Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, Pastoral Center

Position Title:

Senior Project Accounting and Operations Specialist

FLSA Status

: Exempt

Department/Program

: Finance and Accounting

Reports To:

Director of Finance

Pay Range

: $80K - $110K annually

Schedule

: Full-Time

Summary

The Senior Project Accounting Operations Specialist provides financial, procurement, and operational advisory support for capital and operating projects throughout the organization. The position serves as a key liaison between departments and vendors to ensure projects are properly established, procured, monitored, and reported. Responsibilities include project setup, purchase order administration, vendor coordination, invoice review, budget monitoring, and project financial analysis to support effective stewardship of organizational resources. The position exercises discretion and independent judgment in evaluating project financial risks, procurement alternatives, vendor performance, budget forecasts, and recommended corrective actions on matters of significance.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Because all Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange employees represent the Roman Catholic Church, they are expected to conduct themselves according to the goals and mission of the Church in performing their work.

Project Setup and Administration

Establish and maintain project records and project numbering systems.
Review project requests and supporting documentation to ensure completeness and compliance with organizational policies.
Create and maintain project files, budgets, procurement records, contracts, and supporting documentation.
Coordinate project closeout activities and maintain historical project documentation.
Prepare project status reports and other management reporting as requested.
Evaluate project requests, financial assumptions, and operational risks and recommend project structure, prioritization, controls, or corrective action to management.

Procurement and Purchasing

Review purchase requisitions for accuracy, budget availability, coding, and policy compliance.
Prepare and issue purchase orders and change orders in accordance with procurement policies.
Coordinate competitive bid, quote, and Request for Proposal (RFP) processes.
Solicit vendor quotations and proposals and ensure required documentation is obtained.
Maintain procurement records and track purchasing activity throughout the project lifecycle.
Monitor contract spending and purchase order balances.
Analyze procurement alternatives and recommend sourcing strategies, vendor selections, and contract approaches based on cost, risk, compliance, and organizational needs.
Participate in contract negotiations and resolve non-routine procurement issues within established authority, escalating only matters requiring executive or legal approval.

Vendor Management

Serve as the primary point of contact for vendors regarding quotations, purchase orders, invoices, and payment status.
Coordinate vendor onboarding and maintain vendor records.
Assist departments and project managers in evaluating vendor qualifications, pricing, responsiveness, and performance.
Support vendor selection processes by preparing bid comparisons and evaluation summaries.
Facilitate communication among vendors, project stakeholders, and departments.
Independently evaluate vendor performance and recommend continuation, corrective action, replacement, or escalation based on contractual, financial, and operational considerations.

Invoice Review and Payment Processing

Review vendor invoices for accuracy, proper approvals, and compliance with contractual terms.
Match invoices to purchase orders, contracts, receiving documentation, and approved project budgets.
Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies, pricing issues, and payment exceptions.
Process invoices in YOOZ AP system.
Exercise judgment in resolving complex payment exceptions and recommend appropriate financial or contractual action when established procedures do not directly address the issue.

Project Budget Management

Maintain detailed project budgets, commitments, and expenditures.
Track project spending against approved budgets and funding sources.
Update project forecasts based on current commitments, anticipated expenditures, and project changes.
Monitor purchase order balances and assist project managers in identifying and managing budget risks.
Develop project forecasts, evaluate funding and cost implications, and recommend budget adjustments, funding reallocations, spending priorities, and risk-mitigation measures to management.

Financial Analysis and Reporting

Prepare periodic budget-to-actual reports for projects.
Analyze project cost variances and identify trends, risks, and potential overruns.
Research and explain budget variances to project managers and department leadership.
Develop financial summaries and dashboards to support project decision-making.
Assist with project financial closeout and final cost reporting.
Conduct complex financial analysis, interpret project trends, and present recommendations to department leadership to support capital planning, resource allocation, and operational decisions.

Independent Judgment and Advisory Responsibility

Serve as a financial and operational advisor to department leaders and project stakeholders on non-routine project accounting, procurement, budgeting, contract administration, and financial-control matters.
Develop and recommend improvements to project accounting, procurement, budgeting, reporting, and internal-control practices.
Exercise discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance within assigned responsibility and established authority.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. The employee must spend more than 50 percent of work time performing the exempt-level analytical, advisory, and discretionary duties described above; incidental transactional work is secondary to those responsibilities.

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in project accounting, procurement, purchasing, construction administration, or financial operations.
Strong understanding of purchase orders, contracts, invoice processing, and budget management.
Advanced Excel skills and experience with ERP systems such as NetSuite.
Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
Effective time management and prioritization skills.
Accurate, detail oriented, and quick learner.
Self-starter and proactive.
Ability to work and respond with positive attitude under pressure.
Provides excellent customer service.
Strict standard of confidentiality and ethics.
Alignment with the mission of the Catholic Church.
Demonstrated experience independently analyzing complex financial or operational issues and making recommendations that influence management decisions.

Preferred

Church or non-profit experience.
Practicing Roman Catholic.

Work Conditions

The position primarily involves work on parish premises and in an office setting, requiring frequent use of standard office equipment such as computers, AV, telephones, printers, credit card terminals, postage machines, and filing systems.
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.
Must be available to adjust the work schedule as needed to meet organizational deadlines, operational demands, ministry activities or special projects.
Regular interaction with students, staff, faculty, and visitors in a professional and faith-based environment.
Some local travel may be required for meetings, trainings, or work-related events.

Physical Requirements

Ability to remain seated for extended periods while performing administrative and computer based tasks.
Frequent walking, standing, and movement around the parish or office facilities to support programs and operational needs.
Ability to lift and carry items up to 25 pounds, such as materials, supplies, and event equipment.
Manual dexterity required for operating office equipment, preparing materials, and managing paperwork.
Visual and auditory ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, students, and visitors in person, via email, and by phone.
Must be able to set up and dismantle chairs, tables, and other equipment required for meetings, programs, or campus activities as needed.

Job description