Job Opening
Office Manager/Administrator
The Texas Freedom Network (TFN), a statewide, nonprofit organization located in Austin, seeks a full-time Office Manager/Administrator. The Texas Freedom Network advances a mainstream agenda of religious freedom and individual liberties to counter the religious right.
The Office Manager/Administrator will work closely with all TFN staff and will report to the President. The ideal candidate for this position will have the ability to organize, coordinate, and manage the financial and administrative aspects of day-to-day operations for TFN (i.e. to make the trains run on time and ensure that the numbers all match up!). Responsibilities will involve many facets of the organization’s administrative operations, including:
- Provide for proper fiscal record-keeping and reporting, including the preparation of financial statements for the President and Board of Directors, in accordance with standard accounting principles and the financial policies and procedures of the organization
- Manage the day-to-day financials, including banking, paying bills, managing payroll, balancing accounts, tracking revenue and expenditures, and producing financial reports
- Coordinate as needed with accounting firm and bookkeeper for monthly financial reconciliation, annual audits and tax filings for all TFN affiliated entities
- Coordinate Board of Directors meetings, correspondence with board members, minutes of board meetings and committee meetings
- Coordinate human resource processes, maintain up-to-date orientation materials for new employees, maintain benefits and healthcare accounts, track leave accrual, research and inform staff of training opportunities, manage weekly staff meetings and coordinate staff retreats
- Create and maintain staff calendar
- Assist the President with correspondence, scheduling, travel reservations, and filing
- Oversee maintenance of office, including upkeep of building and grounds
- Ensure maintenance of all office equipment
- Procure sufficient office supplies
- Act as principal liaison with all vendors
- Act as the primary contact for visitors and answering the phones
- Assist with logistics for fundraising and outreach events
Some travel and working long and/or irregular hours are required.
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Applicants must have at least two years of professional administrative experience, including financial management; be well organized, resourceful and attentive to details; possess excellent verbal and written communication skills; and demonstrate a commitment to the mission and goals of the organization. Applicants must be highly motivated self-starters who are able to work independently and in a team environment. Proficiency with QuickBooks, Microsoft Word, Excel and Access is required.
COMPENSATION: Annual salary commensurate with experience; benefits include health and dental insurance, 401(k) plan, generous paid vacation, personal leave and holidays.
TO APPLY: Fax resume and at least three references to [email protected] by 5:00 p.m., Friday, August 7.
The Texas Freedom Network is an equal-opportunity employer and minority candidates are encouraged to apply.
C’mon guys. You need a B.S. in accounting to do this job. However, because no college degree is required, that suggests that you already have a particular person pre-picked for this position—a person who just happens to not have an accounting degree—but you really like the person. Therefore, this ad is posted as an EEO cover to make things look like an open job on a level playing field. To further CYA, you plan to interview two other persons who you know do not have a snowball’s chance in Hades of being hired.
Okay. Maybe you are not. I hope you are not. My wife is 53 years old and has been out of work for nearly a year. She has an outstanding track record in her past jobs. She has fallen into the trap described above in several hiring situations over the past year. She gets asked in to interview for jobs where we are almost certain that they have no intention of hiring her. They just need her for EEO cover—a warm body just to say, “Yeah, we interviewed other people before we hired Stacy.”
The thing I would like to let you and every other employer here know is that this process is cold and hurtful. My wife goes into tears when these situations do not work out. In an economy like this, I think it is cruel to call someone into a flase interview, raise their hopes for a job sky high, and then shatter that hope by hiring a person who has already been prepicked. And remember, this kind of thing is especially bad for older workers who are out looking for a job.
Employers need to know one other thing here too. The employees you are doing this to know what you are doing. They know it’s a set up. Subtle little tips here and there give it away—although you could never prove it in a court of law—and you are right—they never could. But do you know what else? We put your company on a blacklist and swear that we will never wrok there at anytime in the future. We tell our friends and associates what happened, and they say, “Yeah, sounds like we need to stay away from that place.” There is an unseen price to be paid for this EEO side-step practice, and the companies who do it are sometimes paying a higher price for it than they know.
Thanks for the soapbox.
If we had already chosen someone, we wouldn’t post the job. The hiring process can be very time-consuming on everyone’s part, and we’re not looking to pile unnecessary tasks on top of what we already need to do each day. The job description is accurate, and we hope anyone interested will apply. It’s a fun place to work, especially for someone who wants to help make Texas a better place for all our families. And we’re glad to supply the soapbox!
Charles, that post didn’t sound like you at all. I’m sure the practice you describe does occur, but you shouldn’t accuse TFN of doing that sort of thing unless you have evidence to support it. I wish your wife luck in her job search.
Hi Ben. I gave TFN the benefit of the doubt. Everyone has a few hot buttons. I know quite a lot about the career devlopment field and a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that a lot of people have never seen. This is one of my hot buttons. At the moment, I am on vacation.