Cape Elizabeth Middle School is hiring for a dynamic partner who loves middle school students and the adults who support them, to help run our front office. The CEMS Bookkeeper (Administrative Specialist) position is a School Year position (plus 10 days on either side of the student start date), that supports the operations of our school in an incredibly important way. We are a school that puts our students first and the person who is hired for this position will help us do this by assisting CEMS leadership in the budget process and day to day tasks connected to bookkeeping for the school as well as supporting the school as a whole in a myriad of ways.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education/Certification:
Associate Degree or equivalent work experience. Hold a valid State of Maine Criminal History Records Check Approval.
Special Knowledge/Skills:
- Must be team oriented with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Knowledge, understanding, and demonstrated aptitude or competence in the performance responsibilities listed below.
- Must possess strong organizational skills as well as the ability to handle multiple projects professionally.
- Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, prioritize tasks, and work independently with a high degree of accuracy.
- Demonstrated computer skills.
- Knowledge and experience with Quickbooks and ERP (Tyler Technologies) software, PowerSchool, S'More, Frontline, Google Suite.
- Experience with or knowledge of accounting principles, including the recording and measurement of financial transactions.
- Experience analyzing and the reconciliation of financial records or bank statements.
- Skill in or experience with managing budgets.
- Must be willing to participate in ongoing in-service training as requested.
- Must maintain a high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality of information as required by law.
- Experience working in a middle school setting or in other settings with young adolescents a plus.
Experience:
Demonstrated aptitude or competence for successful fulfillment of assigned performance responsibilities.
Reports to:
Middle School Principal and Assistant Principal
Performance Responsibilities:
I. Provides Registrar/CEMS Main Office Administrative Specialist with Reception Support:
- Works in cooperation with all Administrative Specialists to act as the first line of defense, prioritizing the security and safety of the students, staff and visitors, and ensuring that only authorized individuals are allowed access into the school building.
- Greeting Visitors, Students, Staff when Registrar/CEMS Main Office Administrative Specialist is not available
- Facilitating Sign In and Distributing Visitor ID Badges when Registrar/CEMS Main Office Administrative Specialist is not available
- Answering Phone Calls and taking messages when Registrar/CEMS Main Office Administrative Specialist is not available
- Assists with filtering through Voicemails and following up with the people who need to know
- Assists with monitoring the front door and supervision of cameras at CEMS
II. Budget and Bookkeeping Work: General accounting of school checking account, student activities account, school credit card and school's town budget account. Inclusive of maintaining accurate and complete receipts and records, review and authorization of payments, reconcile credit card and all accounts.
- Managing School Budgets, annual collection of details for a CEMS needs based budget with Principal
- Purchasing of necessary school supplies and material in a timely and efficient manner
- Creating and managing Purchase Orders and Check Requests
- Assessing and tracking student fees, including Athletic Fees and Field Trip Fees
- Tracking Credit Card Transactions and maintaining documentation of payments
- Requesting W9's and Tax Exemption Status from Vendors
- Communicate with vendors regarding ordering, delivery and any billing concerns
- Maintaining/bookkeeping of CEMS student activity account, going to bank to make deposits, reconciliations of student activities accounts
- Support staff with registration for conferences and Professional Development
III. Communication:
- Writing Newsletters and Other Communication to Parents and Staff
- Managing the CEMS Website with IT
- Working With Middle School Parents Association
- Working with Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation
IV. Daily:
- Managing all school calendars
- Fulfill CEMS staff supply requests
- Assisting in managing staff absences and substitutes including working with Substitutes - Checking In, Giving Instructions, helping manage Frontline
- Sorting/Distributing Mail and Distributing Delivered items
V. General:
- Assisting Principal and Assistant Principal With Their Duties - Managing their Calendars
- Assisting in Supervision of Students in the Office
VI. School Records:
- Maintaining Student Class Lists in PowerSchool and for Principal and Staff Use
- Assist Registrar/CEMS Main Office Administrative Specialist with updating student PowerSchool demographic information at the beginning of every year
- Assist Registrar/CEMS Main Office Administrative Specialist with the maintenance of student behavior records
- Assist Registrar/CEMS Main Office Administrative Specialist with maintaining the student cumulative files.
VII. Annually:
- Create placement spreadsheets with current student lists for student placement
- Distribute beginning of school year supplies/orders to staff
- Scheduling School Photos
- Planning Beginning and End of year Staff Luncheons and throughout year Staff events
- Update Staff Birthdays on calendar
- Update staff lists including phone lists and email lists
VIII. Performs other duties as assigned by the Principal and Assistant Principal.
All interested applicants should submit required paperwork by March 10, 2026. Applications received after that still may be considered.