Bursar, Finance Director

Organizational background and Mission

We Franciscans owe our inspiration to Francesco di Bernardone, an affluent young merchant from the Italian town of Assisi, who in 1206 renounced his wealth and social status in favor of a life dedicated to God and the poor. His life and ministry inspired other men to join him and become the first Franciscan friars. Today, Francesco is known as St. Francis of Assisi, and the Order of Friars Minor comprises more than 100 provinces located around the world.

The Franciscans have a long, rich history of ministry to the poor and marginalized in the United States. In recent years, the number of religious in the United States has declined, and so, to strengthen their Franciscan witness in the U.S., five of the American provinces - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Name, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sacred Heart, St. Barbara and St. John the Baptist - came together to form one new Atlanta-based province in October 2023. This unification hopes to revitalize Franciscan life and ministry in the United States while modifying their governance structure.

The Gospel life of the Friars has four central components: first, to be men of prayer; second, to live as lesser ones, "not making anything our own;" third, to create a brotherhood of mutual care among ourselves; and fourth, to "go about the world" entering people's everyday lives as heralds of God's reign and agents of Gospel peace.

A bit about the role:

Under the direction of the Guardian, you will be responsible for providing bookkeeping and administrative support for a religious fraternity that currently numbers 32 and may, at times, swell to 40 members.

Key Responsibilities

• Receive and process invoices and bills for payment. Track expenses and reconcile bank accounts.
• Manage key vendor relationships and accounts like mobile phones, local utilities,
• Produce simple financial reports on a monthly basis for the site leader. Give financial reports to the fraternity twice per year.
• May be called upon to perform clerical duties such as mail distribution, management of general supplies.
• Schedule and coordinate appointments, travel arrangements and arrangements for meetings and conferences to ensure effective management of calendars.
• Prepare routine letters, memorandums, agendas, presentations, forms, etc.;
• Coordinate event plans and logistics (e.g. schedule)

About you:

• HS diploma or equivalent coupled with 7-10 years of bookkeeping and general administrative experience.
• Experience managing small office projects that include collaboration, communication and planning.
• Strong PC skills, knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Word, PowerPoint, Excel - familiarity with MS Teams is a plus.
• Strong written/verbal communication skills coupled with strong attention to detail.
• Self-directed work style.
• Strong preference for previous experience with a faith-based (ideally Catholic) organization in some capacity. Appreciation of and alignment with the Franciscan and Catholic tradition is important, as is a willingness to learn and understand the mission of the Franciscans and the Catholic identity of the Order.

elebrating difference, together stronger

Franciscan values suggest we don't just accept difference - we celebrate and support it, as we demonstrate our spirituality for the benefit of people, particularly the underserved and marginalized. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect and making the world a better place.

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