TITLE:  Office Manager
REPORTS TO:  General Manager and Chief Engineer
RESPONSIBILITY:  Manage and perform all required day to day business office functions

MAJOR DUTIES:

• Manage all business office functions
• Manage all business office employees (non-union)
  • Senior Accountant (1)
  • Senior Clerk (1)
  • Clerk I (1.5)
• Ensure excellent customer service and vendor relationships
• Work effectively with General Manager and Water System Operations Manager
• Perform and/or oversee all office and accounting functions
• Assign, oversee and take responsibility for all work performed by office personnel
• Oversee office communications, including phone calls, correspondence, mail and deliveries
• Manage and resolve customer complaints
• Perform and/or oversee all billing, bookkeeping and banking records including, but not limited to:
  • Water billing
  • Tax billing
  • Sundry billing
  • General ledger maintenance
  • Accounts payable
  • Collections
  • Bank Deposits
  • Payroll
  • Reconciliations
• Perform and/or oversee
  • Water billing and water shut-offs for non-payment
  • Tax billing and tax sales for non-payment
  • Handling of customer complaints
  • Coordination of applications for new customer connections
  • Coordination of work orders for Water System Operations
  • Record keeping
• Oversee maintenance of filing systems
• Assist in preparation of annual operating budget and manage office expenses within budget
• Prepare annual performance reviews of office staff
• Prepare draft financial statements for year end audit.
• Assist auditors in the preparation of year-end financial statements and audit report
• Manage bond schedules and ensure on-schedule payment of debt service payments
• Manage insurance records
• Maintain personnel records
• Develop and document procedures for office management
• Develop business forms
• Manage and oversee the maintenance of office equipment
• Maintain office compliance with legal requirements in:
  • RIGL 46 – Open Meetings
  • RIGL 38 – Public Records
• Preparation of Administrative Board meeting minutes from digital recordings
• Attend Administrative Board night meetings as may occasionally be required
• Any other duties that may be assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education:
  • Associates degree in business or accounting; Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Experience:
  • Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant experience in bookkeeping, general ledger management, business management, utility billing, collections, customer service, general business office functions or a suitable combination thereof
  • Minimum of five (5) years of supervisory experience
  • Minimum of ten (10) years of experience working with micro-computer hardware and business software
  • Experience with preparing for financial audits
  • Experience with a utility, particularly with a water utility, is desired
  • Experience with the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank’s procedures with application for payment from bond funds, desired 
• Necessary Skills and Abilities:
  • Strong supervisory skills
  • Good time management and organizational skills
  • Good math skills
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills in English language
  • Ability to understand and follow written or verbal instructions
  • Ability to communicate written or verbal instructions
  • Ability to read maps and plans in print and on computer
  • Ability to multi-task
  • Detail oriented and follow-through oriented
  • Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality at all times
  • Proficiency at QuickBooks Enterprise, desired
  • Proficiency at MS Office
  • Proficiency with developing analytical spreadsheets and organizing and analyzing data
  • Proficiency at typing
  • Strong work ethic, available, dependable and commitment to job
  • Ability to learn new duties:
    • As an example, all District employees must be able to learn and be conversant in water utility technical terms and be generally conversant with the public on issues such as water quality, pressure, leakage, normal water usage parameters, etc.
• Personal: 
  • Self-starter
  • Proactive
  • Dedicated
  • Positive thinker; positive speaker
  • Problem solver
  • Maintain business casual attire
  • Ability to pass District’s medical physical
  • Ability to pass criminal background check
  • Ability to pass financial background check

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Hours:  40 hour week, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Lunch:  30 minutes 
• Break:  10 minutes in morning and 10 minutes in afternoon
• Occasional overtime by extended hours and/or Saturdays, as necessary and as determined by management
• Significant hours of customer telephone interface
• Significant hours of customer counter service in standing position
• Extended hours of sitting
• Significant hours of transition from sitting to standing position and walking within the office to perform office functions
• Extended hours of working at standard computer screen
• Significant hours of keyboard data entry and word processing
• Significant hours listening to digital recordings of Board meetings and preparation of accurate Board minutes
• Frequent interruptions by phone calls, customers at counter, and staff

OFFICE CONDITIONS:

• Natural gas fueled hot air furnace
• Air conditioning, seasonal
• Uneven heating and cooling
• Standard, energy efficient office lighting
• Single stall unisex handicap restroom and single stall women’s restroom (not handicap)
• Concrete slab on grade with carpet
• No smoking on District property

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to lift 25 pounds unassisted without injury.
• Ability to climb and descend step ladder to retrieve items.
• Ability to hear and carry on verbal communications at customer counter and on phone in busy, noisy office with office equipment and HVAC in operation.
• Ability to perform all duties while working under the “Working Conditions” and Office “Conditions” described herein.

COMPENSATION:

• Salaried position with salary based on experience and qualifications
• Competitive fringe benefits package (contained herein)
• One-year probationary period with dismissal at any time during probation for performance that does not comply with the job description requirements.

APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT:

• Apply by detailed resume to include: 
  • All secondary and post-secondary education
  • Full employment history
  • Relevant experience and training
  • Salary expectations
• Resumes will be received until the position is filled

Submit applications by mail or in person to:
(faxes and emails will not be accepted)

Personnel Director
Portsmouth Water and Fire District
1944 E Main Rd
PO Box 99, Portsmouth, RI  02871

Resumes will be reviewed and the top qualified candidates may be interviewed at the discretion of the Administrative Board.  All candidates will eventually be notified of the disposition of their application by mail.

EMPLOYMENT START:
It is expected that the new hire will begin employment on or before February 15, 2017.

BENEFITS SUMMARY:

• Medical:
  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield HealthMate - single coverage with cost sharing
  • Delta Dental Level 4 - single coverage with cost sharing
  • Currently 10% employee cost share (subject to and expected to change)
• Sick:
  • Ten days per year cumulative
  • Employee paid for 25% of a maximum of 100 accumulated days upon termination
• Holidays:
  • 12 paid days
• Vacation:
  • 2 weeks after one year service
  • 3 weeks after five years service
  • 4 weeks after ten years service
  • 5 weeks after twenty years service
• Pension:
  • Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Plan - Additional 11.9% of base pay contributed by PWFD to employee’s SEP, untaxed (similar to IRA).
• Merit Pay:
  • Employees are eligible for merit pay up to 6% of annual base pay after one full calendar year of service and with an annual performance review of “Exceeds Requirements”.

All pay and benefits are subject to review and modification by the elected Administrative Board

DISTRICT BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Portsmouth Water and Fire District is a quasi-municipal corporation created in 1952 by Act of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island.  The District is not affiliated legally or administratively with the Town of Portsmouth, although the District and Town work cooperatively together to serve their common constituents.

The District was created to provide water supply for domestic use and fire protection within its legislated boundaries.  The District covers approximately ninety (90%) percent of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island and presently services approximately 6,650 water customers.

The District is governed by a seven member Administrative Board that is elected by the registered voters of the District.  The Administrative Board organizes and presides over its annual election of officers.  The Administrative Board also has taxing and bonding authority. 

The District has an annual operating and capital budget of $4.67 million.  The District receives its revenue from water charges, miscellaneous charges and property tax charges.  Water use is billed and due quarterly and taxes are billed and due annually.  The Administrative Board annually sets its water rates and tax rate as part of the budget process. 

The District purchases all of its water from the City of Newport, RI, which is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission.  The District is not regulated by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission.

The District has a total of thirteen full-time and one part-time, non-union employees.  The District’s General Manager and Chief Engineer is responsible for the day to day business functions and water system operations of the District.   

The employee pension system is a SEP Plan.  The District’s only OPEB is for medical and dental insurance for retired employees between the ages of 60 and 65 with 20-years of service and that retired from the District at age 60 or later.  The District performs the OPEB calculation.

The District maintains its water and tax billing and receipts on UMS (Utility Management System) software provided by Continental Utility Solutions, Inc. (CUSI) of Jonesboro, Arkansas.  The District maintains a GIS based work order and asset management system on Elements XS3 software provided by Novotx L.L.C. of Clearfield, UT.  The general ledger, sundry billing and receipts, and inventory are maintained on QuickBooks Enterprise 2016.  The general business software is MS Office.