The principal duty of all employees is to assist in the mission of the Church in the Diocese of Fort Worth. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
General Position Summary
The Bookkeeper is responsible for a full range of parish administrative functions for the church and school. This position is specifically responsible for the efficient and effective day-to-day operations management of the parish, including financial, capital and human resources. Executes the vision of Pastor and serves the needs of the parish through leadership styles and professional actions which comply with law and conform to Diocesan policies and procedures.
Principal Accountabilities
Planning
- Collaborates with the Pastor and other staff in implementing the mission of the Parish.
- Participates in the comprehensive planning, implementation and evaluation of the parish goals and objectives, with specific focus on stewardship of parish's human, financial, and capital resources. May collaborate with diocesan planning and program efforts.
- Prepare labels and envelopes of mailings and assists with photocopying or duplicating of materials as needed.
- Monitors and orders supplies, issue receipts for revenue.
- Attends meetings as requested.
Finance
- Manages the financial resource systems of the Parish and School. Supervises day-to-day finances, i.e., bills, reports, record keeping, collections, etc.
- Coordinates preparation of a comprehensive annual parish and school budget, including revenue and expense projections, for review and approval by the Pastor/Principal in consultation with the Finance Committee.
- Maintains bank accounts including processing check requests, assuring proper authorization and reconciling bank statements.
- Monitors monthly income and expenditures.
- Maintains accurate and confidential financial record keeping systems.
- Manages tabulation and deposit of all parish and school income and prepares monthly and annual finance reports for the Pastor/Principal and Finance Committee.
- Provides bookkeeping services and advice for those who direct the various fundraising efforts for the parish and school, including the Annual Diocesan Appeal.
- Maintains bookkeeping skills and expertise by participating in diocesan-sponsored and other sponsored training, and attendance at workshops and classes.
Support for educational activities-Saint Peter School
- Maintains a comprehensive computer filing system (FACTS SIS) of student files and records. Maintains and updates student's records including tuition and fee payments.
- Maintains tuition and fee schedules and insures that fees are recorded accurately through the FACTS Tuition Management program.
Recording
- Maintains filing systems.
- Prepares the deposit for items received at the parish.
- Coordinates weekly counters for the collection and scans checks to be deposited.
- Prepares weekly collection figure report for the pastor.
Human Resources
- Oversees the development and implementation of personnel policies for the Parish and School.
- Collaborates with the Pastor/Principal and Diocesan Human Resources Office to assure parish/school personnel policies and guidelines are just, legal, canonically appropriate and consistent with diocesan personnel guidelines.
- Responsible for assuring that staff have opportunities for input into decisions being made about personnel policies.
- Coordinated implementation of proper hiring and termination procedures.
- Recommends fair pay practices and maintains confidential employee records.
- Assumes the responsibility of employee benefits representative:
Provide Diocesan Employee Benefits Office with current and accurate employee records and required reporting audits for all Diocesan sponsored benefit programs.
Communications link between Diocesan employee’s benefits office and respective employees in parishes or schools.
Timely and accurate enrollment of eligible employees in each of the diocesan benefit
programs.
Termination of enrollment when an employee leaves employment from parish or school.
Legal
- Assures the parish is following diocesan and governmental regulations.
- Serves as liaison from parish to diocesan finance and personnel offices.
- Prepares and submits annual parish reports.
- Interfaces with government agencies regarding local, state, and/or federal regulations that affect the parish.
- Serve as contact for salespersons, vendors, and other civic community groups.
Finance Committee Staff
- Serves as staff to the finance committee.
- Prepares meeting agenda.
- Provides financial data and information to the committee.
- Implements decisions made by the committee and approved by the Pastor.
- Collaborates with Finance Committee in development of parish budget.
Additional Entities
- In addition to regular parish business management, manages the affairs of Saint Peter School.
Continuing Education
- Maintains the level of knowledge and skills required to serve as parish bookkeeper.
- Reads material related to the position.
- Attends workshops or conventions and participates in local, regional and diocesan professional organizations, as approved and as appropriate.
Record Retention Responsibilties
- Manages the proper storage and disposal of confidential information and personally identifiable information (PII) in accordance with policy and law.
- Securely maintains a current work process binder for each major area of responsibility.
- Secure and orderly storage of HR, volunteer, vendor, contractor, and contract records.
- Collection and presentation of applicable records in the event of an audit.
- Securely maintains an inventory of correspondence, especially if related to legal matters, requests for the disclosure of sensitive or confidential information, authorization or denial of requests for the disclosure of sensitive or confidential information, and policy or procedural changes.
Typical Decisions And/or Recommendations Made In This Position
Moderate decisions and or recommendations made in this position
Supervision Given And/or Received
Moderate supervision given/received by Pastor
Internal Contacts
- Diocese Pastors, Priests, Principals, Business Managers, and employees.
External Contacts
- Parishioners, diocese vendors, local, state, and federal agency representatives, and auditors.
Working Conditions And/or Physical Requirements
- This position works in a typical office environment but is subject to stress due to the evolving and quickly expanding needs of the Diocese, tight deadlines and moderate workloads.
- Ability to sit and perform computer work for lengthy periods of time.
- Able to access and maintain centralized departmental files. Involves extending arms and reaching files stored in multiple levels on shelves, climbing up a stepladder to access files.
- Ability to accept work interruptions while remaining focused on duties.
- Data entry via computer keyboard that requires hand and wrist movements.
- Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance and up to 60 pounds with assistance.
Travel Requirements
- Infrequent travel, by car, may be required to Diocese Parishes and/or schools.
Education And Experience Preferred
- Practicing Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church.
- Accounting, Business or Management degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Previous bookkeeping experience required.
- Successful completion of the Diocesan Safe Environment process.
- Experience with ADP Workforce Now preferred
- Experience with SAGE Intacct Accounting
Knowledge And Skills Preferred
- Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles.
- Demonstrated ability to skillset to listen empathetically, make peace, and de-escalate
- Demonstrated history of good judgement.
- Demonstrated aptitude for adaptability and flexibility.
- Ability to use various computer software programs; strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite, especially in Word and Excel.
- Ability to learn custom church software.
- Ability to use various office machines (copier, fax, phones, calculator, scanner, etc.) or ability to learn.
- Ability to meet deadlines and follow directives from Pastor or Chief of Staff in a timely manner.
- Ability to receive, understand, retain, and complete verbal and written tasks.
- Ability to work independently as well as in teams.
- Ability to provide excellent customer service and work efficiently with staff, clergy, religious, and laity.
- Ability to honor and maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to work well with people from a diverse variety of audiences.
- Excellent organization, prioritization, and communication skills.
- Excellent time management skills.
- Willingness to learn and continue with personal and professional development.
- Demonstrated professional written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated analytical, customer service skills and the ability to multi-task.
FLSA Designation: Non-Exempt, Full-time 40 hours/week, Onsite M-F 9am -5pm
