Assistant Finance Director Job at City of Santa Barbara
DESCRIPTION
OUR COMMUNITY
Santa Barbara is among the world's most desirable places to work and live. Quietly nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara represents the essence of Southern California - the art and culture of a metropolitan city with the heart and hospitality of a small, beautiful coastal town. Located just 90 miles north of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara provides a unique living environment. The City offers its approximately 90,000 residents a year-round mild climate with an average temperature in the 70s, magnificent beaches, mountains and parks within minutes of a bustling downtown.
Among the City's many amenities are excellent healthcare services, abundant shopping and dining, harbor facilities, a municipal golf course and a newly renovated municipal airport. Institutions of higher learning include the University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara City College, Westmont College, Antioch University, and Brooks Institute of Photography. With so many choices of restaurants, cultural events, outdoor recreations and leisure activities, Santa Barbara offers something for every taste and lifestyle. Santa Barbara is a truly a magnificent and unique place to live and work.
CITY GOVERNMENT
Santa Barbara is managed by the Council/City Administrator form of government. City government services are provided by fourteen departments: Airport, City Administrator, City Attorney, Community Development, Finance, Fire, Human Resources, Information Technology, Library, Parks and Recreation, Police, Public Works, Sustainability & Resilience and Waterfront. The City Administrator is also the appointed City Clerk/Treasurer. Santa Barbara has 1,064 full-time equivalent employees, a $477 million budget for fiscal year 2023, and nine recognized bargaining units. The seven-member City Council includes a Mayor, who is elected at-large, and six council members, who are elected by district.
The City provides a full scope of services to the community, including public safety (fire and police), library, parks, recreation, planning, engineering, water, storm drain, refuse, and wastewater; and includes a municipal airport, golf course, and harbor.
Santa Barbara serves as the county seat as well as the county's financial and retail center. Research and development, high tech, and light industry businesses play an important role in Santa Barbara's economy. Year-round tourism also produces jobs and revenue to the City.
ABOUT US
At the City of Santa Barbara, the best part of our organization is our people. As a City of Santa Barbara employee, you will work in an environment with other motivated individuals who are passionate about their work. We strive to provide employees with the support they need to thrive. Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture here.
The mission of the Finance Department is to provide financial guidance to City Council and departments and manage the City’s financial operations. Read more about the Department of Finance here.
THE POSITION
The City of Santa Barbara
Finance Department is seeking an
Assistant Finance Director. This position oversees revenue management functions, including financial reporting, revenue collection operations and enhancements, internal controls, utility billing and business license enforcement, and customer service. The Incumbent will manage, supervise, and coordinate the work of assigned staff. This position also manages and oversees the implementation of strategic revenue generating and other strategic initiatives, performs complex professional financial and accounting analysis, manages the City’s banking relationship and investment portfolio, manages the City’s credit card platforms, assists with the issuance of municipal debt and reports and performs related duties as assigned in support of the Finance Department goals and projects and provides highly responsible and professional staff assistance to the Director, City Administrator and the City Council.
Example of Duties
(Include but are not limited to the following):
- Oversees the overall function of the Treasury Division, comprised of three distinct groups. The Treasury group, which includes banking, investment, credit card and other revenue management functions, is supervised by a Finance Analyst II. The Cashiering group, which includes all tax collection and cashiering functions, is supervised by a Finance Supervisor. And the Utility Billing group, which includes all utility billing and accounts receivable functions, is supervised by a Utility Billing Supervisor.
- Administers the City’s General Fund multi-year forecasts, which are used for long-term financial planning purposes and short-term budget decisions.
- Provides guidance and direction to City department management staff as related to budgeting, financial, and accounting matters and issues.
- Establishes, interprets, and recommends financial, revenue collection, fee and system-related policies and procedures.
- Assists the Finance Director in the general administration of the Finance Department; acts in the absence of the Finance Director.
- Manages department-wide projects, such as the implementation of new finance and technology applications, as well as staffing and organization changes.
Distinguishing Characteristics
The Assistant Finance Director represents an advanced financial management position, having broad responsibility assigned department functions. This position is distinguished from the Accounting Manager, Budget Manager, General Services Manager and Risk Manager positions by its greater breadth of knowledge, responsibility and oversight, as well as its broader role in supporting the Department Director and functioning as a key departmental contact in the Director's absence.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Knowledge of
:
- Financial management principles, local government finance administration and generally accepted accounting principles and practices.
- City Municipal Code and ordinances, and State laws governing the financial administration of municipal government.
- Investment, treasury management, employee insurance and retirement programs; bond issuance and other long-term financing practices.
- Long-term financial planning and forecasting techniques and practices.
- Supervisory principles and performance evaluation practices; employee motivation techniques.
- Principles of staffing, selection, training, supervision, evaluation and discipline.
- Customer service principles.
- State laws and local codes and ordinances governing restricted use of revenue sources, user fees, and business license practices.
- Principles and practices of municipal government accounting, revenue accounting, financial reporting, and finance administration.
- Auditing principles and standards and internal financial control practices. Financial planning and forecasting methods.
- Banking transactions and reconciliation.
- Municipal budgeting methods.
- Types and sources of municipal revenue and financing. Collections principles.
- Automated general ledger systems. Financial management software systems.
- Research methods and statistical techniques and applications.
- Principles and practices of program development and administration. Project management principles.
- Supervisory principles and performance evaluation practices; employee motivation techniques.
Skills:
- Writing complex reports and reviewing and preparing Council agenda reports. Effectively communicating policy and procedural recommendations and other issues to City Council, commissions, employees, community groups and the public.
- Managing multiple projects.
- Operate personal computer hardware and use financial information systems and related word processing, database, and spreadsheet software programs; operate a calculator.
- Operate a motor vehicle.
Ability to
:
- Develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, procedures and management controls.
- Develop and administer Treasury Division goals, objectives, and procedures and internal financial controls.
- Lead in the formulation, implementation and coordination of finance policies as related to internal and external processes and agreements; research and draft City policies, discuss policy recommendations with departments and revise policies as necessary. Serve as liaison to assigned committees; answer policy and finance related questions; review committee input; draft and implement policy outcomes of committee work, representing the City's interest and taking an active role in negotiating contracts with outside groups.
- Perform responsible and difficult administrative work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
- Prepare clear and concise reports.
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing regarding complex and highly visible issues.
- Prepare, analyze, and interpret comprehensive revenue and accounting records and reports.
- Plan, organize, and supervise treasury accounting, cashiering, and revenue reporting functions, and related projects, and meet accounting deadlines.
- Select, train, supervise, coordinate and evaluate staff.
- Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
- Interpret, explain, and apply Federal, State and local policies, laws, regulations, and ordinances.
- Analyze financial data, plan and evaluate revenue programs, and make sound recommendations for improvement.
- Perform complicated mathematical calculations and analyses.
- Work cooperatively with staff, management, customers, City Council, budget advisory committee representatives, contractors, vendors, and others encountered in the course of work.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with City staff, co-workers, and others contacted in the course of work.
- Prepare clear, concise, and complete administrative and financial reports.
- Make public presentations.
- Exercise judgment with general policy guidelines.
- Prepare, monitor and administer division budgets; analyze budget estimates and detect improper or unrealistic requests, and to estimate tax revenues within reasonable limits.
- Exercise independent judgment within general policy guidelines.
- Analyze, interpret, and report on information from a variety of sources, examine alternatives, draw logical conclusions and recommend and/or direct a course of action.
- Coordinate activities with other City departments and between employees within the Finance Department.
- Work independently
EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING GUIDELINES
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience:
Seven (7) years of increasingly responsible professional accounting or auditing experience, including three (3) years of supervisory or management experience.
Education and/or Training:
Graduation from a four-year college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, or a related field
License, Certificate and/or Other Requirements:
A valid Class C California driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the City's Vehicle Insurance Policy.
SELECTION PROCESS
It is important that your application and supplemental questionnaire show all the relevant education, training, and experience you possess which qualifies you for this position. All applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed and the most qualified candidates will be invited to continue in the selection process. Be sure to be thorough in your responses. Statements such as “See application”, “Extensive Experience”, or "See Resume" are not an acceptable substitute for a completed application and supplemental questionnaire.
The selection process may consist of an application screening, written exam, computer skills exam and/or an oral interview. The successful candidate's employment history will be thoroughly evaluated prior to appointment.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
There is currently
one (1) vacancy within the Finance Department.
Communication regarding your application and/or status will be sent to the email address listed on your application. Please check your email and spam regularly throughout the recruitment process. You may also log into your governmentjobs.com account to view these emails.
OPEN & CONTINUOUS RECRUITMENT: Because this recruitment is open and continuous, applicants are encouraged to submit completed applications as soon as possible. The filing period for an open and continuous recruitment may be closed at any time.
FOR FIRST CONSIDERATION
CITY APPLICATION AND RESPONSES TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:30 PM ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2022
.
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