Principal Clerk

Duties

The Principal Clerk reports to the Executive Administrative Assistant, provides support to all division Superintendents by performing various accounts payable functions, and is expected to keep accounts current and ensure compliance with vendor contracts. This position requires clear communication and excellent customer service with the general public, attention to detail and accuracy.

Essential Duties:

• Process department invoices
• Verify that all invoices match contracts and that funding is available
• Create requisitions and request Purchase Orders
• Route all 311 requests, help to resolve customer requests, and extract data
• Answer phone calls and or refer calls to appropriate personnel and provide general information
• Frequently interact with internal and external agencies including the general public, various vendors and contractors
• Maintain general department records, both electronic and hard copy
• Prepare and maintain reports, forms and/or other documents as necessary
• Responsible for clearly and professionally communicating verbally and in written form ensuring accuracy of information and timely responses
• Brief and communicate regularly with the Director of Administration and Finance
• Frequently interact and communicate professionally and courteously with internal staff and other departments
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Must possess a High School diploma or G.E.D.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word, Adobe Acrobat (PDF) and Outlook (email)
• Preferred working knowledge of MUNIS and QAlert, MS Teams
• Superior customer service skills with the ability to pleasantly and efficiently communicate (in-person, phone, and email)
• Ability to operate printer, scanner, copier, fax, postage meter
• Ability to work in a team office environment
• Ability to work under pressure and tight time lines
• Attention to detail and accuracy essential

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those 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 position's essential functions.

Physical Skills

Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books, office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system, computer and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting.

Visual Skills

Visual demands include constantly reading documents and numbers, maps and colors.

Hours: Full-Time

Salary: $1,115.31 weekly, plus benefits

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Union: SMEU B

Date Posted: September 3rd, 2026

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.