Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for General Cashier

🎯 Role Definition

The General Cashier serves as the primary custodian of an organization's daily cash flow, a position founded on trust, meticulous accuracy, and unwavering integrity. This role is responsible for the complete lifecycle of cash and its equivalents within the business—from collecting, counting, and verifying daily deposits from all revenue centers to preparing them for secure bank transport. The General Cashier acts as the central point of control for all house banks and cashier floats, ensuring operational teams are adequately funded while meticulously tracking every transaction. This position is a cornerstone of the finance department, providing critical daily reports that are vital to the company's financial reporting and serving as the first line of defense in identifying and resolving payment discrepancies.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Front Desk Agent / Supervisor
Cashier / Lead Cashier
Accounts Payable/Receivable Clerk

Advancement To:

Staff Accountant
Assistant Controller
Income Auditor

Lateral Moves:

Accounts Payable Specialist
Payroll Clerk
Accounts Receivable Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee and manage the organization's main cash vault (house bank), ensuring its contents are balanced, reconciled, and secured daily according to company policy.
Prepare, consolidate, and verify the daily bank deposit, ensuring all cash, checks, and other forms of tender from the previous day's business are accounted for and ready for secure pickup.
Perform comprehensive daily audits of cashier drop envelopes from all points of sale, verifying the accuracy of reported sales against actual cash, credit card, and digital payment receipts.
Diligently investigate, document, and report any cash variances, including overages or shortages, to the Controller and collaborate with department heads to identify the root cause and implement corrective actions.
Manage the issuance, retrieval, and reconciliation of individual cashier banks and operational floats at the beginning and end of shifts, ensuring all funds are properly accounted for.
Process and manage all petty cash requests and reimbursements in strict accordance with company policy, maintaining a precisely balanced and documented petty cash fund.
Prepare and distribute a detailed daily General Cashier Report, which summarizes all cash activities, deposit details, and variance information for the finance leadership team.
Act as the primary liaison with the company’s banking institution and armored transport service for matters related to deposits, change orders, and service inquiries.
Maintain an adequate and organized inventory of all necessary currency and coin to support business operations, anticipating needs and placing change orders with the bank in a timely manner.
Reconcile daily credit card, gift card, and other digital payment transactions against bank settlement reports, promptly identifying and resolving any discrepancies.
Conduct periodic, unannounced spot-audits on cashier banks and floats across various departments to ensure ongoing compliance with established cash handling procedures.
Champion and enforce strict adherence to all internal control policies and procedures related to cash handling to safeguard company assets and mitigate financial risk.
Organize, file, and meticulously maintain all financial documentation related to daily cash activities, including drop envelopes, deposit slips, and reconciliation reports, for easy retrieval during audits.
Handle all foreign currency exchange transactions for customers or guests, accurately calculating exchange rates and managing the foreign currency float.
Provide direct support to the income audit function by supplying necessary documentation and clarification on daily revenue and payment postings.
Manage the physical inventory, issuance, and tracking of gift certificates or vouchers, ensuring proper reconciliation and accounting treatment.
Collaborate closely with the Accounts Receivable department to ensure cash receipts and checks are accurately and promptly applied to the correct customer accounts.
Provide essential support during month-end and year-end closing processes, specifically in reconciling cash-on-hand and bank-related general ledger accounts.
Professionally respond to and assist in resolving customer or guest billing inquiries and disputes that involve cash or credit card payments.
Train new employees with cash-handling responsibilities on the proper company procedures, internal controls, and security protocols.
Maintain the physical security and confidentiality of the cash office environment and all sensitive financial information handled within the role.

Secondary Functions

Assist the accounting department with month-end closing procedures and the preparation of related journal entries.
Support ad-hoc financial analysis and reporting requests from the Director of Finance or Controller.
Collaborate with department heads to provide ongoing training and reinforcement of cash handling policies and best practices.
Participate in regular finance department meetings, providing updates on cash flow status and highlighting any operational concerns.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced Cash Handling: Expertise in counting, balancing, and securing large volumes of cash, coin, and other tenders in a high-volume environment.
Financial Reconciliation: Proven ability to accurately reconcile multiple accounts, systematically identify discrepancies, and methodically resolve variances.
MS Office Proficiency: Strong, practical skills in Microsoft Excel for creating spreadsheets, utilizing formulas for reconciliation, and generating reports.
10-Key by Touch: High speed and accuracy in numeric data entry, essential for efficient processing of financial data.
Accounting Software Familiarity: Experience with enterprise-level accounting systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) or industry-specific platforms (e.g., Opera, Micros, QuickBooks).
POS System Knowledge: A solid understanding of the operational functionality and reporting capabilities of various Point-of-Sale (POS) systems.
Internal Controls Acumen: Knowledge of fundamental internal control principles and procedures designed to protect company assets.

Soft Skills

Unquestionable Integrity & Honesty: A strong ethical compass and demonstrable trustworthiness are non-negotiable for handling company assets.
Meticulous Attention to Detail: The ability to work with a high degree of precision and consistently catch minor errors before they become major issues.
Exceptional Organizational Skills: A natural ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, maintain orderly and auditable records, and consistently meet strict daily deadlines.
Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: The capacity to investigate discrepancies in a logical, step-by-step manner and arrive at effective and practical solutions.
Clear & Professional Communication: The ability to communicate procedures and report findings clearly and concisely to colleagues and management, both verbally and in writing.
Discretion and Confidentiality: A mature and professional approach to handling sensitive financial information with the utmost confidentiality.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent (GED).

Preferred Education:

Associate’s or Bachelor's Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Accounting
Finance
Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-4 years of progressive experience in a high-volume cash handling environment, accounting department, or bookkeeping role.

Preferred:

Prior experience working specifically as a General Cashier, particularly within the hospitality, large-scale retail, or banking sectors, is highly advantageous.