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Finance Director City of Ridgefield, WA Updated: 8/2021 CITY OF RIDGEFIELD, WA JOB DESCRIPTION FINANCE DIRECTOR Department: Finance Pay Grade: FLSA Status: Exempt POSITION DESCRIPTION As the chief financial officer of the City, the Finance Director plans, organizes, controls, directs and provides strategic and visionary leadership to the Finance Department. The Finance Director is responsible for advising the City Manager and the City Council and providing high level and consistent reporting with the goal of maintaining a strong financial position and safeguarding the assets of the City. The Director ensures that the City is in compliance with State and Federal regulations and City policies and procedures related to public finance. The Finance Director oversees a collaborative and forward-thinking budget development process in line with City Council goals and organizational values. Considerable and frequent contact is maintained with the City Manager, City Council and other department directors as well as other government agencies, and the general public. SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED The Finance Director reports directly to the City Manager and serves as a member of the City’s Executive management team. The Director has full responsibility for the overall vision and direction of the Finance Department and administrative oversight of its activities and programs including overall financial operations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, budgeting, grants, utility billing and collection, and purchasing/procurement. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Essential duties are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills. They are intended to be accurate summaries of what the job classification involves and what is required to perform it. Employees are responsible for all other duties as assigned. As an internal service department, the Finance Department is the strategic business partner of every other City department, and must understand each of their unique business needs. The Finance Director leads with a clear vision, confidence and an effective strategy. Top priorities include creation of financial policies and formal procedures, streamlined reporting processes, transparency, oversight of fee studies, strong influence over procurement, the budget preparation process, treasury and investment of public funds and coaching and mentoring of Finance staff. Specific essential job functions include: Finance Director Page 2 of 4 City of Ridgefield, WA Updated: 8/2021 • Develops a competent, well-trained, organized and motivated staff capable of achieving departmental goals and commitments; evaluates employee performance, reviews projects and programs, and distribution of work to assure proper and efficient workflow. • Directs the city’s accounting and reporting operations, including maintaining accounting systems, establishing and maintaining internal financial controls, and preparing and directing required financial reports. • Directs and oversees city-wide financial planning efforts, including the operating budget, capital improvement programs, individual budgets for special purpose/non-operating funds and financial forecasts. • Directs the city’s cash management function including collecting, depositing, investing and disbursing public funds controlled by the city; and issues and repays city debt. • Recommends, establishes and directs overall financial related policies and procedures for all city departments. • Develop and makes recommendations with respect to financing plans by identifying funding options, analyzing funding proposals, and negotiating agreements. • Analyzes and recommends appropriate financing strategies and funding sources for city services, projects and initiatives consistent with legal and policy requirements and prudent use of city resources. Analyzes major initiatives proposed by city departments and recommends appropriate financial strategies to City Manager and City Council. • Prepare revenue and expenditure projections (short and long term), cash flow analysis, and recommend revenue and expenditure adjustments. • Prepare and present financial reports as required by law and those required/requested by the City Council and City Manager. • Prepares and presents the annual budget, revenue and expense forecasting for baseline budget, and revenue forecasting for budget development and strategy. • Prepares financial reports monthly, quarterly, and annually, presents to management team and City Council, and files reports with State Auditor. • Oversees Procurement and Contracting for the City, prepares contracts, approves vendors, and works with management team to ensure legal compliance in all procurement activities. • Oversees financial and accountability audit for City and act as main contact with State Auditor’s Office. • Oversees all grant and contract management. • Acts as Investment Officer for the City. • Plans, organizes and manages a variety of finance related projects. Ensures effective completion of projects in compliance with budgetary and regulatory guidelines. • Performs related duties as assigned in order to effectively accomplish assigned areas of responsibility and contribute to effective city operations. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: The Finance Director position requires: • A technically strong municipal finance professional with a solid background in accounting and financial reporting. Finance Director Page 3 of 4 City of Ridgefield, WA Updated: 8/2021 • A confident leader with a straightforward and direct communication style who will feel comfortable and be visible in an engaged an involved community. • A team-oriented professional with the vision and organizational experience to coordinate multiple department functions and maintain effective working relationships with the public. Specific education, experience and licensing requirements may include: • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Accounting, or a related field. A Master’s Degree is preferred; and • Experience: seven years’ experience in municipal budgeting, accounting, and financial work, including administrative and supervisory experience; and • Certifications/Licenses: CPA preferred. Affiliation with State and Federal Finance Office Group preferred. Must be bondable. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES Knowledge of: • Municipal, state and federal statutes, ordinance and codes including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Governmental Accounting Standards, Washington State budgeting and reporting and managing finances following federal, state, and local laws. • Principles and practices of municipal budgeting. • Governmental financial management and budgeting principles and strategies; governmental fund accounting principles. • Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services, including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. • Process improvement (lean) principles and how to implement change. • Principles and practices of effective management including supervision, coaching/mentoring, training, evaluation, problem solving, decision-making and leadership. Ability to: • Plan, direct and control the operations and functions assigned to the Finance Department. • Forecast cash flow needs as the investment officer while protecting public funds. • Communicate effectively and persuasively both orally and in writing to a variety of audiences; make public presentations in a clear, comprehensive and professional manner; and respond to questions from a variety of audiences. • Make complex decisions that can benefit financial standing of the City. • Successfully facilitate discussion, gain collective support, and achieve set objectives with participating members of the public. • Analyze problems by gathering and organizing all relevant information, identifying cause and effect relationships, and coming up with appropriate solutions. • Critically analyze current policies, practices, and procedures and implement changes as needed. • Effectively operate computer-based and specialized software systems for spreadsheets, database management, agenda reports, presentations, and correspondence with staff, community members, and outside agencies. Finance Director Page 4 of 4 City of Ridgefield, WA Updated: 8/2021 All employees are expected to work in a manner consistent with the City of Ridgefield’s Team Philosophy; specifically: work and act as a team player in all interactions with other city employees; provide a high level of customer service at all times; project and maintain a positive image with those contacted in the course of work; develop and maintain collaborative and respectful working relationships with team members and others; and consistently provide quality service. WORKING CONDITIONS Work generally takes place indoors, in a climate-controlled environment during normal business hours. Normal work hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with attendance to two evening City Council meetings per month. Additional meetings may take place early morning or after hours. Additional work time is required to complete time sensitive projects or to prepare for regular work requirements. Requires extensive use of computer from nine to ten hours/day. PHYSICAL DEMANDS • The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. • Must possess the visual ability to see clearly at close (less than 20 inches) distances. • Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: standing, walking, sitting, using hands and fingers to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, talking, and hearing. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. As every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may reasonably be considered incidental in the performing of their duties as though they were included in this job description. I have read and understand this classification description and hereby certify that I am qualified to perform this job, with or without reasonable accommodation. _____________________________________ __________________________________ Employee Signature Date _____________________________________ __________________________________ Supervisor (or HR) Signature Date