting and financial software applications.
• Cash handling internal controls and cashiering practices
• Financial record keeping, filing, bookkeeping practices and procedures.
• Perform mathematical calculations.
• Standard office procedures, methods and equipment including business computers user applications, particularly as related to accounting systems.
• Department coding and reporting standards; District policies and procedures applicable to area of assignment.
• Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes and regulations.

Ability to :

• Efficiently perform detailed transactional entry.
• Prepare, maintain, and reconcile various financial accounts and records.
• Compute and verify extensions; Assemble, match, tabulate, sort, post and enter financial data
• Organize and maintain office files.
• Work in a team environment, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Organize and schedule work to maximize efficiency.
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Follow set department coding standards and procedures.
• Communicate effectively with other employees and the public.
• Think critically, use sound judgment, be detailed oriented, and understand impact of decisions.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, management, and external parties.
• Sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic, ethnic backgrounds and disabilities of community college students and staff.
• Sit for prolonged periods of time; extensive use of a computer keyboard.

Education and Experience Requirements:

Education:

Completion of the twelfth grade or equivalent with at least 12 semester units in related college coursework, preferably accounting.

Experience :

Two (2) years of responsible related clerical and technical accounting experience, required. An Associate's degree or higher in accounting or related field from an accredited college or university may be substituted for required experience.