Job Summary:The Finance Director provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the City's financial operations. The position is responsible for long-range financial planning, fiscal policy development, budget oversight, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, treasury and investment oversight, audit coordination, and advising executive leadership and the City Council on the City's financial condition. The Finance Director establishes departmental priorities and internal controls and provides leadership to the Finance Administrator, who manages the department's daily operational activities.
Minimum Job Requirements: - Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field
- At least seven years of progressively responsible governmental accounting, finance, budgeting, or closely related experience, including at least three years of management or executive-level leadership experience.
- Valid driver's license.
- Preferred:
- Municipal government experience.
- Certified Government Finance Officer (CGFO) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
- Bilingual English/Spanish.
Essential Job Functions:- Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all Finance Department functions, including accounting, budgeting, purchasing, treasury, investments, revenue management, utility billing, financial reporting, and audit coordination.
- Advises the City Manager, executive leadership, and City Council regarding the City's financial condition, fiscal policies, budgetary matters, financial risks, and long-term financial outlook.
- Directs the development, administration, monitoring, and amendment of the City's annual operating and capital budgets.
- Develops and recommends financial policies, internal controls, fiscal strategies, and departmental goals consistent with applicable laws, professional standards, and the City's strategic priorities.
- Reviews and approves financial statements, budget reports, forecasts, investment reports, audit responses, and other significant financial documents before presentation or distribution.
- Oversees the preparation of the City's annual financial audit and coordinates with external auditors, financial advisors, bond counsel, consultants, and other financial partners.
- Ensures compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Governmental Accounting Standards Board requirements, state and federal regulations, City ordinances, financial policies, grant requirements, and debt obligations.
- Evaluates the City's revenues, expenditures, reserves, debt, cash flow, and financial trends and recommends corrective or strategic actions when necessary.
- Establishes departmental performance expectations, service standards, internal controls, and accountability measures.
- Provides leadership, supervision, and performance management to the Finance Administrator and other assigned personnel.
- Delegates responsibility for daily departmental operations, workflow coordination, routine financial processing, record maintenance, and staff assignments to the Finance Administrator.
- Ensures the Finance Administrator, Finance Coordinator, and Finance Specialists have appropriate procedures, resources, training, and supervisory support to perform their assigned functions.
- Reviews departmental staffing, organizational structure, workload distribution, succession planning, and professional development needs.
- Presents financial information, recommendations, reports, and agenda items to the City Council, boards, commissions, committees, executive leadership, and other stakeholders.
- Collaborates with department directors to address budgetary concerns, monitor departmental expenditures, improve financial processes, and support informed operational decisions.
- Represents the City in financial meetings, audits, negotiations, professional organizations, and other matters requiring senior financial leadership.
- Supports emergency operations, continuity of government, and disaster-recovery activities as assigned.
- Performs other related duties as required.
Knowledge of:- Governmental accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, treasury management, investments, purchasing, debt administration, revenue management, and internal controls.
- Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Governmental Accounting Standards Board pronouncements.
- Municipal budgeting, fund accounting, capital planning, financial forecasting, and long-range fiscal analysis.
- Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, and professional standards applicable to municipal finance.
- Audit preparation, financial statement review, corrective-action planning, and regulatory compliance.
- Principles of executive leadership, organizational management, delegation, performance management, and succession planning.
- Financial policies, risk management practices, cash management, and investment strategies.
Skills in:- Providing strategic financial leadership and translating complex financial information into practical recommendations.
- Analyzing revenues, expenditures, reserves, debt, financial forecasts, and organizational risks.
- Developing financial policies, internal controls, budgets, long-range plans, and executive-level reports.
- Presenting financial information clearly to the City Council, executive leadership, department directors, employees, and the public.
- Leading and evaluating professional, administrative, and technical personnel through appropriate supervisory levels.
- Delegating operational responsibilities while maintaining accountability for departmental performance and compliance.
- Interpreting and applying governmental accounting standards, laws, regulations, policies, and ordinances.
- Building effective working relationships with elected officials, executive leadership, auditors, financial advisors, employees, vendors, and community stakeholders.
- Managing competing priorities, complex projects, deadlines, and sensitive financial matters.
Physical Demands/Work Environment: Work is performed in a standard office environment with low to moderate noise level. Subject to sitting for an extended period of time, standing, walking, bending, reaching, kneeling, and lifting and putting away such items as records and office supplies of moderate weight of up to 40 pounds. Working with a wide variety of people, some of whom may be irate or difficult.