Accounting Coordinator

The Bradenton Christian School Accounting Assistant will faithfully support Bradenton Christian School’s mission statement to prepare the hearts and minds of God’s covenantal children in partnership with the home and church for service in God’s world. It is the Accounting Assistant’s responsibility to carry out the policies of the School Board as they relate to the function of the school and to their association with faculty, staff, students, and parents.

Summary

The Accounting Assistant reports to the Director of Accounting and is a part-time position providing accurate and timely support for the school's day-to-day accounting operations. The Accounting Assistant is responsible for routine accounting transactions, accounts payable and receivable support, cash receipts, account reconciliations, record maintenance, and general administrative functions within the Accounting Department. The Accounting Assistant works closely with the Director of Accounting and other school departments to ensure financial transactions are properly documented, recorded, and processed in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Serves as the primary point of contact for routine questions regarding purchasing, purchase orders, invoices, reimbursements, payments, account coding, and accounting records. Coordinates with the other Finance team members as necessary and refers questions outside the scope of the position to the Director of Accounting/Finance.

The responsibilities of this role are completed in alignment with our core values:

Comprehensive Excellence: We perform at the highest possible level in every undertaking, understanding that all things are to be done for the glory of God. (Col. 3:23; 1 Cor. 10:31)

Biblical Worldview: We recognize the God of the Bible as the source of all truth, discovering the revealed truth in His creation solely from the basis of truth found in His revealed Word as interpreted by the Reformed confessions. (Jer. 10:12; Col. 1:16–17)

Diligent Stewardship: We efficiently and effectively utilize our time, our material and financial resources, and abilities, seeking to optimize their benefit and waste nothing. (1 Pet. 4:10)

Covenantal Community: We are believers in Christ and are called to serve specifically parents in Christ, who believe and confess Him and whose children are set apart by God and therefore part of His covenantal family. (1 Cor. 7:14)

Universal Accessibility: We strive to create the means to allow us to serve as many Christian families in our community as possible. (Matt. 19:14)

Duties and Responsibilities

Purchasing and Accounts Payable

• Assist with purchasing activities and the preparation and processing of purchase orders.

• Verify that purchases have appropriate approvals, supporting documentation and proper account coding.

• Process purchase orders in accordance with established purchasing and budget procedures, verify required approvals and documentation, and flag insufficient available budget or other concerns to the Budget Coordinator and the Director of Accounting.

• Monitor purchase orders and commitments against available budget as part of the purchasing process.

• Review vendor invoices for appropriate documentation, approvals, coding, and supporting records.

• Process vendor invoices and employee expense reimbursements accurately and timely.

• Maintain organized vendor files and supporting documentation.

• Respond to routine vendor inquiries regarding invoices, payments and account status.

• Assist with 1099 preparation and other year-end AP activities.

• Reconcile credit card and other payment accounts and research discrepancies as needed.

Accounts Receivable and Cash Receipts

• Process and accurately record payments, deposits, and other cash receipts.

• Prepare and maintain appropriate deposit documentation and supporting records.

• Assist with reconciliation of cash receipts and deposits to accounting records.

General Accounting Support

• Assist with preparation of journal entries, accruals, prepaid expense adjustments, depreciation entries, and other month-end or year-end closing entries as assigned.

• Prepare assigned monthly account reconciliations and supporting schedules.

• Assist in analyzing account balances and variances and researching discrepancies.

• Maintain accurate accounting records and ensure transactions are recorded accurately and in a timely manner.

• Assist with month-end and year-end closing procedures.

• Research and resolve accounting discrepancies.

• Research and resolve discrepancies between subsidiary records and the general ledger.

• Provide supporting documentation for audits, financial reporting, and other accounting requirements.

• Identify unusual or inconsistent transactions and communicate issues to the Director of Accounting.

• Assist with accounting system maintenance and chart-of-accounts updates as directed.

• Prepare reports and schedules for departmental managers as requested.

Internal Controls and Compliance 

• Follow established accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.

• Assist with maintaining and monitoring established internal controls and procedures.

• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, efficiency, accuracy, and internal controls and communicate recommendations to the Director of Accounting.

• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties.

• Maintain and protect confidential financial, employee, student, donor, and vendor information.

• Promptly communicate unusual transactions, discrepancies, or control concerns, or potential policy violations to the Director of Accounting.

• Maintain financial records in accordance with the school's document-retention requirements.

• Assist with gathering documentation for tax filings, regulatory reporting, and other compliance requirements.

Budget

• Enter and update budget information in the accounting/ERP system.

• Maintain accurate department budget records and supporting documentation.

• Provide accounting and expenditure information needed for budget-to-actual reporting and analysis.

• Prepare routine budget-related reports and schedules as requested.

• Research and resolve routine discrepancies between accounting records and budget information.

• Refer questions regarding departmental budget balances, significant variances, budget planning, or proposed budget changes to the Budget Coordinator or Director of Accounting, as appropriate.

• Coordinate with the Budget Coordinator to provide accurate and timely accounting information for departmental budget monitoring.

Required Skills and Abilities

• A clearly articulated testimony of personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior along with weekly in-person attendance in a Christian church.

• A clear understanding of and support for covenantal Christian education along with a desire to lead students in the development of a Christian worldview.

• Demonstrates spiritual maturity and a growing commitment to the Christian faith.

• Demonstrated commitment to excellence, stewardship, service, and the organization’s core values.

• Associate’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

• Minimum of two years of accounting, bookkeeping, accounts payable, accounts receivable, or related experience.

• Experience with accounting or ERP software; Sage Intacct and FACTS experience preferred.

• Working knowledge of basic accounting principles and practices.

• Ability to accurately enter, maintain and reconcile financial information.

• Ability to identify discrepancies, research issues and follow through to resolution.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other standard office applications.

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and accounting processes simultaneously.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to provide professional and responsive service to employees, vendors, members of the school community, etc.

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive financial information.

• Ability to maintain accurate and secure records and follow organizational policies, procedures, and applicable employment requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to independently and collaboratively manage responsibilities, monitor outstanding requirements, and ensure timely follow-through.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not exhaustive. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be supplemented at the discretion of school administration. 

All prospective employees are subject to a Level 2 background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment, pursuant to section 435.12, Florida Statutes. Information regarding screening requirements, disqualifying offenses, exemptions, and the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse is available on the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse website: AHCA Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse.