Primary purpose:
This position is expected to mentor and lead a staff of several individuals to be a successful and cohesive team. The incumbent will oversee staff interaction with the public on collection and payment related issues and assign daily schedule of teller activities to ensure proper window and phone coverage. This individual will be responsible to ensure the teller team and other city departments maintain compliance with city’s cash control policies.
Supervision:
Supervision Received: Supervised by the Assistant Collector and City Treasurer/Collector.
Supervision Given: Supervises an Assistant Teller Supervisor/Accounts Receivable Specialist, as well as two tellers and a parking payments clerk.
Essential Functions:
(The essential functions or duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.)
• Mentor and Lead a staff of four individuals to be a successful and cohesive team.
• Supervise staff interaction with the general public on collection related issues and assign daily schedule of teller activities to ensure proper window and phone coverage.
• Ensures Teller team and City departments maintain compliance with City’s cash control policies.
• Assist with monthly reconciliation of receipts detail to accounting control balances for committed accounts receivables.
• Updates daily Accounts Receivable & Accounts Payable into bank reconciliation software while providing full audit trail.
• Coordinate daily receipt reconciliation to be submitted to accounting for posting to the general ledger.
• Process betterment, tax title and tax deferral releases for signature by the City Treasurer/Collector.
• Coordinate required claim filings in bankruptcy cases.
• Coordinate processing of returned checks and failed online payments for all city depts.
• Coordinates secure daily open and close of the office, including the vault, distribution of cash drawers and ongoing review of office priorities in a backup role when the Assistant Teller Supervisor is unavailable.
• Trains new staff on operational functions and assign team members to back up each other and train peers as necessary.
• Supervises the daily payment downloads from lockbox and online payment methods.
• Coordinates with the Assistant Collector in transitioning certain tax and other bills to collection.
• Assist with importing bank files from online payment site in a backup role when other staff are unavailable.
• Coordinates Research and preparation of Municipal Lien Certificates and processing of collection of office receipts in a backup role when other staff are unavailable.
Secondary Elements
• Assist taxpayers in person, by telephone, email, and mail.
• Performs special projects as requested by supervisors.
• Attend and participate in Department and other meetings and special events.
Minimum Entrance Qualifications:
(To perform successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.)
Education, Training and Experience:
• Bachelor’s Degree (preferably with an accounting, finance or business management discipline).
• Experience mentoring and leading a customer service team that meets deadlines and yields results.
• Experience with customer relations supervision, including experience with conflict resolution.
Knowledge, Ability and Skill:
Knowledge:
• Strong written and verbal communication, customer service and organizational skills.
Ability:
• Ability to handle multiple projects including software upgrades and implementation.
• Ability to learn new software as needed, along with flexibility to adapt to changing office procedures.
• Ability to communicate in a language other than English.
• Ability to coordinate multiple complex cash receipts and accounts receivables systems (MUNIS preferred).
Skill:
• Proficiency in typical office software products, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
• A strong commitment to public service required.
Physical requirements/work environment
(The physical demands described here represent those requirements that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)
Work is performed under typical office conditions; the noise level is quiet to moderate at most times. Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
Operates computers, printers, facsimile machine, copier, calculator, telephone, and standard office equipment.
Has frequent contact with other City departments, current employees, and vendors/service providers.
Has access to all department-level confidential information, which requires the application of appropriate judgment, discretion and professional office protocols.
Errors in judgment or omissions could result in considerable confusion and delay, have a continuing adverse effect on the library’s ability to deliver services, be costly to correct and cause significant adverse public relations.
Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5 - 10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation. Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally. Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
Performance Standard
Employees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the City through work behaviors demonstrating the City’s values. Employees are also expected to lead by example and demonstrate the highest level of ethics.
(This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by
the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.
THE CITY:
The City of Newton is a wonderful place to live and work. Newton has safe and attractive neighborhoods, an excellent public school system, an active community life, multiple transportation systems, proximity to Boston and a well-managed and financially strong City government. The City of Newton has a population of approximately 88,900, with 32,600 housing units and occupies a land area of 18.3 square miles. Newton is principally suburban-residential in character. Unlike many other communities that are established around a single Main Street or downtown, Newton is comprised of thirteen distinctive villages. Newton has a diversified economic base with approximately 4,700 establishments employing approximately 79,500 people. Newton is special in many ways. It is home to a variety of private secondary and post-secondary schools including a portion of Boston College, Lasell University, William James College, Hebrew College, and the UMass Amherst – Mount Ida Campus. The longest stretch of the Boston Marathon runs through the City, including the well-known Heartbreak Hill. Newton-Wellesley Hospital, part of the Mass General Brigham health care system, serves as an important partner to the City. In September 2018, Newton was again ranked #1 in Massachusetts as the best place to live and #12 in the U.S.
OUR GOVERNMENT:
Newton has what is known as a “strong Mayor” form of government with the Mayor having the executive and administrative powers of the City. The legislative branch is comprised of 24 City Councilors. Mayor Marc C. Laredo was sworn in on January 1, 2026 after serving on the City Council. The City of Newton was evaluated by Moody’s Investors Services in February 2020 and assigned its highest rating of AAA. Newton was thus well-positioned to weather the pandemic and economic downturn.
AS AN EMPLOYER:
The City of Newton believes that its employees are its greatest asset. To that end, we are committed to supporting our employees by providing competitive wages and growth, a comprehensive benefits package which includes a defined municipal pension plan, quality health and dental insurance plans, generous paid leave benefits, paid holidays, and access to supplemental benefits such as deferred compensation, short term disability plans, flexible spending accounts, and other employee benefits. We also provide access to an Employee Assistance Program and access to employee training and professional development opportunities. We continuously work to review and expand upon our benefit offerings. We encourage you to visit our Human Resources Department website to learn more about our organization and benefits which are available to our employees. And as always, you are encouraged to reach out to our dynamic HR Team by emailing hr@newtonma.gov.
Human Resources Diversity Statement
We recognize our workforce is a source of strength that is vital to our ability to effectively serve the City of Newton’s diverse community. We will:
The targeted salary range reflects what the City of Newton reasonably and in good faith expects to offer for this position at the time of posting, but the final salary determination may be within or outside this range based on various factors, including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, and market factors. The range will be reviewed regularly and is subject to change.