Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide receptionist, typing, general clerical and financial services to the Kenora Jail.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Provides receptionist and switchboard services by:
• Receiving incoming telephone calls, routing as requested or determining appropriate staff to refer to;
• Taking telephone messages as required;
• Liaison with control module to control outside access to administrative area according to security procedures and directing visitors as required;
• Answering general inquiries eg; institution visiting hours.

Provides typing and general clerical services by:
• Arranging travel and preparing Travel Warrants for released Adult/Young Offenders;
• Typing a variety of material as assigned by various department such as letters, memoranda, reports and forms using a fully programmable word processor, ensuring accuracy and proper format;
• Photocopying, distributing, faxing and routing various material daily;
• Preparing, stamping all outgoing regular and courier mail;
• Sort incoming mail, stamping and distributing, as well as open, stamp and log inmate mail;
• Maintain filing system.

Provides financial services by:
• Processing accounts payable for the institution by coding invoices for approval and forwarding to OSS for processing, ensuring the use of appropriate cost centres, account codes and ensuring accuracy of calculations, prices, quantities and taxes, contacting suppliers by telephone or letter to resolve discrepancies, eg over/under payments, non-delivery/damaged items;
• Entering and coding data on staff overtime/unclassified hour usage spreadsheets on a daily basis;
• Initiating canteen order sheets for all offenders on a weekly basis, verifying if offender has sufficient funds;
• Performing transactions and daily reconciliation of Adult Offender Trust cash float in the absence of the Accounts Payable Clerk and under the supervision of the Office Manager;
• Monitoring/ensuring adequate quantities of office and institutional stationary supplies, forms and equipment are in stock;
• Researching and obtaining price quotations on office supplies and small equipment from various suppliers;
• Preparing orders for office supplies and small equipment for signature/approval of the Office Manager;
• Receiving and inspecting office supplies and small equipment and ensuring accuracy and quantity by verifying packing slips, noting damages or other discrepancies.

Performs other duties such as:
• Replacing duties of Accounts Payable Clerk during routine absences;
• Providing relief/and or assistance to other support staff and/or departments as required;
• Providing assistance in clerical research as assigned which requires knowledge of OTIS ie printing inmate nominal rolls, departure lists and confirming inmate status for Adult Offender Trust Float reconciliation;
• Manager has the right to assign additional duties.

Knowledge :

Knowledge of office procedures. Knowledge of switchboard. Proficiency in English. Knowledge of institution departments functions. Job requires knowledge of institution office policies and procedures, office equipment, such as computer, fax, photocopier, printers. Job requires knowledge of government and ministry accounting policies and offender trust account procedures to process, maintain and correct records/documentation, balance and reconcile both general and cash accounts. Job requires knowledge of ministry and government financial administration policies and procedures, ministry financial information system, policies and guidelines to process institutional accounts payable. Job requires knowledge fo arithmetic to calculate and reconcile offender trust accounts and invoices. Job requires knowledge of ministry policies and procedures relating to release of information, institution organization, procedures and reference material in order to perform reception duties. Knowledge of OTIS (Offender Tracking Information System).

Skills :

Good keyboarding skills. Good communication skills. Job requires courtesy, tact and diplomacy when providing information to the public and staff members. Job requires the ability to operate various office equipment, such as fax machine, printers, photocopiers, computers, and a multi-line telephone switchboard. Job requires the ability to use computerized programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, accessing internet/intranet. Job requires typing skills not to Ontario Government Standards.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires adhering to ministry and government policies, procedures, institutional policies guidelines and related legislations.
Assignments are reviewed by the Office Manager or by the originator of the work for accuracy, completeness and adherence to deadlines and established/requested format. Job requires referring matters not covered by established procedures to Supervisor, ie, working in reception duties, or conflicting priorities of different staff members. Job requires working under the general supervision of the Office Manager and in accordance with established institutional policies and procedures.