Job Title: School Nutrition Finance & Personnel Specialist

District: Bradley County Schools (Cleveland, TN)

Classification: Full-Time, 12-Month Contract

Reports To: School Nutrition Supervisor

Job Summary

The School Nutrition HR and Accounting Specialist manages the daily financial operations, routine bookkeeping, and personnel administrative functions for the Bradley County Schools Nutrition Department. This role ensures strict compliance with federal USDA regulations, Tennessee Department of Education guidelines, and local Board of Education policies. The specialist acts as a final financial checkpoint and primary administrative link between individual school cafeterias, the district central office, local county trustees, and state reporting agencies.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reconciliation & Month-End Processing

Bank Reconciliation: Match official bank statements each month against internal accounting ledgers.
Trustee Balancing: Reconcile district financial records with Bradley County Trustees to ensure accurate tax and fund balancing.
Ledger Closings: Execute month-end closing processes within the district accounting software.
Balance Sheets: Generate, verify, and balance corporate balance sheets for fund accuracy.
Budget Control: Monitor departmental expenditures to ensure compliance with non-profit school food service fund regulations.
Inventory Audits: Review monthly physical food and supply inventory valuations from all school kitchen sites.

Reporting & Cash Management

Financial Reporting: Maintain up-to-date and accurate Statement of Expenditure and Revenue reports.
ACH Tracking: Track and maintain online ACH deposits separated per individual school account.
Revenue Reconciliation: Audit and reconcile daily POS cash reports, online student meal account deposits, and catering funds.
Interest Dispersal: Calculate and disperse monthly or quarterly interest earnings to individual school accounts.
Internal Auditing: Run internal audit reports routinely to ensure strict fiscal accuracy and regulatory compliance.

Program Compliance & Nutritional Support

USDA Claim Matching: Prepare and balance monthly USDA claim documents alongside individual school meal data.
Federal Claims Submission: Compile data to submit monthly reimbursement claims for National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Afterschool Snack programs.
Billing Checkpoint: Act as the final financial checkpoint for federal nutrition program billing.
Supervisor Support: Support the School Nutrition Supervisor with daily, weekly, and monthly financial balancing duties.

Human Resources & Administrative Support

Onboarding Administration: Facilitate background checks, fingerprinting, civil rights training, and screenings for new cafeteria hires.
State System Management: Complete onboarding administrative coordination using Tennessee-specific platforms (including Edison, Selerix, and E-Verify).
Payroll Processing: Help maintain hourly electronic timesheet corrections for payroll submission.
Professional Standards: Track, log, and audit mandatory annual USDA training hours for all full-time, part-time, and substitute nutrition staff.
Position Control: Maintain accurate staffing rosters, manage job vacancy postings, and coordinate recruitment with district HR.
General Administration: Complete miscellaneous accounting, data entry, and clerical tasks as assigned.

Job Requirements & Qualifications

Education & Experience

Degree: Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or Business Administration preferred.
Experience: Minimum of 2–3 years of experience in bookkeeping, payroll, or HR operations, preferably within Tennessee public education or government
Technical & Skills
Software: Proficiency with district ERP platforms (e.g., Skyward/MUNIS), Tennessee state onboarding systems (Edison, Selerix, E-Verify), and dedicated School Nutrition POS software (e.g., LINQ, Titan).
Regulations: Strong knowledge of USDA National School Lunch Program guidelines, Tennessee state financial compliance, and civil rights requirements.
Analysis: High mathematical accuracy and the ability to analyze spreadsheet data for financial forecasting and auditing.

Work Environment & Schedule

Setting: Central administrative office environment with occasional site visits to Bradley County School cafeteria kitchens.
Schedule: Full-time, year-round (12-month) employment contract.