Associate School Finance Manager

vertexeducation; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertex Education in the United States is seeking an Associate School Finance Manager to act as the CFO for a portfolio of 4–6 schools, owning their financial health through monthly reports, robust compliance, and proactive advisory support.

You will collaborate on budgets and forecasts, deliver board-ready financials, translate complex data into actionable insights, and mentor junior staff to strengthen our team capabilities and client impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 4+ years of progressive experience in accounting or corporate finance roles.
• Proven ability to build comprehensive budgets and forward-looking financial forecasts.
• Experience preparing and presenting financial analysis and reports to leadership or external stakeholders.
• Track record of successfully managing relationships with clients or internal business partners.
• Experience navigating financial compliance requirements and supporting annual audits.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines for multiple entities or projects simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with school leaders to build comprehensive budgets and develop forward-looking financial forecasts that model key operational scenarios.
• Prepare and analyze budget-to-actual variance reports, providing clear explanations for financial performance and trends.
• Administer client financial systems (e.g., NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Vena), ensuring data integrity and efficient processing of transactions.
• Create and deliver clear financial presentations for client finance committees and governing boards, translating data into actionable insights.
• Serve as the primary financial point of contact, guiding non-finance leaders through complex topics and advising on key decisions.
• Oversee timely completion of state and federal compliance reporting for each client and coordinate annual audits.
• Mentor junior finance staff and contribute to tool/reporting template improvements.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial analysis

Client management

Auditing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

NetSuite

Sage Intacct

Vena Solutions

Job description

Be the one who makes a difference! At Vertex Education we are a team of high achievers, courageous leaders, and passionate believers in changing lives through education. As a purpose-led education services provider, our mission is destined to benefit many and yet it starts with just one person inspired to work together with us to make a memorable and meaningful difference for our clients, schools, students, and communities. Be the one who makes a difference-with us.

We're hiring an expert financial operator to become the indispensable partner our school clients need. As the Associate School Finance Manager, you will serve as the de facto CFO for a portfolio of 4-6 schools depending on complexity, taking complete ownership of their financial health by delivering flawless monthly financials, managing complex compliance, and presenting in their board meetings. Success in this role means moving beyond simple execution; it's about translating complex financial data into proactive guidance and clear stories that empower school leaders, freeing them to focus entirely on changing students' lives.

Responsibilities / Essential Functions:

• Portfolio Financial Operations & Execution:

  Collaborate with school leaders to build comprehensive annual budgets and develop forward-looking financial forecasts that model key operational scenarios.

  Prepare and analyze budget-to-actual variance reports, providing clear, concise explanations for financial performance and emerging trends.

  Administer client financial systems (e.g., NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Vena), ensuring data integrity and the efficient processing of all financial transactions.

• Client Advisory & Financial Storytelling:

  Create and deliver clear, compelling financial presentations for client finance committees and governing boards, translating complex data into actionable insights.

  Serve as the primary financial point of contact, building a trusted advisory relationship by providing expert guidance on key operational and strategic decisions.

  Guide non-finance school leaders through complex topics by explaining the 'why' behind the numbers in a simple, direct, and empathetic manner.

  Nurture client partnerships to drive high satisfaction and contract renewal by consistently delivering exceptional value and proactive support.

• Compliance & Proactive Risk Management:

  Oversee the timely and accurate completion of all state and federal compliance reporting required for each assigned client, managing a proactive calendar of deadlines.

  Act as the primary liaison for annual financial audits, coordinating all document requests and ensuring a smooth, efficient, and low-stress process for the client.

  Analyze financial trends and operational data to proactively identify and flag potential cash flow issues, budget shortfalls, or compliance risks before they materialize.

  Maintain expert-level, up-to-date knowledge of the specific school finance regulations and grant requirements for each state in your client portfolio.

• VSS Practice & Team Development:

  Delegate appropriate tasks to and mentor junior finance staff, providing coaching and feedback to support their professional development on your client work.

  Contribute to the continuous improvement of VSS financial tools and reporting templates by providing constructive feedback from frontline client interactions.

  Take ownership of at least one internal initiative, such as serving as a subject matter expert for a specific state or leading a project to enhance a team capability.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 4+ years of progressive experience in accounting or corporate finance roles.
• Proven ability to build comprehensive budgets and forward-looking financial forecasts.
• Experience preparing and presenting financial analysis and reports to leadership or external stakeholders.
• Track record of successfully managing relationships with clients or internal business partners.
• Experience navigating financial compliance requirements and supporting annual audits.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines for multiple entities or projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in K-12 school district, charter school, non-profit, or governmental accounting.
• Hands-on experience with modern ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, Sage Intacct) and FP&A tools (e.g., Vena Solutions).
• Experience delegating tasks to and mentoring junior staff.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint for financial modeling and presentation development.

Be excited to be a part of our team and grow your career with us! Be the one who enables us to positively impact over 258,000 students across multiple states while driving our growth forward so we can enrich even more lives. Be the one who helps us achieve excellence for over 226 schools that we support with academics, finance, technology, human resources, communications, marketing, faciliti