Customer Service Specialist

Salary: $19.64 - $25.29 Hourly
Location : Portsmouth, VA
Job Type: Part-Time Regular
Job Number: FY2025-01456
Department: Museums and Tourism
Opening Date: 07/14/2026
Closing Date: 7/28/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB
Under general supervision, this position performs a variety of routine administrative and fiscal functions, to include preparing and processing financial information specific to programs offered through the department, cashiering, and providing quality customer service to visitors, guests, and the general public. Reports to the Museum Services Specialist.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Performs routine to complex professional accounting activities involving preparation, data entry and maintenance of financial records and reports; processes payments for departmental programs, services and purchases; and performs database management and cashiering.
Prepares program expenses reports; maintains detailed records of transactions, checks issued and related information; retrieves information for external audit; performs reconciliations to ensure transactions are recorded accurately and in a timely manner; and research discrepancies and takes proper steps to resolve matters.
Interacts with the public and others outside the work unit to obtain and provide information and assistance in a variety of circumstances; may screen and respond to inquiries and complaints; provides information on department policies and procedures; performs other similar types of administrative support activities; responsible for maintaining filing and record systems.
Performs other related work as required. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of Job: Has considerable knowledge of the application of established bookkeeping and accounting principles and techniques. Has considerable knowledge of state and local fiscal regulations, policies, and procedures with respect to accounts payable. Has considerable knowledge of modern office practices and procedures. Has considerable knowledge of arithmetic, spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary. Has considerable knowledge of the policies and procedures, organization and function of the department. Is skilled in the operation of common office equipment, including popular computer-drive word processing, spreadsheet and file maintenance programs. Is able to screen communications and, based on content, handle independently or route to proper source. Is able to correct spelling, grammatical, punctuation and typing errors. Is able to use independent judgment in organizing and establishing format. Is able to gather information from a variety of sources and draft documents. Is able to establish and maintain moderately complex files. Is able to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts within department and division, and with co- workers and the public.
Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions."
Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time- off requests.
Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment. Seeks expert or experienced advice when necessary.
Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the public to maintain good will toward the department and project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees and the public.
Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establish a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions of time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines.

Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly work place.

Education, Experience & Special Requirements
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
High school diploma or the equivalent, and 3 - 4 years of customer service and accounting experience, or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Associate' degree in accounting, Hospitality, Tourism or Business Administration or a closely related field is preferred.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Must be able to work weekends, holidays and evenings as necessary. An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check and sex offender registry check. Individuals in this position cannot be listed as having a founded child abuse or neglect complaint.

Physical Demands
Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machinery and equipment including computer, printer, calculator, facsimile machine, copier, multi-line telephone systems, etc. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for sedentary work. Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.
Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and or signal people to conveyor exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and/or directions from supervisors.
Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of checks, reports, records etc. Requires the ability to prepare letters, purchase orders, payment request, checks, etc. using prescribed formats and conforming to all rule's punctuation, grammar, diction and style. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence. Ability to make presentations.
Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems; to deal with nonverbal symbolism in its most difficult phases; to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables; to comprehend the most abstruse classes of concepts.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using standard English and using administrative, behavioral, and human services terminology.
Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas. Must be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide; to determine percentages; to calculate interest, profit and loss, proportions, etc.; and to perform calculations involving variables, formulas, square roots and polynomials.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using a variety of office equipment.
Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, such as office equipment. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.
Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking, expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS

The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
01


Please select the highest level of education completed.

• Less than High School
• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College
• Associates/Vocational/Technical
• Bachelor's Degree or Higher

02


Do you have an Associate's Degree in Accounting, Hospitality, Tourism or Business Administration or a closely related field?

• Yes
• No

03


Are you able to work weekends, holidays and evenings?

• Yes
• No

04


Describe your customer service and accounting experience with respect to general accounting (data entry, expenses, audits, and reconciliations) and financial reporting experience.
Required Question