First Presbyterian Church of Nashville
Director of Finance
First Presbyterian Church of Nashville, Nashville, TN
Reporting to the Pastor | Head of Staff with additional oversight by the Church Finance and Audit Committees, the Director of Finance is responsible for oversight and management of all finance, accounting, budgeting and reporting activities. The Director of Finance will be involved in making presentations to the Treasurer, the Finance Committee and the Generosity/Stewardship Team and will work closely with the senior leadership team of the Church.
The Director of Finance leads all day-to-day finance operations of the Church and supervises/mentors the Finance team with functional responsibility for accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and designated funds. The Director of Finance ensures that the Church has the systems and procedures in place to support effective ministry program implementation and conduct flawless audits. The Director of Finance works closely with ministry leaders and their staff, not only to educate them regarding finance and accounting procedures but also to explore how the finance function can support ministry operations. The Director of Finance will additionally partner with the human resources (HR) and information technology (IT) staff to enhance and better integrate Finance, HR, and IT functions.
DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Finance and Accounting Leadership
Finance Team Leadership
Accounting Duties/Responsibilities
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide supervision, direction and support to all Finance team members delegating work tasks as appropriate.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION:
Experience:
Skills/Abilities
The Director of Finance leads all day-to-day finance operations of the Church and supervises/mentors the Finance team with functional responsibility for accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and designated funds. The Director of Finance ensures that the Church has the systems and procedures in place to support effective ministry program implementation and conduct flawless audits. The Director of Finance works closely with ministry leaders and their staff, not only to educate them regarding finance and accounting procedures but also to explore how the finance function can support ministry operations. The Director of Finance will additionally partner with the human resources (HR) and information technology (IT) staff to enhance and better integrate Finance, HR, and IT functions.
DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Finance and Accounting Leadership
- Support the Pastor | Head of Staff and Church Executive in engaging the Church's Treasurer, Finance Committee, Generosity/Stewardship Team and the Endowment Committee around issues and trends in financial operations.
- Lead the Church's leadership in the annual budgeting and planning process with input from the administrative staff, ministry leadership and Church committees with an understanding that the budget process entails working with non-financial ministry leaders to develop detailed annual and monthly budgets.
- Assist in developing the annual budget by performing in-depth analysis related to salaries, expenses, plant, reserves, giving, investments, and financial statement line items for review and adoption by the Church Session.
- Consistently analyze financial data and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements; monitor progress and changes and keep senior leadership abreast of the Church's financial status.
- Administer and review all financial plans and compare to actual results with a view to identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
- Maintain internal control and safeguards for receipt of revenue and expenditures.
- Manage organizational cash flow forecasting by working in partnership with ministry leadership; establish finance and administrative systems to support ministry operations.
- Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.
- Prepare and/or review monthly account reconciliations for all balance sheet accounts and income statements accounts.
- Oversee all financial, project/program and fund accounting; ensure that expenditures are consistently aligned with restricted and endowment donation and ministry budgets; collate financial reporting materials as required for restricted donations.
- Coordinate all audit activity.
- Serve as lead resource and contact for all financial software (Aplos, Ministry Platform (MP) Stewardship, OnlineGiving and Gusto) and ensure updates are properly installed/utilized.
Finance Team Leadership
- Hire, develop and retain skilled accounting staff.
- Leverage strengths of the current Finance team members; help to clarify roles and responsibilities; develop and implement training programs in order to maximize and reach optimal individual and organizational goals with specific emphasis on adequate cross training among Finance staff.
- Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the Church; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
- Manage to budget
Accounting Duties/Responsibilities
- Reconcile bank balances to the general ledger daily.
- Reconcile online giving statements to MP daily.
- Reconcile all bank statements to the general ledger monthly.
- Reconcile designated fund accounts monthly.
- Reconcile investment, and balance sheet accounts monthly.
- Reconcile the accounts payable subledger to the general ledger monthly.
- Send contribution statements to donors quarterly.
- Prepare sales tax returns quarterly.
- Manage the PEX expense reporting submission process to ensure each card holder expenses are submitted and approved timely and reconciles to the PEX statement.
- Review coding of accounts payable invoices by account and fund.
- Cut accounts payable checks out of the appropriate general or designated bank account.
- General ledger review and maintenance: ensure the accuracy of deposits and expenses made to/from the appropriate GL accounts and/or bank accounts.
- Prepare various monthly journal entries for adjustments, expense allocations, change in value, van usage, food service reconciliation, credit card fees, and revenue accruals.
- Make/review/ record approximately 100 journal entries monthly.
- Responsible for month-end and year-end closing procedures.
- Run the monthly financial statement close process and complete and issue the monthly financial statements within eight days after month end to the Pastor | Head of Staff, Church Executive, Church Treasurer, ministry leadership staff and Church Officers.
- Track inter-fund asset and liability accounts and perform monthly bank transfers.
- Develop systems to process payroll account transactions (e.g. salaries, benefits, garnishments, deductions, taxes and third-party payments) including new hires, terminations, increases and system upgrades.
- Liaise with external payroll vendor (Gusto) to ensure timely preparation of required employment tax forms, deposit of payroll taxes, and annual distribution of W-2 forms.
- Coordinate timekeeping and payroll systems.
- Process and record the bi-weekly payroll.
- Remit benefit deductions after each payroll.
- Oversight of the finances for the Early Preschool Ministry and Recreation Ministry.
- Prepare and distribute annual financial statements to the Pastor | Head of Staff, Church Executive, Church Treasurer, ministry leadership staff and Church Officers.
- Coordinate annual audit and oversee preparation of all documentation. Works with external auditors to compile financial statements and footnotes. Implements any required audit adjustments or suggestions.
- Oversee workers compensation payroll audits.
- Oversee 1099-Misc and 1099-NEC preparation at year end for qualifying vendors.
- Continually monitor, evaluate, implement, and document accounting policies and procedures to identify changes that would increase internal controls, efficiency, and the accuracy of financial records.
- Remain abreast of developments regarding governance and compliance related to accounting and finance, human resources, tax, and other areas of concern. Obtain at least 20 hours of relevant continuing professional education annually.
- Perform other necessary and related work as may be assigned.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide supervision, direction and support to all Finance team members delegating work tasks as appropriate.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION:
- Bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited educational institution.
- CPA designation is a plus.
Experience:
- Seven-ten years practical experience in accrual-based accounting and account reconciliation.
- Solid experience coordinating audit activities and managing reporting, budget development and analysis, accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, payroll, and accounting for investments.
- Experience in a complex nonprofit and/or church accounting that has multiple programs utilizing fund accounting and reporting, preferred.
- Proven track record of leading and managing organizations
- Previous oversight of HR functions is a plus.
Skills/Abilities
- An active, growing relationship with Jesus Christ, functional knowledge of scripture, familiarity with the Reformed tradition, and an ability to integrate the Christian faith into day-to-day work in a way that brings about a comfortable advancement of the Gospel in relationship with colleagues and others, required.
- Knowledge of, and demonstrated proficiency with, computerized accounting systems and financial budgets/forecasts/statements (Aplos and Ministry Platform church database management software a plus).
- Must be motivated and self-directed; a proven strategic problem-solver and relationship manager with a results orientation; works well in a team environment.
- Attention to detail and ability to organize, prioritize and manage multiple projects and diverse teams of people to meet deadlines.
- Demonstrated proficiency in computer skills including Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills with the ability to concisely explain complex ideas.
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to the Church's mission; a proactive, hands-on strategic thinker who will own, in partnership with the Pastor | Head of Staff, the responsibility for all financial activities of the Church.