Chief Finance Officer

 

 

The Chief Finance Officer is responsible for all fiscal affairs of the school system, including the State, federal and local funds, the enterprise funds and capital operations. The finance officer shall install and maintain an integrated system to plan fiscal operations to ensure sound decisions, accountability and transparency. This legislatively required position, per G.S.115C-435, must be able to interpret and follow fiscal regulations prescribed by the North Carolina General Statutes, State Board Education, federal agencies, the Local Government Commission and other funding entities. This position is the financial leader of the school district and is required to have a comprehensive accounting knowledge including the ability to interpret and implement new accounting standards, per GASB. This position is a critical component of the leadership team of a school district.

 

Qualifications:

• Five years of professional experience in finance operations combined with one of the following
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four year college or university with a minimum of 15 semester hours in accounting
• A licensed Certified Public Accountant
• Certified with the State Board of Education as an LEA school finance officer prior to July 1, 2023
• The candidate must be certified or qualify for certification as an NC School Finance Officer by the Department of Public Instruction 
• North Carolina School Finance Officer experience, preferred
• Masters’ degree or CPA preferred. 
• Graduation from the NCASBO School Business Director Academy is also highly recommended.
• Administration/Management experience required
• Strong knowledge of accounting information systems preferred

 

Supervises:

• Finance Department

Essential Job Functions:

Essential job functions include, but are not limited to the following: 

• Provides district leadership, the Local Board of Education, building-level administrators and others with appropriate guidance, policies and procedures related to financial matters. 
• Prepares and maintains the school district annual budget; analyzes and costs the local boards and local superintendent’s initiatives and ensures appropriate and allowable funding sources. Manages all activity for a balanced budget that is in compliance with the School Budget and Fiscal Control Act.
• Analyzes various financial, personnel and student data and records for leadership decision-making. These analyses are used in preparation of reports as required for submission to local, state, federal oversight agencies and/or superintendent and board.
• Maintains a payroll system in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Internal Revenue Service Code, as well as procedures related to salary and absence data required by the State Board of Education.
• Oversight of the school system purchasing and contract procedures to ensure compliance with local, state and federal policies.
• Ensures compliance with the Federal funding expenditures to ensure compliance of federal regulations including Uniform Grant Guidance and specific grant requirements.
• Maintains the general ledger system, including adjusting journal entries, budget adjustments, chart of account maintenance, and reconciliation of general ledger accounts to ensure accurate account balances and adherence to general accepted accounting principles (GAAP). 
• Utilizes a complex chart of accounts and recognizes and researches appropriateness of accounts codes on payroll expenditures, payroll collections, and non-salary expenditures and determines required steps for resolution.
• Responsible for the year-end financial statements for the annual independent audit and the school system’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Provides auditors (independent, state and/or federal) all required reconciliations and other client prepared materials.
• Maintains all system-wide bank accounts and ensures timely and accurate reconciliation of all bank and balance sheet accounts.
• Responsible for maintaining a sound system of cash management, including signing and issuing all checks, drafts and warrants, receiving and depositing all monies and investing all idle cash.
• Acts as adviser to the Superintendent on questions relating to the business and financial affairs of the district.
• Ensures the quality of fiscal operations at the individual schools, through periodic audit reviews of fiscal records and ensures corrective action is taken, as necessary.
• Ensures the office’s programs are implemented in a manner consistent with the District goals and the Finance team’s goals and objectives.
• Performs such other duties as may be assigned to the position by law, by the superintendent and by rules and regulations of the State Board of Education and the local government commission.

 

 

12-Month Exempt Position

1. State Board Policy FINO-000 requires the State Board of Education shall classify the finance officers in terms of uniform pay grades include the salary schedule of the State Human Resources Commission 
2. The salary of the finance officer is aligned to the Accounting Director I and II. 
3. Pay Grade Minimum NC24 
4. The maximum salary paid from State Funds shall not exceed the maximum allowable per legislation paid for the superintendent at the Local Education Agency. 

 

Physical and Cognitive Requirements:

The major physical and cognitive requirements listed below are applicable to the Chief Finance Officer job classification within Swain County Schools. Work in this classification is considered light physical work requiring the exertion of up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects and perform filing for record keeping.

 

Must be able to:

• Operate a variety of equipment including computers, copiers, and data projectors
• Operate a motor vehicle
• Compare, interpret, analyze and generate data and apply basic principles of statistics
• Gather, convey and exchange information
• Communicate effectively and efficiently, both orally and in writing
• Respond appropriately to inquiries or complaints
• Use tact and courtesy when working and dealing with the community
• Read, comprehend, and prepare various kinds of communication and information including emails, correspondence, reports, articles, proposals, contracts, policies, charts, spreadsheets, curriculum documents, staff development plans, educational forms and data
• Write using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction and style
• Speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence
• Apply principles of logical, critical, creative or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
• Deal with abstract and concrete variables
• Demonstrate and apply common sense understanding to carry out simple instruction and to make simple decisions
• Interpret, infer, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate materials, resources, situations and problems to generate options and solutions
• Interpret and carry out oral and/or written instructions
• Demonstrate continued professional curiosity and growth
• Hear, speak, read, record and explain information, communication and procedures
• Perform basic math functions to understand and interpret data, to balance budgets
• Deal fairly with people beyond giving and receiving instructions
• Perform under stress, deal with persons acting under stress and displaying emotional distress and adapt when confronted with emergency situations

 

 

DISCLAIMER

 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the position. All employees may have other duties assigned at any time.