Accounts Payable Assistant - City of Philadelphia

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Managing Director’s Office (MDO) is a cabinet-level office with oversight of the City’s operating departments. The MDO works with these departments to:

• Create and successfully enact new policies.
• Deliver efficient, effective, and responsive public services.
• Implement the mayor’s vision.

The MDO oversees the following divisions:

• Capital Program Office
• Community Services
• Community Safety
• General Services
• Health and Human Services
• Office of Children and Families
• Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems 

The Accounts Payable Assistant will support the accounts payable function within of the Managing Director’s Office (MDO) Administrative Services Unit (ASU) and/or Counsel Fees Unit. This is an administrative position focused on a variety of accounts payable tasks that facilitate the operations of the MDO and adjacent departments or facilitates the prompt payment of court-appointed counsel.

Essential Functions

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Assists with processing invoices against purchase orders and encumbrance documents.
• Reviews invoice documentation to ensure invoices are presented accurately, match purchase order documentation or contract documentation, and are checked against available budgets or price lists. 
• Maintains balanced and accurate departmental records and ledgers, ensuring proper coding and completeness. 
• Verifies data on expenditures and encumbrances by matching documents (such as contract documents, purchase orders, and/or price lists) and contacting approvers, vendors, and/or contractors if necessary. 
• Addresses and resolves any account discrepancies or improperly processed documents with the invoice approver. 
• Processes approved documents for payments. 
• Ensures payments and expenditures are monitored and processed efficiently and accurately. 
• Ensures payments are tracked appropriately to facilitate accurate and complete processing and support investigations into status inquiry.
• Ensure proper documentation of accounts payable records.

Specific duties related to Accounts Payable Specialist in Counsel Fee Unit include

• Review and process payments for court-appointed vendors.
• Verify validity of court appearances of counsel
• Examine receipts and court orders
• Post accounting data to ledgers, books, registers and journals
• Maintain expenditure and budget control accounts and prepare necessary reports related to accounting status.
• Cross-reference docketing information with vouchers in court information system.
• Research vendor payment information in City of Philadelphia accounting system
• Correspond with court-appointed vendors, judiciary, and other outside agencies
• Complete other clerical functions including copying, filing, and record retention.

 Reports to MDO Accounts Payable Supervisor or Counsel Fee Unit Supervisor.

Required Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

 Includes but not limited to

• Must have knowledge in basic bookkeeping principles and practices 
• Must have typing and data entry skills, along with proficiency with arithmetic computations 
• Ability to learn the accounting procedures of the City as they apply to work assignments 
• Strong attention to detail 
• Flexibility to both work independently and as part of a team 
• Strong working knowledge in Microsoft Office Suite 
• Strong communication and time management skills 
• Comfort with operating a computer and learning new software
• Ability to maintain professional relationship with vendors, internal staff, and other external stakeholders (including judiciary staff for counsel fee processing).

• Bachelor’s Degree desired, some college work required.
• One year of administrative experience working in an office setting required 
• Some accounts payable experience preferred

One or more factors above can be waived or reduced for candidate’s demonstrated unique potential or experience match.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

Salary Range: $41,000-$45,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx