Sr Finance Clerk

Job Information

Overall Purpose

Reporting to the Supervisor of Financial Operations, the Senior Finance Clerk is responsible for:

• Maintaining accounts payables and processes invoices and goods receipts for purchase orders, ensuring the information is accurate and in accordance with OPS Financial Accountability Procedure Manual (FAP) and educating staff on the accounts payable process. 
• Maintaining accounts receivable as per policy and guidelines of both OPS Financial Services and the City of Ottawa, and compliance with all Revenue Canada tax rules.  
• Maintain and balance the operating & petty cash fund (in the amount of $100,000) which includes miscellaneous items for the purchase of operating supplies, and expenses for out of town travel.
• Audit and reconcile travel transactions. 
• Preparation of weekly bank deposits; collecting, verifying & depositing legal tender for fee services 
• Providing financial administration support respecting Corporate Card payments and vendor files.
• Performing activities which support the effective operation of the False Alarm Program.
   

Major Responsibilities

Maintains accounts payables and processes invoices and goods receipts for purchase orders, ensuring the information is accurate and in accordance with OPS Financial Accountability Procedure Manual (FAP) and educating staff on the accounts payable process: 

• Coordinate with OPS Staff and City staff all matters relating to Accounts Payable; resolve problems that arise throughout the process with internal and external contacts to ensure staff get services and supplies in a timely manner.
• Process goods receipts / service entry for invoices that pertain to purchase orders and coordinate with City accounts payable to process payment.
• Verify account balances, investigate, and clarify problematic invoices, reconcile Supplier statements, and conduct follow-up on outstanding invoices.

Maintains accounts receivable as per policy and guidelines of both OPS Financial Services and the City of Ottawa, and compliance with all Revenue Canada tax rules:  

• Maintain Accounts Receivable Customer Files and process customer invoices using SAP for cost recovery of services, training, travel, etc.
• Works with city staff to facilitate payment of Accounts Receivables, including follow-up on delinquent files.
• Interact with City tax compliance staff when necessary to ensure Revenue Canada Tax compliance.

Maintain and balance the operating & petty cash fund (in the amount of $100,000) which includes miscellaneous items for the purchase of operating supplies, and expenses for out of town travel:

• Ensure Operating Fund / Petty cash float is balanced weekly or as required depending on the volume and size of the transactions and reimbursement is requested at the clerk’s discretion.
• Manage and balance the operating fund bank account; process requests for operating fund / petty cash reimbursement including the issuing of cheques and processing payment for billings for offsite covert operations utilizing bank money orders.
• Follow up and reconcile all cash advances and reimburse difference or request a refund for amounts owing.
   

Major Responsibilities (continued)

Audit and reconcile statements of travel for all members:

• Follow up on statements of travel, missing documentation, post journal entries for account changes.
• Process payment for funds owed for the purpose of courses, investigations, seminars, conferences, out of town travel, including Ontario Police College (OPC) and Canadian Police College (CPC), etc. 
• Process requests for Travel Cheque Advance for out of town travel for all the OPS members for the purpose of courses, investigations, seminars, conferences, out of town court, prisoner escorts (fuel & prisoner meals), etc.
• Maintain a tracking system for the distribution and collection of all administrative forms and receipts for OPS members travelling weekly; ensure ongoing communications between OPS finance clerks for travel documentation and travelers as required.

Providing financial administration support respecting Vendor files:

• Verifying signatures, confirming receipts of goods and services, ensuring funds are available, receiving and processing invoices for payment, supporting clients both internal and external, verifying supplier statements, preparing journal entries, and maintaining vendor files, maintaining signing authority on cost centers, arranging for daily cheques, and making requests to the City for copies of documents, new vendor numbers, vendor name and address changes.
• Query in RMS cases with invoices to confirm OPS request for service; verify supplier statements and conduct follow up on outstanding invoices; verify and coordinate the payment of accounts payable invoices and prepare journal entries in SAP monthly.
   

Major Responsibilities (continued)

Prepare and complete weekly bank deposits to the Royal Bank of Canada and the City of Ottawa from legal tender received (cash/cheques/credit cards) and document amounts, between $40,000 and $150,000 weekly. 
Responsible for understanding and implementing tax rules and changes on the purchase of all goods and services and invoicing for goods and services ensuring the organization is compliant with all Revenue Canada tax rules.
Establish and maintain relationships with outside agencies; Insurance and Property Management Companies to receive legal tender and issue vouchers; update and identify changes to program / service vouchers within the City of Ottawa and to outside agencies annually (CFMH).
Receive all NSF cheques and other faulty payments for the Background Checks from the City of Ottawa, and Royal Bank of Canada; liaise with the City of Ottawa regarding current policy to ensure that customers who return cheques are billed and fees collected in a timely manner or their request for service is cancelled as required.

Perform Activities which support the effective operation of the False Alarm Program:  

• Mainly includes but is not limited to serving as a call taker through answering and returning messages from the Alarms Must Answer Line, fielding inquiries from the public and mainly taking credit payments over the phone from the public and inputting payments (both credit and cheques received) into the False Alarm database.
• Posting/balancing of all payments into the False Alarm Management database daily & weekly.  

Reconciling & balancing payments daily and then forwards all monies collected to the Supervisor Financial Operations daily for weekly deposit.
Provide information to the public and OPS members concerning the False Alarm Program.

• Prepares daily and weekly OPS Alarms information. 
• Prepares daily Alarm permit numbers/permit holders’ information for Alarm companies.

Perform other duties as required or directed.
 

Statement of Required Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Completion of Secondary School (Grade 12 or equivalent) plus one (1) year relevant post secondary education.
• Experience and formal training combined may substitute for stipulated education requirements.
• Minimum of two (2) years experience in Accounts Payable / Receivable / finance function within office environment.
• Six (6) months experience working in an office environment including experience responding to public inquires in an effective manner.

Language

• English – fluency in oral, reading, and writing.
   

Certifications and Licences

• N / A

In service Training

The following mandatory training and education is provided to all employees of the OPS:

• Occupational Health & Safety.
• Respectful Workplace. 
• Violence in the Workplace.
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
• Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE).
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI).

Job Knowledge

Working knowledge of:

• The Organization’s Mission, Vision and Values.
• Microsoft Word and Excel.
• General Office procedure.
• Accounts Payable and Receivable practices.
• Understanding of the importance of client centered service.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the OPS administration procedures and data entry systems.
   

OPS Competencies

Hours of Work

Effort and Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a standard office environment with minimal adverse working conditions.
• Work is detailed in nature and requires mental and visual attention and ability to deal with constant interruptions.
• Extended periods of time on a computer and telephone and sitting
• On the phone taking and processing credit card payments, dealing with clients, answering questions, etc.  
   

Desired Qualifications

• Oral, reading, writing fluency in French or other languages.
• Knowledge of the Finance and Administration Procedures Manual.
• Experience with SAP.
• Experience with ARIBA.
• University or Community College desirable (courses in Finance / Accounting).
• Previous experience providing customer services via the phone or training in client customer services.