Finance Manager

Salary: $50,000-$68,000

SCHOOL OVERVIEW

Founded by seven community members in 2014, Jefferson RISE Charter School serves approximately 800 students in grades 6-12. Located in Woodmere (Harvey, Louisiana), we educate a diverse group of students from the Westbank of Jefferson Parish, with a student body that is 52% Black/African American, 30% White, 16% Hispanic, and 2% Asian and where 92% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged. 

We believe in educating the whole child, supporting both an academic foundation as well as building students’ social-emotional skills and readiness for long-term college and career success. Our model includes:

• High-Quality Academic Program: With a longer school day and school year, tutoring, intervention, one-to-one Chromebook devices, and a rigorous Tier I curriculum, our academics prepare students for their futures.

• Social-Emotional Learning: We focus on developing the whole child through our RISE School Values: Respect, Integrity, Self-Discipline, and Excellence. 

• Student Life and Career Readiness: Beyond our core academic program, we provide electives, clubs, athletics, and other opportunities to support students in developing their expertise and passions outside of the classroom.

Since our founding, we have achieved remarkable results with our students. In the 2018-2019 school year (the latest year with full data available), our 8th graders outperformed both district and state achievement levels in all subject areas, and our high school earned an “A” growth grade from the Louisiana Department of Education. We have also found that students who spend more time at our school are significantly more likely to score proficient or advanced on end-of-year exams. Since that time, we have been working to support our students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; while we have seen a decline in scores–mirroring schools across the country–we are committed to providing additional support and innovating to help our students achieve at high levels after the pandemic. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Finance Manager is responsible for Jefferson RISE’s day-to-day financial processes and management, as well as supporting the school’s overall financial success. Success in this role will help to ensure that RISE has the financial and operational strength to achieve our goals. The ideal candidate has strong attention to detail, a collaborative mindset, and a passion for creating and refining financial processes and procedures.

As a charter school, Jefferson RISE sets its own academic calendar and daily/weekly schedule based on the needs of its students. This position is a year-round role, although RISE is generally closed for two weeks during both the winter holidays and summer break, as well as other, regular school vacations. Workdays are generally 6:55am to 3:15pm, although this position may have adjusted hours depending on responsibilities. Limited work during school vacations may occasionally be required given financial timelines (e.g., payroll, month close, etc.).

In addition to general duties, Jefferson RISE staff members are also expected to:

• Support school operations, including lunch duty and/or homeroom duty, as needed 
• Attend a weekly one-on-one meeting with their supervisor to discuss performance, student needs, school needs, and other items that may arise 

Other duties may be assigned as needed.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Ongoing Financial Operations 

• Manage purchase orders, A/P, and A/R on a daily basis, maintaining a positive relationships with vendors
• Procure materials for the school based on staff needs on a daily basis and manage inventory 
• Develop payroll spreadsheets on a bimonthly basis, including pulling hours, stipends, absences, benefits, etc.
• Manage the financial aspects of the HR Information System (e.g., pay, benefits, payroll sync) on a weekly basis
• Liaise with our external accounting firm to reconcile accounts and close monthly financials
• Prepare budget vs actuals, financial statements, and other requested financial analyses for Executive Team and board review on a monthly basis or as needed 
• Track actual revenue and expenses to confirm forecasts will be met; propose adjustments/amendments and rebudget as needed
• Ensure accurate record-keeping of key financial and operational documents throughout the year 
• Lead annual budget process (~$11M) in conjunction with senior leadership
• Lead financial audit processes in conjunction with senior leadership
• Act as key thought partner and advisor to senior leadership on all financial matters

2. District Reporting & Grants Management 

• Work with Jefferson Parish Schools and senior leadership to ensure timely financial planning and reporting, including quarterly reports, PEP reporting, and other reports as required
• Support federal, state, and private grant (including Title I, Title II, ESSER, etc.) planning, reporting, and reimbursement process in conjunction with with RISE team members and Jefferson Parish finance staff
• Support any additional reporting as required 

3. Long-Term Planning & Process Improvement 

• Suggest changes to financial policies and processes to ensure accurate, timely, and sustainable financial reporting, including adjustments to board-approved Financial Processes and Procedures Manual
• With senior leadership, create five-year budget projections aligned to the school’s strategic direction
• Support one-off financial planning needs (e.g., planning for purchase of additional property or capital improvements to the facility) 

4. School and Community Culture

• Embody the mission, vision, and strategic direction of the school
• Assists with execution of school events and activities
• Design and implement financial processes and guidelines that promote strong financial management and ensure a focus on students throughout the staff
• Build staff and student community through support of school processes and procedures

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree (required) or higher degree (preferred) in business, accounting, finance, or related field 
• CPA (preferred) 

Experience:

• 3+ years directly managing financial processes for a business, nonprofit, or school with $5M+ annual revenues, including A/P, A/R, budgeting, financial reporting, and internal controls (required) 
• Experience working in a financial setting in a school (strongly preferred)
• Familiarity with the LAUGH Guide and associated charts of accounts (strongly preferred) 
• Experience with Quickbooks Online, Bill.com, BambooHR, TRAX Payroll (preferred)

Skills:

• Strong Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets skills (e.g., pivot tables, vlookup formulas) required 
• Exemplary attention to detail and ability to implement personal organization systems to manage multiple deadlines
• Strong proactive problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and the willingness to speak up when something can be done more effectively
• Works independently, with guidance only in the most complex situations
• Goal oriented, and able to translate school priorities into operational reality through clear communication, resource distribution, accountability measures, and tracking systems to ensure goals are met and effective
• Clearly and succinctly conveys information and ideas to individuals and groups

Culture and Fit:

• Commitment to the mission and organizational success of Jefferson RISE 
• Ambition and desire to grow as a leader 
• Openness to feedback and a willingness to take personal responsibility for the affairs of the school 
• Entrepreneurial spirit 
• Personal and professional integrity 
• Team player (flexible, willing to jump in)

ALL CANDIDATES MUST APPLY THROUGH THIS LINK: https://jeffersonrise.bamboohr.com/jobs/ Applications submitted through Indeed or other job posting websites will not be reviewed.