Finance Director in Forest Hill, Texas at City of Forest Hill

DEPARTMENT: Finance

DIVISION: Administration

SUPERVISOR: City Manager

FLSA STATUS CODE: Exempt

POSITIONS SUPERVISED: Accountant, AP/Payroll Clerk

JOB SUMMARY:

Reporting to the City Manager, the Finance Director provides day-to-day leadership and managerial oversight of the Finance Department. The ideal candidate will be expected to enter office with a sense of urgency and focus on meeting the City's high expectations. It will be important for the person selected to quickly establish positive, trusting, and productive relationships with the City Council, City Management Team, City Finance Team, and other City employees.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Participates as a critical member of the City Manager’s Executive Management Team.
• Identifies, monitors, reviews, manages, and makes recommendations regarding the city’s long and short-term investment objectives, strategies, and placements; researches and analyzes financial trends and markets; provides ad hoc and regularly scheduled reports related to a variety of financial and other areas of operation; responds to inquiries from the City Manager, Mayor, City Council, general public and others regarding the city’s financial status, goals, and objectives; reviews and recommends collection enhancement strategies and programs.
• Compiles the submissions of departmental budget requests; works with department directors, City Manager, Mayor, City Council, and others in understanding and developing budget documents; reviews requests and checks figures and submissions for accuracy; provides budget drafts and final budget documents for review by various city officials; investing of public funds and reporting of investments; reviews and or prepares contracts and bids for the bid process; monitors expenditures; reviews purchases and requests for purchases for compliance with established purchasing requirements, policies and procedures.
• Coordinates all activities associated with periodic and regularly scheduled audits; works with auditors in gathering and presenting requested information/documentation;
• Responds to inquiries and requests for information; presents audit findings to appropriate city officials; identifies and recommends areas of improvement, policy and procedure modifications, and other changes identified by the audit process; supervises staff in areas of assignment.

REQUIRED TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Knowledge of applicable local, state, and Federal statutes, rules, codes, regulations, requirements, Forest Hill’s policies and procedures, and other governing documents.
• Knowledge and/or experience in public funds investing, investment vehicles, and risks of investing in public funds. Knowledge of the Public Investment Act.
• Knowledge of municipal bidding and contracting and governmental purchasing procedures.
• Knowledge of the principles of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
• Knowledge of monthly close-out procedures.
• Knowledge of the principles of management and supervision.
• Knowledge of investments, investment instruments, and related areas as they apply to long- and short-range strategic planning.
• Knowledge of intergovernmental relations and the legislative process.
• Knowledge of the principles of file and records management.
• Skill in reading, understanding, interpreting, and applying a variety of complex, often conflicting informational sources, operational policies, procedures, guidelines, and directives.
• Skill in assessing and analyzing complex, often conflicting priorities and making recommendations based on information available.
• Skill in developing and presenting written and oral reports, findings, and recommendations.
• Skill in developing and maintaining effective working relations with other city departments, personnel, contractors, vendors, the general public, news media, etc.
• Skill in the audit process, including forensic auditing.
• Skill in the developing and interacting with subordinates including conflict resolution.
• Skill in operating a computer utilizing a variety of software applications.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

In addition to finance and accounting skills, the Finance Director must also have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance, Business, Public Administration, or a related field is required. A master’s degree is preferred, as is certification as a Government Finance Officer and/or Certified Public Accountant.

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressive managerial experience in an executive-level position in government finance, accounting, or auditing, and skilled in progressively responsible financial services, investment, budget planning, and management is also required. A minimum of three (3) years of supervisory responsibilities is required. Experience as a Finance Director in a small city or Assistant Finance Director in a larger city is preferred.

Certification as a Government Finance Officer (CGFO) and/or a Certification as a Public Accountant (CPA) is preferred.

The City of Forest Hill is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City of Forest Hill will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.