Position Summary

The Processing Clerk supports LIHEAP operations by reviewing applications for completeness and compliance, maintaining accurate records, and providing timely, professional customer service. The position coordinates with the LIHEAP Coordinator, Family Services Specialists, and energy vendors to resolve issues that impact eligibility, documentation, and application processing. The role supports payment-related processes, including refunds and reissues, prepares routine reports and mailings, and maintains vendor agreements and related tracking. The Processing Clerk attends applicable state and agency meetings and trainings and helps reduce application errors by identifying trends and sharing guidance with staff.

The Processing Clerk is expected to exemplify the agency’s core values of Growth, Adaptability, Respect, Responsiveness, Compassion, and Collaboration. This position is responsible for complying with all agency and departmental policies and procedures that reflect and promote these values in the delivery of services.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Other duties may be assigned.

Agency Specific:

• Must always maintain confidentiality

• Must always represent NEICAC in a positive and professional manner

• Must attend training as requested to demonstrate a continued effort to grow professionally

• Adhere to all policies as an employee of Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation

• Attend all agency-wide trainings

• Must travel occasionally within the service area

• Establish a collaborative and communicative relationship with fellow staff

• Must be punctual and dependable in completing assignments, meeting report deadlines; daily attendance is essential

Program Specific:

• Review LIHEAP applications to confirm completeness and compliance with federal, state, and agency guidelines
• Accurately enter and update information into program database(s)
• Maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive customer information
• Identify missing documentation or data entry errors, issue requests to the appropriate NEICAC staff, and follow-up to ensure completeness within required timeframes
• Coordinate with the LIHEAP Coordinator, Family Services Specialists, and vendors to resolve issues, submit guarantees, and ensure smooth processing of assistance
• Prepare and review reports from the LIHEAP database
• Assist with mass mailings, print jobs, and other departmental tasks
• Address denied applications, unique cases, and procedural questions with guidance from the LIHEAP Coordinator
• Complete LIHEAP applications in the absence of the Family Services Specialist
• Maintain accurate customer and program records

• Answer phone inquiries and communicate with customers, Family Services Specialists, and energy vendors in a courteous manner
• Assist the LIHEAP Coordinator in the preparation of payments
• Manage LIHEAP refunds and reissues, reconciling and tracking activity in accordance with LIHEAP policies and procedures.
• Prepare, distribute, and maintain vendor agreement records
• Attend applicable state and agency meetings/trainings
• Identify routine application intake and processing errors and create clear guidance/tools to reduce error and rejection rates.
• Support continuous improvement by tracking common rejection reasons, reporting trends to the LIHEAP Coordinator, and recommending workflow or process updates to improve first-time application completeness.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience
High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and one year of related experience in basic accounting procedures or office management. Prefer computer experience in Microsoft Office, Excel and Data Entry. Proficiency with calculators required.

Practical Skills

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information to clients and other employees of the organization.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving varying situations.

Certificates, Licenses & Registrations

Must be bondable.

Physical Demands

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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand. The employee is occasionally required to walk; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the person assigned to this position. Principal accountabilities are intended to describe those functions that are essential to the performance of this job, and "other" accountabilities include those that are considered incidental or secondary to the overall purpose of this job.

This job description does not state or imply that the above are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management. All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability.