Director of Finance in Riverside, California at Superior Court of California, County of Riverside

The Superior Court of California, County of Riverside is seeking an accomplished financial leader to serve as our Director of Finance.

This is an opportunity to provide strategic financial leadership in a complex public-sector environment, helping ensure the Court's financial resources are managed with integrity, accountability, and a focus on long-term organizational priorities.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Director of Finance provides strategic oversight of the Court's financial, budgetary, accounting, revenue, and fiscal administration functions while leading a team of professional and technical staff.

The Opportunity

As Director of Finance, you'll operate at the intersection of finance, strategy, operations, and leadership.

You'll oversee complex financial operations, guide budget development and administration, strengthen financial controls and processes, and provide sophisticated analysis and recommendations that influence Court-wide fiscal planning and executive decision-making.

Just as importantly, you'll lead people while developing a collaborative, service-oriented team committed to financial integrity, accountability, and excellence.

What You'll Lead

In this role, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Court's accounting, budget, revenue, and financial operations.
• Lead the development, administration, and presentation of the Court's annual budget.
• Develop and implement financial policies, procedures, goals, performance standards, and operational strategies.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, GASB, governmental accounting standards, and applicable federal, state, Judicial Branch, and Court requirements.
• Manage complex revenue distributions, reconciliations, trust accounts, and local, state, and federally funded revenue streams.
• Analyze complex financial and operational issues and provide recommendations to executive leadership.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, systems, service delivery, and organizational effectiveness.
• Lead complex projects and financial initiatives while establishing priorities, accountability, and clear deliverables.
• Support audits and maintain productive relationships with auditors, banks, vendors, financial institutions, and partner agencies.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and evaluate professional and technical staff while building a high-performing team.

The Director also serves as a key advisor to the Chief Financial Officer and represents the Court with other public and private organizations, professional groups, contractors, and external partners.

The Leader We're Looking For

We're looking for a financial professional who sees beyond the numbers. The successful candidate will combine deep financial expertise with the ability to think strategically, communicate complex information clearly, develop people, and translate financial data into meaningful recommendations.

The position requires the ability to analyze complex accounting issues, draw sound conclusions, exercise independent judgment, direct the work of others, and maintain accurate and timely financial reporting.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates should possess a combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful performance, such as a bachelor's degree in public or business administration, accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field, along with:

Six years of increasingly responsible professional budget and/or accounting experience, including two years of full-time supervisory or management experience directing and overseeing the work of others.

A qualifying master's degree, CPA, or CMA may substitute for two years of the required experience. Additional qualifying professional experience may also substitute for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Experience in a California Trial Court or government agency, CPA or CMA credentials, and PMP certification are identified as desirable qualifications.

For a complete list of the qualifications and essential duties, please refer to the job description.

Riverside is the fourth largest county in California and the 10th largest in the United States. There are fourteen court facilities spanning 7,300 square miles that serves Riverside’s 2.4 million residents. The courts and its employees hold a unique role in the public sector. The mission of the Riverside Superior Court is, “…in a fair, accessible, effective, and efficient manner, resolve disputes arising under the law and interpret and apply the law consistently, impartially, and independently to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitutions of California and of the United States.”

At Riverside Superior Court, we reward hard work and dedication!

We offer:

• Annual merit increases for satisfactory job performance
• A robust benefit plan including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance
• A pension plan provided by the California Public Employer's Retirement System also known as CalPERS. You will contribute between 7% and 8% of your biweekly pay, depending on your membership status
• Optional deferred compensation programs
• Generous leave accruals
• Fourteen (14) paid holidays
• Bereavement leave
• Tuition discounts
• Qualified employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) Certification

All applicants are required to submit a completed online application and supplemental questionnaire. To learn more about how to create an application, click HERE.

Résumés will not be accepted in lieu of the required application and supplemental questionnaire.

Human Resources will review applications to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications; therefore, it is to your benefit to include all current and previous related work experience. When listing Court experience, please include dates and classification of each position held, if more than one.

Selection Procedures:

This recruitment will remain open until the needs of the Court have been met and may close at any time. However, the deadline to apply for first round consideration is Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST.

All applications will be reviewed to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications; those candidates deemed most qualified may be invited to an online or written assessment, if applicable. Candidates who take and successfully pass the assessment may be invited to an oral panel interview. Candidates who are successful in the interview may be placed on an eligible list. Placement on an eligible list is not a guarantee of employment. Additional steps for the selection process may include a comprehensive background check and drug test.

Status Notifications

You will be notified by email and/or text message during the process of this recruitment through governmentjobs.com. Please check your email spam/junk folders and accept emails ending with governmentjobs.com and riverside.courts.ca.gov. If your information changes, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

Reasonable Accommodations

Riverside Superior Court provides reasonable accommodations upon request for applicants with disabilities. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 951-777-3017 or Recruitment@riverside.courts.ca.gov if you feel you will need an accommodation for any aspect of the selection process. The Human Resources Department requests that it be advised of special needs at least five days prior to the examination so that a reasonable accommodation may be made.