The Finance Specialist (FS) serves a key customer service role in supporting school and home office faculty and staff to ensure smooth operation of the organization, primarily in the areas of accounts payable, budgeting, grants, purchasing, returns, revenue tracking, and other financial tasks. The FS assists the Director of Finance to ensure organizational alignment with the mission and vision of Ascent Classical Academies, legal compliance, and financial best practices.

The Finance Specialist reports to the Director of Finance and serves in a project management role to ensure excellent customer service and satisfaction to the schools and home office at all times. One primary area of support to school staff is exemplified by the collaborative team-oriented approach to projects between the Finance Specialist, the Purchasing Specialist, the Inventory Finance Specialist, and other Finance staff.

The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. He or she will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

The Finance Specialist is required to model the following values and virtues, consistent with the mission and vision of Ascent Classical Academies:

• Conviction in the Core Values of Ascent Classical Academies: Pursue Excellence, Practice Self Discipline, Act with Humility and Confidence, Be Hungry, Display People Smarts
• Commitment to model moral character in line with the school’s core virtues and the pursuit of the Good, True, and Beautiful
• Adherence to all ACA policies, including but not limited to the Employee Handbook, Family Handbook, and all applicable school policies
• Enhance the school’s culture of excellence through the school’s Core Virtues
• Ensure prompt, courteous, and superior customer service of the school’s faculty, staff, administration, students and families

The Finance Specialist is responsible for modeling, implementing, and continuously improving in the following areas and scope of work:

• Applying invoices to POs ready to bill, and processing payments through systems including Netsuite, Bill.com, and Amazon
• Managing Vendor records
• Reviewing and updating account coding, and coaching other finance staff on coding best practices
• Entering home office financial transactions, including revenue, expense, and balance sheet transactions as well as journal entries.
• Supporting school bank and credit card reconciliations
• Adhering to procedure and policy execution, ensure financial records and documents are accurate to support the preparation, coordination, execution, and reporting of the annual financial audit
• Providing technical support and guidance on grant activities
• Managing purchasing and receiving for the home office
• Distributing appropriate financial reports to appropriate Ascent staff
• Collaborating with (and receiving collaboration from) all Finance staff

The Finance Specialist will also exhibit the following attitudes and virtues:

• Well-organized
• Analytical mind
• Commercial and business awareness
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Keen eye for detail and desire to probe further into data
• Ability to stick to time constraints
• Precise, edifying, and moderate speech
• Contribute to a collegial faculty across the school
• Sensitivity, confidentiality, and professionalism
• Punctuality and attendance
• Initiative and effort
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop strong working relationships
• Cheerful attendance to other duties as assigned

Ascent Classical Academies (ACA) is a non-profit education service provider that partners with classical schools to offer an American Classical Education and are affiliated with the Barney Charter School Initiative at Hillsdale College. For this position, ACA partners with Ascent Classical Academy Charter Schools, a growing K-12 classical charter school network based in Colorado currently serving approximately 1,500 students in K-12 campuses located in the Denver and Fort Collins areas, with significant expansion planned throughout Colorado and the West. Ascent Classical Academy Charter Schools offer a content-rich, liberal arts and classical education grounded in virtue and supporting the ideas and philosophy behind the American Founding.

Schedule and Classification: Full-Time, Non-Exempt

Compensation Range: $50,000 - $65,000 annually

Benefits Available:

• Employee-only coverage for group medical, dental, and vision plan; dependent coverage available
• Health savings account with employer contributions
• Short- and long-term disability and life insurance plans
• 403b Retirement investment account with employer match
• Paid time off under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act and Colorado FAMLI law
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Free employee benefit and healthcare guidance through HealthJoy

All employees at Ascent Classical Academies are responsible for modeling the intellectual and moral atmosphere of the company and affiliated schools, with strong character, passion for excellence and a relentless commitment to the development of virtue in young people.

• Associate's degree or equivalent preferred
• Experience or interest in office and organizational productivity tools and systems like Getting Things Done and Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)
• Conviction in the values of a rigorous liberal arts education
• Loyalty to the school and ACA’s mission and vision
• Commitment to model moral character in line with the school’s core virtues and the pursuit of the Good, True, and Beautiful
• Adherence to all ACA policies, including but not limited to the Employee Handbook, Family Handbook, and all applicable school and board policies
• Solid understanding of employment laws and regulations and the payroll process
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and problem-solving abilities
• Willingness to continually learn and to empower colleagues
• Demonstrated team player
• Strong communication skills and high level of professionalism
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple competing priorities at one time
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced work environment
• Eligibility to work in the United States
• Post-offer, satisfactory background check as required by state law and Colorado Department of Education