Staff Accountant

Staff Accountant - FT
Salary and Compensation
$61,250 - $71,000 Annually
Health, Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD, Paid FMLA (4 wks) PTO
401k with 4% Employer Match

Summary of Position 

The Staff Accountant role helps strengthen church ministries by providing accurate, timely financial information through consistent accounting policies and practices. This enables ministry leaders to make sound financial decisions for their respective areas and the church as a whole. Additionally, the role involves collaborating with other staff to ensure vendors are paid promptly, and expenses are managed effectively, so that the church practices good stewardship of the congregation's donations.   In addition, the role works with ministry leaders to provide support in developing and managing their annual budgets.  These practices help to contribute to the efficient financial management of the church. 

Essential Functions

1. Administer the SAP Concur program to manage invoices, expense reimbursements, and church credit cards as well as to train and assist its users. 

1. Process payments to vendors (by check, ACH, or church credit card) and reimbursements to staff promptly and accurately, ensuring smooth financial transactions and maintaining trust in the church's financial operations. 

1. Manage the Budgeting and Reporting tool and process and provide support to the ministry areas/departments by helping them develop and manage their annual budgets.    

1. Perform all financial close duties at month-end and year-end, including thorough reconciliations within the accounting system, to uphold data integrity and internal controls, and provide necessary support for the external audit. 

1. Assist the Payroll Manager with various bi-weekly and monthly payroll reporting processes as well as the year-end Annual Open Enrollment for Benefits. 

Other Key Responsibilities 

• Participate in Christ Church staff life by attending all-staff meetings, church sponsored events, worship, training events and contributing to a culture of collaboration and encouragement.  

• Support church-wide initiatives and special events – assist with Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day services, outreach and mission events by serving in flexible roles beyond primary ministry responsibilities.  

• Engage in ongoing personal and professional development through training, reading, coaching or mentoring, in order to grow as a leader and servant of Christ.  

• Collaborate across ministries to ensure alignment, share resources, and strengthen unity on our staff teams.  

• Demonstrate and model Christ Church’s core values in daily work, relationships and service to others.  

• Maintain a posture of flexibility by assisting with projects or assignments outside the immediate scope of the role when needed.  

• Contribute to a culture of grace, care and prayer by being available to support, encourage and pray with staff and volunteers and congregants as appropriate. 

• Train new users on SAP Concur, assist current users with questions and issues, and maintain the database of users, vendors, and accounting codes to ensure accurate and efficient financial operations.  

• Prepare twice-monthly vendor payments, verifying the accuracy of all amounts and ensuring proper approvals and recording within the church’s financial systems.  

• Record bank account debits for vendor services, ensuring each transaction matches approved invoices and is coded to the correct account in the church’s general ledger.  

• Record and reconcile church credit card activity to ensure all expenditures are accurately reported and accounted for in financial records.  

• Maintain compliance with state reporting and sales tax filing requirements.  

• Assist the Director of Accounting with special projects and other needs like audits, budgeting, and maintaining the ShelbyNext ledger.  

• Work with the Missions Department to issue quarterly support payments to missionary partners, including reconciling ShelbyNext activity to the annual Missions budget and maintaining an accuratelist of mission partners in ShelbyNext.  

• Process payments for fixed asset purchases, ensuring items are capitalized in accordance with the church’s accounting policies, and maintain an asset listing—including additions and disposals—for annual depreciation calculations for the audited financial statements. 

• Participate in the annual and monthly budgeting and reporting process.  Administer Martus Solutions Budgeting tool, including user access setup, capturing and reconciliation of general ledger transactions, creation and maintaining budgets and other reports and providing training and support to the various ministry departments. 

• Prepare bi-weekly payroll-related journal entries and reconciliations. 

• Prepare all monthly HR related bills for payment and send to SAP Concur. 

• Submit post payroll (bi-weekly) to SAP Concur, the total payroll contributions for Health care spending accounts (FSA and HSA) and 401k. 

• Provide assistance to the Payroll Manager at year end during the Benefits Open Enrollment. 

• Prepare various bi-weekly and month-end Payroll reports as requested by HR. 

• Program/Event Coordination and Logistical Support  
  This function encompasses the comprehensive planning and execution of all departmental and organizational events, ensuring they run smoothly and align with the broader institution's goals. Key activities involve managing event logistics, coordinating necessary resources, and ensuring seamless collaboration across different departments.  

• Information and Records Management  
  This vital function involves maintaining accurate, organized, and accessible data systems. The assistant is responsible for inputting, updating, and managing organizational records and files—such as volunteer information, attendance data, and contact lists—to ensure data integrity and compliance with institutional procedures.  

• Communication and Scheduling Management  
  This function focuses on facilitating effective information flow and organizational efficiency. It includes managing the official calendars to prevent scheduling conflicts, prioritizing appointments, handling all inbound and outbound correspondence, and acting as the primary liaison on behalf of their supervisor or director.  

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field required. 

Preferred Qualifications

Experience: 4+ years of accounting experience, Experience with fund accounting and nonprofit financial reporting preferred. Experience in office (preferable service-related industry), church, or non-profit sector 

Spiritual Development 

• Support and model individual spiritual formation, i.e. Worship, Grow and Serve.  (Weekly worship, prayer, scripture reading, small group, volunteering/service, etc.). 

• Regularly attends worship and participates in ministry events at Christ Church or a Christ Church campus unless exempted by Christ Church leadership.  

• Seeks opportunities and participates in authentic worship, exalting and enjoying God as one of life’s greatest purposes and pleasures. 

• Lives as an attractive witness, living to draw others to Christ in personal, daily mission. 

• Intentionally seeks to become like Jesus, growing purposefully and intentionally. 

• Values and contributes to genuine community, doing life together with colleagues and congregation. 

• Enrolls in genuine service, living a life of service, humility and generosity. 

• Engages fully in life-changing love by loving people extravagantly  

Ministry Traits 

• Detail-oriented with high capacity to manage multiple projects at high level of detail and organization. 

• Desire to continuously learn and serve others. 

• Honest and trustworthy. 

• Integrity for work habits and results. 

• Ability to discern needs and respond appropriately, sensitively and proactively. 

• Appreciation for own and others’ giftedness. 

• Ongoing desire and effort to grow more Christ-like in character. 

• Able to keep high degree of confidentiality. 

• High degree of professionalism. 

• Approachable and accessible. 

Physical Demands & Work Environment 

The role requires sitting or standing at a desk for prolonged periods and operating a computer keyboard for most of the workday. 

Core Competencies 

• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and organizational skills. 

• Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities. 

• Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality regarding financial, payroll, employee and work-related information. 

• Effective oral and written communication skills with staff, volunteers, and leadership, conveying kindness, patience, and flexibility. 

• Experience with relevant computer applications (e.g., ShelbyNext Accounting Software, Touchpoint, Rock, Martus Solutions, SAP Concur, Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook). 

• Maintain appropriated internal control procedures for financial matters and meticulous controls over cash. 

• Communicates with clarity and warmth across diverse audiences 

• Demonstrates integrity, humility, and alignment with Christ Church’s values 

• Collaborates effectively across teams and ministries 

• Organizes and prioritizes work to meet goals with excellence 

• Learns quickly and adapts to new tools, systems, and challenges 

• Resolves conflicts constructively and maintains healthy relationships 

• Innovates and improves ministry systems to better serve people