What are the responsibilities and job description for the Accounting Specialist position at The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod?
Department Profile
The accounting department supports the work of the LCMS by performing many accounting functions for Corporate Synod which includes providing payroll, accounts payable, receipting, tax, and cash management services, along with coordinating and preparing the annual budget, maintaining the general ledger, providing monthly financial reporting, managing investments, overseeing the expense management system, administering the annual audit, and assisting with special projects and other departmental financial needs. Some or all of this work is also performed for the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty, LCMS Holdings, Concordia University System, Concordia Historical Institute, Concordia Plan Services, LCMS Foundation, and the LCMS Eastern District. The department also assists districts, congregations, and church workers through research, consultation, workshops, and training, and coordinates with district business managers to publish the annual Congregational Treasurer’s Manual.
Reporting Relationships
The accounting department supports the work of the LCMS by performing many accounting functions for Corporate Synod which includes providing payroll, accounts payable, receipting, tax, and cash management services, along with coordinating and preparing the annual budget, maintaining the general ledger, providing monthly financial reporting, managing investments, overseeing the expense management system, administering the annual audit, and assisting with special projects and other departmental financial needs. Some or all of this work is also performed for the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty, LCMS Holdings, Concordia University System, Concordia Historical Institute, Concordia Plan Services, LCMS Foundation, and the LCMS Eastern District. The department also assists districts, congregations, and church workers through research, consultation, workshops, and training, and coordinates with district business managers to publish the annual Congregational Treasurer’s Manual.
Reporting Relationships
- Reports to Cash and Investment Manager
- Works closely with various departments, especially gift receipting and accounting personnel.
Essential Job Functions
The Accounting Specialist is involved with many of the daily operations of the departments including cash receipting, accounts payable, credit card processing, data entry and document archiving. The position also serves as backup for the cash receipts specialist and assists with tasks of other accounting managers.
- Initiates wire transfers on the online banking system and approve ACH’s for the Synod, LCRL, and CUS.
- Enters all wire transfer batches for the Synod, CUS, and LCRL into the accounting system.
- Process and deposit non-gift receipts for the Synod, LCRL and CUS.
- Enters cash receipts for the Synod, CUS, LCRL, and the LCMS Eastern District into the accounting system and runs/distributes the related reports.
- Prepare a daily cash position report for the Synod and CUS.
- Prepare monthly bank reconciliations for various bank accounts.
- Monitor ACH positive pay for the Synod, CUS, and LCRL.
- Balance BBMS credit card to BBEC credit card deposits.
- Prepare and/or post miscellaneous journal entries as needed.
- Reconcile custodial accounts between BBEC and the general ledger and prepare check requests as needed.
- Maintain designation hierarchy table on BBEC which matches the account number used on BBEC with the proper general ledger account number and provides information necessary to satisfy reporting needs.
- Review, enter, and post the district remittances on BBEC.
- Distributes/mails processed Synod, LCRL, CUS, CHI, and Eastern District accounts payable checks for mailing.
- Archive all journal entries, cash receipts, wire transfers, and district pledge batches for the LCMS, CUS, LCRL, CHI, and Eastern District.
- Provide various reports and cash receipt information upon request.
- Assist with information gathering for the annual audits.
- Assist other departments with general accounting, or system related problems and issues.
- Support other accounting managers and staff as needed.
- Serves as backup to the Cash Receipts Specialist on all aspects of that job. Responsibilities include transferring daily gift receipt batches from the Blackbaud system to the general ledger, reconciling the daily transfers to the daily cash deposits, verifying account number accuracy, monitoring temporary pass-through and due to/from accounts, and working closely with gift receipting personnel to correct problems.
Education and Experience
- Associate’s degree in business, accounting, or related field (Bachelor’s preferred).
- Minimum two years’ experience in an accounting related position, preferred.
- Prior experience working with accounting and/or banking systems, preferred.
Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)
- Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office Suites, with an emphasis on Excel.
- Knowledge of fund accounting and non-profit accounting principles.
- High degree of accuracy in data entry.
- Possess initiative to identify, evaluate, and correct accounting deficiencies.
- Self-starter and able to perform tasks with a minimum amount of supervision.
Supervisory Responsibility
- None
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