The National School Public Relations Association is in search of a staff accountant / business services specialist, whose role in the Business Services Office is to support, coordinate and carry out various functions in areas such as accounting and finance, customer service, office administration, and human resources. The ideal candidate for the role of business services specialist is a self-starter and a results-oriented individual who works well in a team setting and independently; possesses strong accounting, administrative, and customer service skills; has a working knowledge of accounting and office administration systems; and can easily adapt to learning and using new technological tools.

Reports to: Director of Finance and Operations

Job Accountabilities

• Customer Service (External/Internal):
  1. Oversee and use the association management system (AMS, currently ClearVantage) for various Business Services functions, including troubleshooting issues with the platform provider and/or in-house IT support as needed.
  2. Oversee and coordinate the association’s annual conference registration process via the AMS and the event management platform for the conference, including the setup and testing of sales items, discount codes, and miscellaneous online registration communications.
  3. Provide support for the annual conference (aka, NSPRA National Seminar) prior to, during, and after the event. Travel of 7-8 days required during conference.
  4. Provide support as needed for escalated issues related to memberships, registrations for the conference and other events, product orders, and other business services or office administration matters.
  5. Monitor, respond and/or route as appropriate emails sent to designated general association email boxes and to Business Services Office email boxes.
  6. Prepare periodic reports for various Business Services functions such as memberships, event registrations, and product sales.
  7. Collaborate with association staff and contribute on projects in need of Business Services support.

• Accounting and Finance
  1. Accounts receivable:
     1. Invoicing for memberships, products, event registrations, sponsorships and other revenue streams as needed
     2. Manage collections of accounts receivables – membership dues, various event registration fees, product orders, and other receivables as assigned
  2. Accounts payable:
     1. Process vendor invoices for approval by department heads
     2. Process payment checks for approved vendor invoices

• Maintain payment documents (vendor invoices, credit card receipts, check copies, etc.)

1. Banking:
   1. Process and deposit incoming checks through the self-service deposit system
   2. Log payments in the association’s AMS (ClearVantage), accounting software (QuickBooks) and other platforms (e.g., OpenWater awards submission system)

• Review and post credit card expenses into QuickBooks

1. Payroll:
   1. Processing payroll in the association’s payroll/HR software (ADP)
   2. Other payroll-related functions as assigned
2. General Ledger Reconciliations:
   1. Accounts Receivable
   2. Other Balance Sheet accounts
3. Assist with Monthly Close

• Office Administration:
  1. Maintain procedures manual for the Business Services Office
  2. Maintain organization files – legal, accounting, contracts, other confidential files

• Human Resources:
  1. Provide support as needed for Business Services Office staff recruitment
  2. Train new employees in general office procedures, the use of the AMS and platforms related to event registration

• Other Duties as Assigned

Position Qualifications (minimum requirements)

• Minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree in accounting and or business management.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, along with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail, are crucial.
• Experience with general ledger functions and the month-end/year-end close process is a plus.
• At least five years of experience in an administrative, customer service and accounting support position required.
• Strong administrative, accounting, and customer service skills.
• Has a working knowledge of accounting and office administration systems and processes.
• Proficient in the use of productivity tools, including:
• Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• QuickBooks accounting program, including setup and maintenance
• Virtual meeting tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
• Able to easily adapt to learning and using new technology such as the association’s AMS, event registration platform customized to the association’s needs
• Experience with ClearVantage, OpenWater and Asana a plus.
• Self-starter and results-oriented who works well individually and, in a team setting

Location: NSPRA headquarters is located in Rockville, Maryland, at 15948 Derwood Road, Rockville, MD 20855, which is a one-mile walk from the Shady Grove Metro Station. Free parking is available. This position will be located in the Rockville headquarters with an option to work remotely, if desired, up to two days per week.

About National School Public Relations Association

As the leader in school communication, https://www.nspra.org/ serves more than 2,000 members, who work primarily as communication directors in public school districts and education organizations throughout the United States and Canada. NSPRA provides high quality professional development programming through on-demand learning, an annual National Seminar, webinars, online forums and resources.

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