Parish Business Manager

Diocese of San Diego; Oceanside (CA); On-site; USD 71,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Oceanside, CA is seeking a full-time Parish Office Manager to oversee clerical and administrative operations.

You will support the pastor, manage budgets, and coordinate payroll, contracts, and donor communications to ensure smooth day-to-day parish services. The role requires strong leadership, HR oversight, and proficiency with accounting and Microsoft 365 in a nonprofit setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field.
• 3–5 years of management experience in a nonprofit or religious org is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial reporting.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills; team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Oversee parish office operations and coordinate clerical processes.
• Prepare annual budget for Pastor and Finance Council approval.
• Generate monthly financial reports for governance bodies.
• Supervise staff and manage employee relations and timesheets.
• Review contracts and ensure compliance with diocesan policies.
• Coordinate payroll processing and donor receipting for tax purposes.
• Maintain parish calendar, communications, and vendor relations.
• Support parish stewardship and fundraising activities.

Skills

Strong communication

Leadership

Administrative skills

HR management

Contract management

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance/business

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Parish Name: St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church

Location: 609 Pier View Way, Oceanside, CA 92054

Reports to: Pastor

Employment Type: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Pay: $71,000.00 – 75,000.00

Position Summary

To ensure the effective and efficient operation of the parish office by overseeing and coordinating clerical, administrative, and organizational processes. Serve as the primary point of contact for parishioners, visitors, clergy, staff, and others reaching out to the parish in person, by telephone, or via email. Provide administrative and organizational support to the pastor in managing the parish's day-to-day operations, coordinating projects, and ensuring the smooth, effective delivery of parish services.

Primary Responsibilities

• Prepare annual budget for approval by the Pastor and Finance Council.
• Generate monthly financial reports for the Pastor and Finance Council.
• Attend quarterly Finance Committee Meetings.
• Attend Pastoral Council Meetings when needed.
• Participate in ad hoc Parish Building Committees.
• Review all contracts before the Pastor signs them.
• Complete the annual financial report to the Diocese.
• Verify employee timesheets and process payroll on a bi-weekly basis.
• Generate the annual information for the 1099s to be issued by the Diocese.
• Prepare annual real estate and personal property reports to be submitted by the Diocese.
• Attend Diocesan meetings for business managers.
• Meet with parishioners to determine their fees, sign contracts, and collect deposits for use of parish venues.
• Oversee the maintenance of the parish database with the collaboration of the administrative staff.
• Manage electronic payment and donation services.
• Control the petty cash box.
• Work and communicate closely with the Pastor daily.
• Send donor acknowledgments and statements of contributions for tax purposes.
• Facilitate parishioner stewardship and fundraising activities, including capital campaigns.

Human Resource Responsibilities

• Supervise all staff, including but not limited to their processes, workload, performance, and time off
• Supervise the maintenance workers to ensure that regularly scheduled maintenance is being completed on time
• Be part of the process of interviewing, recommending, and hiring new staff members
• Orientation and onboarding of new staff, making sure they understand all employee benefits
• Fill out appropriate personnel forms
• Maintain personnel files, including sick and vacation logs
• Serve as a buffer or intermediary when staff members have problems with each other, always listening to both sides to understand the situation and trying to resolve related issues
• Advise employees and volunteers on best practices for efficient processes in their work

Administration Responsibilities

• Collaborate with staff to maintain the Parish Master Calendar for all events.
• Communicate with vendors and contractors to ensure they meet expected standards.
• Approve or order supplies.
• Order Office, Janitorial & Maintenance Supplies, including supplies needed for the Church & Sacristy.
• Walk the entire campus (2 times per week) to inspect for needed maintenance and repairs visually
• Receive correspondence and distribute.
• Review weekly Parish bulletin and email for editorial suggestions.
• Prepare bulk mailings to parishioners and friends of the parish, i.e., Christmas, Easter, Contributions Statement, ACA, etc.
• Fill in where needed, so the Parish continues running without interruption.
• Have a general comprehension of all jobs in the Parish.

Requirements

• Strong communication skills.
• Strong skills in human resources.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft 365 (Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneDrive).
• Familiarity with federal and state employment laws.
• Ability to manage information technology needs.
• Ability to evaluate, manage, and maintain contracts.
• Ability to easily learn to use new software.
• Ability to systematically organize digital and physical data.
• Leadership role in office management and administration.
• Proven managerial/ supervisory strength.

Religious Qualifications

• Practicing Catholic, with a commitment to the values and mission of the Church.

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in management, preferably in a non-profit or religious organization
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial reporting
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with parish staff and volunteers

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to remain in an office at a computer workstation and access information from a computer and use a telephone. The employee must be mobile to, from, and within the office, as well as maneuver throughout the parish/school facility to attend meetings, briefings, and other work-related events. The employee may be required to conduct trips to, from, and within various city- and county-wide locations to attend meetings or events. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, and responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish, as part of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.