School Bookkeeper Liaison

Hamilton County Schools•Chattanooga, TN

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The purpose of this classification is to provide on-going training and support to schools in all areas of school financial management, working with bookkeepers at schools to assist them in their understanding of school funds and how they should be safeguarded. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out but may be considered incidental in the performance of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties herein described.

Requirements

Associate’s Degree in Bookkeeping, Accounting, or closely related field
Three (3) years previous experience and/or training that includes general accounting, governmental accounting, bookkeeping, and personal computer operations
Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.
Ability to use technology to create reports and other financial documents.
Ability to think analytically, identify problems, and initiate actions to correct.
Ability to interpret, explain, and apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting (GAAFR), and other applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures relating to financial and fixed asset management.
Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations involving basic algebraic principles.
Ability to communicate verbally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides training, guidance, support, and assistance to new and ongoing school bookkeepers in all areas of school financial management.
Assists with activities pertaining to audits of school’s financial records; assists outside audit team at schools and Central Office in their review of school financial records.
Reviews financial statements received from all schools; identifies and corrects financial discrepancies; contacts school bookkeeper to discuss deficit balances, identify and correct problems.
Creates and interprets financial analytical reports for school system-wide reports; performs monthly analysis of cash reasonableness, revenue and expense comparison by month as compared to previous year, fund balance analysis, and analysis of restricted accounts balance; accumulates and filters data needed for various state reports; requests corrections, as necessary.
Conveys financial information to school principals, department heads, Central Office, funding agencies and others as appropriate; facilitates presentation of financial information to Board and various funding agencies; provides information regarding accounting procedures and State/Board accounting rules and regulations to school staff; provides school principal with current account balances; provides teachers with current BEP and fee balances; confers with principals, teachers and staff as needed.
Works with the School Accounting Supervisor and other liaisons to review year-end bookstore inventories, communicate discrepancies to the schools, and close out all schools' financial records in SFO.
Maintains centralized vendor database; adds new vendors to School Funds Online (SFO) and Munis systems; updates school vendor information in both SFO and Munis systems.
Assists with maintenance of centralized chart of accounts.
Troubleshoots bookkeeping software and online payment issues. Follows up with school bookkeepers and software companies, as necessary.
Ensures compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting (GAAFR), and all other applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; initiates actions necessary to correct deviations or violations.
Communicates through the proper channels to keep supervisor and other appropriate personnel informed of impending problems.
Provides assistance with issues related to Arbiter, the tool used for paying sports officials.
Fills in for bookkeepers when they are absent.
Answers questions regarding best practices, policies, and accounting processes for school bookkeepers.
Processes documentation relating to purchasing or accounts payable functions; issues purchase order numbers; ensures availability of adequate funding and proper signature or authorization before purchases; prepares bid sheets; monitors status of open purchase orders; review invoices for accuracy; matches with purchase order; researches discrepancies; charges purchase orders and invoices to proper budget accounts; generates checks for payment of invoices and mails to vendors; enters purchasing and payable data into computer; maintains records; ensures all purchasing activities comply with State purchasing guidelines.
Processes documentation relating to accounts receivable functions; receives monies in payment of field trips, fundraising or other fees and services; makes changes; records transactions; issues receipts; verifies teachers’ collection logs of monies collected from students; resolves any discrepancies with teachers; returns logs to teachers; counts and balances cash receipts; posts receipts to computerized accounting system.
Prepares bank deposits; transports banking transactions to and from bank as needed; reconciles bank statements.
Attends meetings as needed.
Travels to school locations and other locations throughout the district to perform job duties.
Prepares or completes various documents, reports, and correspondence as required.
Receives, prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, lists, policies, procedures, spreadsheets, or other documents.
Performs general/clerical tasks, which may include answering telephone calls, typing documents, making copies, sending/receiving faxes, filing documentation, processing incoming/outgoing mail, or running errands.
Operates a computer to enter, retrieve, review or modify data; verifies accuracy of entered data and makes corrections; utilizes word processing, spreadsheet, database, payroll, financial, Internet, email, or other computer programs; performs basic maintenance of office/computer equipment, such as backing up data or replacing paper, toner, or ribbons; coordinates service/repair activities as needed; provides input for purchase of computer systems.
Operates other technology devices and uses a variety of social media platforms to perform essential functions of job.
Complies with applicable district, state, and federal codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures.
Adheres to the Teacher Code of Ethics as defined by Tennessee Law.
Acts in a professional, respectful, and welcoming manner at all times.
Creates a customer-focused climate and provides quality services and support to schools, community, businesses, Superintendent of Schools, Board of Education, and other stakeholders.
Works collaboratively with all stakeholders.
Follows established procedures to ensure assigned areas are safe.
Maintains confidentiality.
Attends work and arrives to work on time.
Performs other related duties as assigned.