Account Clerk Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established May 19, 1971

Scope

This series specification describes four Account Clerk classes in the California state service which have major responsibilities involved in the keeping or reviewing of financial or statistical records. Classes that perform general office work or that require special proficiency in typing, shorthand, filing, or cashiering have been excluded.

Definition of Series

Account Clerks are distinguished from other clerical classes by being regularly required to perform duties for a significant portion of time involving arithmetic calculations, posting, processing and checking the results and maintaining a set of financial, statistical or other records. Duties include tasks concerned with departmental accounts and funds, personnel records, and work records such as: preparing and checking payrolls and invoices; posting, verifying, balancing, and adjusting accounts; scheduling, indexing, and filing bills, vouchers, documents and other papers; verifying various statistical or accounting tables and reports; keeping subsidiary ledgers; assisting in preparing statistical or accounting reports; and maintaining various financial records requiring the use of independent judgment. Account Clerk II and Senior Account Clerk: may instruct, lead or supervise inmates, wards or resident workers.

Factors Affecting Position Allocation

Level of difficulty, variety, and complexity of assigned duties, independence of action and decisions, degree of supervision received and degree of supervision exercised serve as differentiating factors between individual classes.

Definition of Levels

Account Clerk II

This is the entry and journey level for this series. Under general supervision and in accordance with established procedures, incumbents perform duties concerned with the preparation, processing and maintenance of statistical, financial, or other records; compiles, investigates and verifies from a variety of sources numerical or financial information such as attendance and time distribution, records, payrolls, invoices, expense claims, accounts payable and receivable, and schedules. May have lead responsibility over others.

Senior Account Clerk

Under general supervision, performs duties concerned with the processing and maintenance of difficult or complex statistical or financial records which require originality, initiative, judgment and a broad knowledge and understanding of departmental record procedures. May have lead responsibility over others.

Supervising Account Clerk I

This is the first full supervisory level. Incumbents supervise and assist with the work of a group of approximately five to fifteen employees engaged in financial clerical work of average difficulty, or supervise the work of a larger group engaged in less difficult work, or a smaller group engaged in more difficult work requiring a high degree of initiative, judgment, and responsibility on the part of the supervisor.

Supervising Account Clerk II

This is the second level of supervision in this series. Incumbents direct the work of a group of approximately fifteen to twenty-five employees engaged in financial clerical work of average difficulty, or supervise the work of a larger group engaged in less difficult work, or supervise a smaller group engaged in more difficult work requiring a high degree of initiative, judgment, and responsibility on the part of the supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

Account Clerk II

Either I

One year of experience in California state service in keeping or reviewing financial or statistical records.

Or II

One year of experience in keeping or reviewing financial or statistical records. (Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience.) (Students who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.)

Senior Account Clerk

Either I

Two years of experience in California state service performing the duties of an Account Clerk II.

Or II

Three years of experience in keeping or reviewing financial or statistical records. (Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience.) (Students who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.)

Supervising Account Clerk I

Either I

One year of experience in California state service performing the duties of a Senior Account Clerk.

Or II

Four years of experience in financial record-keeping work, at least one year of which shall have been in a responsible position performing a variety of difficult account or record-keeping work, or supervising the work of a small group of clerical employees involved in account or record-keeping work. (Experience in California state service applied toward the specialized one-year requirement must be performing the duties of a class at a level of responsibility equivalent to that of Senior Account Clerk.) (Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience.) (Students who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.)

Supervising Account Clerk II

Either I

One year of experience in California state service performing the duties of a Supervising Account Clerk I, or two years of experience performing the duties of a Senior Account Clerk.

Or II

Five years of experience in financial record keeping, at least two years of which shall have been in a responsible supervisory capacity. (Experience in California state service applied toward the specialized two-year requirement must be performing the duties of a class at a level of responsibility equivalent to that of Senior Account Clerk.) (Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience.) (Students who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.)

Knowledge and Abilities

All Levels:

Knowledge of: Modern office methods, supplies and equipment.

Ability to: Read and write English at a level required for successful job performance; perform financial and statistical clerical work; spell correctly, use good English, and make rapid and accurate arithmetical computations.

Senior Account Clerk and Above

Knowledge of: In addition to the above, Business English and correspondence; methods, practices and terminology used in financial and statistical record-keeping work.

Supervising Account Clerk I

Supervising Account Clerk II

Knowledge of: In addition to the above, principles of effective supervision and training; the department's Affirmative Action Program objectives; a manager's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives.

Ability to: In addition to the above, plan, organize, and direct the work of a large clerical staff; establish and revise financial record-keeping systems; prepare reports, keep difficult records, and prepare correspondence independently, utilizing a wide knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and spelling; learn rapidly and apply specific laws, rules, and office policies and procedures; speak and write effectively; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; meet and deal tactfully with the public; follow oral and written directions; effectively contribute to the department's affirmative action objectives.

Special Personal Characteristics

Account Clerk II

Willingness to follow a prescribed routine; tact; neat personal appearance; and liking for work involving arithmetical calculations.

Senior Account Clerk and Above

A demonstrated interest in assuming increasing responsibility.

Additional Desirable Qualifications

All Levels:

Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade.

Account Clerk II

Ability to operate a typewriter and calculating machine; and to postdate rapidly, accurately, and legibly.

Class History