Business Manager
Opening Statement
Bright Water Waldorf School seeks an innovative, equity-focused Business Manager who has a growth mindset that embraces possibilities. The successful applicant should be excited to work within a small nonprofit, helping to advance the vision and mission of the school by supporting collaborative and inclusive decision-making. The Business Manager will build strong internal policies and procedures and provide transparency into school finances.
The Business Manager will work directly with school faculty and other office staff to deliver a work program in service to the students and families, with the overarching goal of delivering an academically rigorous, artistic, equitable, and engaging education.
The Business Manager role requires someone who is able to hold a broad vision. They are a detail-oriented collaborator and an effective communicator, able to take ownership of situations and decisions while centering the needs of the group. This is a great opportunity for someone who cares deeply about the future of Bright Water Waldorf School and wants to make an immediate impact on the children and families in the community.
The Business Manager will be part of a team of main lesson and specialty teachers (also known as the College Circle), along with three other administrative staff (Lead Administrator, Enrollment and Admissions Coordinator, and Office Administrator, also known as the Admin Circle). These groups share accountability and decision-making responsibility to guide the day-to-day life of the school. While these positions all serve as trusted advisors to one another, functional collaboration and responsibility for this role aligns most directly with the Admin Circle, the Finance Circle, the Board Circle, and the College Circle, with ultimate reporting to and evaluation by the Board Circle.
About
Bright Water Waldorf School aims to…
deliver Waldorf education and nurture a community of belonging in a way that meets each child, family, and faculty member where they are. We foster self-determination, interdependence, and holistic growth in order to cultivate vibrant, caring, and informed individuals. Bright Water empowers graduates to address the challenges of an ever-changing world with creativity, compassion, and resilience, and to contribute as whole, self-aware members to the greater whole. Our home is within the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District neighborhood.
Essential Job Duties
Key Responsibilities:
- AR/AP
- Payroll
- Tuition collection/Financial Aid
- Ravenna Student Management
- Membership Management, reporting deadlines (990/941/940/DASL/AWSNA/WECAN)
- Google Suite Management
Qualifications
Required Experience:
- 3-4 years demonstrated experience in bookkeeping and/or basic accounting
- 2 years demonstrated experience in business operations, which should include oversight of basic business processes
Preferred Experience:
- Commitment to continuous learning
- Effective communicator in both written and verbal communications
- Passion for the mission of teaching children, partnering with parents, and working with talented colleagues toward inspired objectives
- Strong technical skills, including proficiency with Quickbooks/Xero, Google Suite, Ravenna, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and basic office equipment
- Organizational Skill
- Knowledge of Sociocracy, Waldorf education, and Anthroposophy (a plus but not required)
Qualities of a Successful Candidate:
- Commitment to equity; anti-racist, gender-inclusive environments (both office and educational environments), and evaluation of systemic privilege and oppression, with openness to personal and institutional growth
- Self-starter with strong attention to detail, ability to assess the needs of a situation, and respond in a timely manner, as well as understanding of diplomacy and various value systems in emerging situations
- Collaborator with a demonstrated capacity to build relationships and maintain positivity across constituencies and identities
- Ability to maintain confidentiality in situations that simultaneously require transparency and communication, and demonstrated orientation toward de-escalation, particularly in times of interpersonal, schedule, or deadline-related stress
- Dedicated to ongoing personal growth with a willingness to seek help when needed
- Respect for the schedules and time constraints of others, balancing both punctuality and flexibility in scheduling and holding meetings, events, and day-to-day activities
Employment Details
Location: On campus at Bright Water Waldorf School, current location 1414 S Weller Street, Seattle, WA 98144. Due to the in-person nature of the work, this position is minimally eligible for work from home.
Hours: Typical work hours are 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and weekend events. This is a 1.0 FTE position.
Compensation: $44,280-$80,718.75, based on level of education, experience (salary schedule available for transparency), plus benefits. At Bright Water Waldorf School, we invest in health, welfare, and the professional lives of faculty and staff by providing a generous paid leave policy, employer-paid health and dental insurance, a retirement plan matching program, and professional development opportunities.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements: Bright Water Waldorf School welcomes, values, and supports ethnic, religious, economic and cultural diversity. Our school seeks a diverse faculty and student body and is committed to having our community reflect the abundant and changing diversity of the United States. We welcome, value, and support single, dual, or multiple parent households and LGBTQ+ parents, faculty, and students. The successful candidate must be able to lift 25 pounds. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Visit our website for more information: https://www.brightwaterwaldorf.org/about-bright-water
To Apply
To Apply: Send a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references to the following: hiring@brightwaterwaldorf.org.
For inquiries: Please send an email to the following: hiring@brightwaterwaldorf.org
