Principal Clerk

Somerville is a city that upholds progressive principles for both employees and residents alike. If you are looking for a culture that embraces innovation, empowerment, and collaborative involvement, Somerville not only embraces these talents, but encourages them. Creative, hands on collaboration with passionate dedication are at the core of the City’s workplace culture. Challenging and fast paced, Somerville also offers a generous benefits package that embodies a strong work life balance. Not only is it a “Model City”, as termed by The Boston Globe, but it is also a model employer. 

Statement of Duties:

• The Principal Clerk performs a variety of clerical duties that require a significant ability of decision making in order to comply with departmental, accounting, State and Federal regulations; audit invoices and requests for payment to ensure accuracy and compliance with law, policies, procedures and contractual requirements 
• Audit and process for payment all accounts payable invoices against authorized purchase orders 
• Review City contracts to determine if payments are in compliance with contractual stipulations; data entry invoices to the automated accounting system 
• Oversee assigned accounts and monitor appropriation, revolving and grant balances 
• Reconcile assigned accounts to ledger on a monthly basis; process budgetary transfers on the automated accounting system 
• Review and approve purchase requisitions with regard to legality, sufficiency of funds and appropriateness of general ledger coding; review journal entries before submittal to accountant 
• Research and answer questions regarding general ledger accounts and accounts payable; resolve discrepancies
• Balance the weekly warrant; log in contracts, encumbrances, and departmental transactions to appropriate Financial Department Staff and departmental personnel; file and store records; distribute monthly reports to assigned departments; troubleshoot vendor inquiries and department requests regarding financial status of their accounts 
• Provide accounting support to departments, work independently; take initiative to provide assistance to both internal and external customers; exercise independent judgement with regard to accounting and auditing principles 
• Assist, as needed, other department staff; perform related tasks as required and other duties as assigned

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

• Two years accounting, auditing, or accounts payable experience and the ability to apply these principles for the purpose of maintaining financial records and accounts. 
• Attention to detail and accuracy with figures is essential. 
• High School graduate or GED. 

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Must have extensive knowledge and understanding of standard office practices and procedures. 

Abilities: Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Ability to assist with complex financial inquiries and capable of working with minimal supervision. Ability to interact professionally with other departments and vendors in a pleasant, efficient manner.

Skill: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and automated accounting software is essential. 

Work Environment 

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant.

Physical and Mental 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 position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills 

Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 pounds). 

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Send your resume and cover letter by September 14, 2017 to:

City Hall Personnel Office
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville MA 02143
Fax: 617-666-4426
TTY: 1-866-808-4851
Email: employment_opportunities@somervillema.gov

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request.