Controller at Davidson Academy in Nashville, TN

Position Overview

Davidson Academy is seeking a Christ-following, motivated, organized, detail-oriented, Controller/Director of Financial Services. This leadership role is integral to ensuring the school's finances and other support services function effectively for all programs and activities. The ideal candidate has a background in accounting and finance and understands the innerworkings of maintaining and improving HR and IT systems.

Davidson Academy is an Infant-12th grade Christian private school located in Nashville, TN. Serving a diverse student population from Davidson County and the surrounding counties, we believe in the Biblical-based instruction of preparing our students for college, life, and eternity. All Davidson Academy personnel must adhere to our statements of faith.

Key Responsibilities

Planning

· Coordinate the creation of the annual budget, as well as testing it for achievability

· Calculate variances between actual and budgeted results, and report the reasons for the variances to management

· Develop a system of performance metrics that support the company’s strategic direction

Operations

· Manage the accounting, information technology (IT), and human resources departments

· Managed full-cycle onboarding for new hires, coordinating paperwork, orientation, and system setup to ensure a smooth first-day experience and compliance from day one.

· Administered employee benefits programs including enrollment, changes, and terminations, serving as the primary point of contact for employee questions and carrier coordination.

· Advised staff and leadership on employee relations matters, resolving concerns, mediating conflicts, and promoting a positive, policy-consistent workplace culture.

· Prepared and issued employment contracts and renewals, ensuring accuracy, timely delivery, and alignment with organizational policy and applicable regulations.

· Maintained and updated the employee handbook, communicating policy changes across the organization and ensuring staff acknowledgment and understanding.

· Developed and revised job descriptions across departments to accurately reflect role responsibilities, requirements, and reporting structures.

· Administered pay plans and compensation structures, ensuring internal equity, market alignment, and consistent application across positions.

· Led recruiting efforts including job postings, applicant screening, interview coordination, and candidate communication to fill open positions with qualified talent.

· Administered the organization's retirement plan, managing enrollments, contributions, and compliance while coordinating with plan providers.

· Maintained accurate and confidential employee records and HR documentation, ensuring data integrity and compliance with retention requirements.

· Prepared and submitted required regulatory and compliance reports accurately and on deadline, maintaining adherence to federal and state employment regulations.

· Oversee the activities of any supplier to which functions have been outsourced

· Participate in the functions and decisions of the executive management team

· Implement operational best practices throughout his or her areas of responsibility

Financial Information

· Manage the operations of the accounting department

· Maintain a system of accounting policies and procedures

· Verify that supplier invoices should be paid, and pay them by the designated due date, taking early payment discounts where this is economical to do so

· Collect accounts receivable promptly

· Process payroll information with minimal errors, and issue compensation payments to employees by scheduled pay dates

· Record cash receipts in a timely manner and deposit them promptly

· Complete bank reconciliations for all bank accounts at regular intervals

· Operate an adequate accounting software package

· Maintain a chart of accounts that fulfills the record keeping needs of the business

· Maintain a comprehensive system of controls over all accounting functions

· Oversee the compilation of financial information into financial statements, with accompanying disclosures

· Report financial results to management, finance committee, and board of trustees

Risk Management

· Understand the current and potential risks to which the business is subjected

· Take steps to mitigate risks, including the use of control systems, shifting risk to other parties, and insurance coverage

· Report on risk issues to the board of directors

· Ensure that the business complies with all regulatory and other legal requirements

· Monitor known legal issues involving the company, as well as legal issues impacting the entire industry

· Review and act upon the findings and recommendations of external auditors

Financing

· Monitor projected cash balances

· Arrange for financing to meet future cash requirements

· Invest excess funds based on projected cash balances

· Monitor the company’s compliance with debt covenants

· Maintain relationships with banks and lenders

All Employees must adhere to our statement of faith and submit a personal statement of faith

Statements of Faith

· We believe God has revealed Himself, His purposes, and His ways in the Bible, which is therefore absolute in its truth and authority over daily living. (II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:20-21)

· We believe God is one, absolute in power and authority over all people. He has revealed Himself as Heavenly Father and is the first person of the Trinity. (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:19, John 10:30)

· We believe Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, the physical embodiment of God; He is fully God and fully man, a mystery that calls us to worship. (John 1:14, John 3:16, Luke 3:22, Galatians 4:4, Hebrews 4:15)

· We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is the invisible and contemporary presence of God. (Genesis 1:2; Matthew 28:19, John 14:26)

· We believe all humankind are separated from God by sin and are in need of a Savior. (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:12, Hebrews 7:25)

· We believe salvation comes only through belief (faith) in Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His sacrificial death upon the cross and His resurrection from the dead. (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23)

· We believe Christians should live their lives in community, as members of a body of believers, and in subjection to the will of God, holding one another accountable for their decisions and choices and offering encouragement and prayer support in all things. (Matthew 18:20, Hebrews 10: 24-25)

· We agree that the unique roles of male and female are clearly defined in Scripture, and we’re called uphold these Biblical commands (Romans 1:24-32; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 1 Timothy 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:19-22; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2:15-17: 1 John 3: 1-3; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Organizational Philosophy

Davidson Academy is a place where...

· All persons are given a variety of opportunities to discover and develop their individual intellectual, physical, social, spiritual gifts and abilities to the fullest.

· All persons can become responsible, self-reliant, self-motivated, life-long learners.

· All persons are treated with courtesy, fairness, dignity, and respect.

· Students, parents, teachers, and staff cooperate as a team. Active communications among all the school’s constituents allow everyone to know what is taking place within the organization.

· Everyone understands the results expected from his or her work, how his or her work relates to the work of others, and why it is important to the fulfillment of the school’s mission.