Fire Accounting Assistant

Fire Accounting Assistant

Salary

$29.90 Hourly

Location

City of Bellingham, WA

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

26-Fire Accounting Assistant

Department

Fire

Opening Date

09/11/2026

Closing Date

9/25/2026 4:30 PM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Local 1937

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Nature of Work

Join the Bellingham Fire Department team as a Fire Accounting Assistant and play a key role in managing the billing process for emergency transport services! This exciting opportunity involves ensuring accurate, timely billing, coordinating with various departments, and supporting audits and patient inquiries, all while upholding HIPAA confidentiality. If youre detail-oriented and ready to make a meaningful impact, we want you on our team!

JOB SUMMARY

This position performs various skilled and complex bookkeeping tasks for the Bellingham Fire Department according to established bookkeeping and accounting principles and procedures. Assists in providing statistical and financial support to City staff, contracted services and State agencies. Prepares or assists in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports as required by the City, granting agencies and the Finance Department. Responsible for all bookkeeping and accounting tasks for the contracted ambulance transport billing program, including billing, revenue, refunds, transport rates, revalidations, audits and data surveys. May be required to research applicable laws governing the administration and payment of contractual obligations. Monitors and maintains department budget and revenue collection. Performs back-up receptionist duties including providing general clerical support, answering phones and interacting with the public.

For more information, please review the job description.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

This position will start at Step 1 ($29.90/hour). Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. The full hourly range for this position is $29.90 - $39.01. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures. This position is classified as an Accounting Assistant III.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here's a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Friday, 09/25/26 4:30 PM Pacific Time

Experience and Training

• One year of college or vocational training in bookkeeping, accounting, business, or related area.
• Two years of accounting support or bookkeeping experience required, preferably in municipal government.

OR

• Three years of accounting support or bookkeeping experience required, preferably in municipal government.

AND

• Experience with computerized accounting systems required.
• Ability to type at 45 WPM NET.
• Accounting experience in a municipal or public sector environment, including experience utilizing Budget Accounting and Reporting System (BARS), preferred.
• One year of experience with record-keeping and compliance monitoring for grant-funded contracts preferred.
• Advanced utilization of computer software applications, including spreadsheets, databases, and word processors preferred.

Necessary Special Requirements

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.

Selection Process

You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City's commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Application Review Process:

• Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around September 28, 2026.

• Experience and Training Rating: Applicants that meet minimum qualifications will go through an Experience and Training Rating. Applicant status will be updated on or around October 9, 2026.

• The top six (6) scoring applicants from the Experience and Training Rating will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of October 19, 2026. Applicants must have a passing score of 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.

• Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following Experience and Training Rating (30%) and Oral Board Interview (70%).

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in Fire. This position is represented by a union.

If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity

Our environment is characterized by respect for cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and ethnic diversity. The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individuals race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicants criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our benefits section for additional information.

This position is represented by The Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the Local 1937 labor agreement.

This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the DRS website for more information on PERS.

Civil Service Information

This position is subject to the Bellingham Civil Service Commission. When a vacancy occurs, the top fifteen candidates or the top 25% of the register will be forwarded to the department for further consideration. All new Civil Service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period. A candidate may challenge the scope, content, or method of an examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days following the date of the challenged examination. A candidate may also challenge the scoring of an examination or test, failure of the candidate on any part of an examination, or clerical error in examination results of any examination or test, and a protest may be filed in writing with the Examiner within five (5) days of notification of the challenged result. The Examiner shall consider all timely filed protests and make appropriate corrections if an error is demonstrated.

Veterans Scoring Criteria

Applicants who have been honorably discharged from active military duty may be eligible to receive veterans scoring criteria points as provided by Washington State Law (RCW 41.04.010). If you wish to claim Veterans' Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

01

Thank you for your interest in this position at the City of Bellingham! To ensure a consistent review, only the City of Bellingham job application and required supplemental documents will be reviewed. Cover letters and resumes are not reviewed unless they are required as part of the process. When applying for this position, you must thoroughly complete each section of your application, and provide a thorough response to each of the supplemental questions. Please do not indicate "see resume" or copy content that is unrelated to the position being applied for from your resume when answering these questions.

Have you read and understood the information listed above?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have one (1) year of college or vocational course work in bookkeeping, accounting, business, or related area?

• Yes
• No

03

Please select the option below that describes your accounting support and/or bookkeeping experience, preferably in municipal government.

• I have no related experience
• I have more than two (2) years but less than three (3) years of experience
• I have 3 or more years of experience

04

Please describe in detail your accounting support and/or bookkeeping education and experience that provides the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities to perform this role. If applicable, please include accounting or bookkeeping duties performed within a municipal government setting as well. [Note: this must also be reflected on your application under Education and Work Experience.]

05

This position requires the ability to keyboard at a minimum of 45 wpm net. Do you meet this requirement?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have experience with computerized accounting systems?

• Yes
• No

07

If you answered yest to question #6 above, please outline your experience with computerized accounting systems and spreadsheets. What software have you used, and how proficient are you in them?

08

Please select which of the following preferred qualifications you have. If you have none, this will not disqualify your application.

• I have accounting experience in a municipal or public sector environment, including experience utilizing Budget Accounting and Reporting System (BARS).
• I have one year of experience with record-keeping and compliance monitoring for grant-funded contracts.
• I have advanced utilization of computer software applications, including spreadsheets, databases, and word processors.
• I do not have any of the preferred qualifications.

09

What processes or tools did you use to ensure accuracy and efficiency in financial reporting?

10

How do you handle multiple priorities, especially when managing accounting tasks with tight deadlines, such as month-end or quarterly reports?

11

If you are requesting Veterans Preference points, a completed Veterans Scoring Criteria Status Declaration is required along with a copy of your DD214. The required form is in the Selections Process section of the Job Posting. Check "YES" here if you are attaching a Veterans Declaration form and DD214.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Bellingham

Address 104 West Magnolia Street

Bellingham, Washington, 98225

Phone 360-778-8220

Website http://www.cob.org/employment