Financial Services Manager II - Human Services Agency (Open and Promotional) bei County of San Mateo, CA

About the Department

The County of San Mateo's Human Services Agency is seeking an experienced and dynamic Financial Services Manager to oversee complex financial operations, claims management, audit coordination, and emergency financial response. This leadership role is essential in ensuring fiscal accountability, compliance with state and federal regulations, and effective financial planning in both day-to-day and emergency operations. The incumbent will supervise professional and technical staff, provide financial leadership, and collaborate with executives, senior managers, and staff across the organization to ensure fiscal accountability and effective financial management.

The ideal candidate will have the following:

• Strong background in public sector finance, with deep knowledge of governmental accounting and reporting.
• Proven experience managing large-scale claims and complex funding streams, especially within human services.
• Skilled in audit preparation, coordination, and corrective action implementation.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks, including A-87, 2 CFR 200, GAAP, and GASB.
• Supervisory experience overseeing finance teams with varied expertise.
• Ability to lead and provide financial guidance in high-pressure emergency response situations.
• Exceptional analytical, communication, and documentation skills.
• Knowledge of government finance principles and funding mechanisms.

• Strong political and organizational acumen.
• Works well under pressure and tight deadlines.
• Adaptable to evolving and increasing responsibilities.
• High level of integrity and builds trusting relationships.
• Comfortable working with Senior Managers, Executives, and staff at all levels.
• Able to lead diverse teams to implement and improve processes.

In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the following leadership traits:

• Team builder and coach
• Effective communicator
• Strategic thinker and decision maker
• Ethical and supportive of change
• Maximizes team effectiveness and leverages resources

Position Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Direct the preparation and submission of large-scale financial claims, including CA800, County Expense Claim, and FEMA reimbursements.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee audit activities, including state, federal, and internal audits. Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards such as A-87, 2 CFR 200, GAAP, and GASB.
• Lead fiscal operations during emergency activations, ensuring accurate documentation and timely reporting of emergency expenditures.
• Develop, implement, and monitor financial systems, procedures, and controls to ensure compliance and accountability.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate a multidisciplinary finance team.
• Provide financial analysis and recommendations to department leadership and governing bodies.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders, including auditors, funding agencies, and executive leadership.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance financial operations and reporting.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:  Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is three years of increasingly responsible experience performing a wide variety of administrative, financial, managerial or automation duties in a large, complex public agency.

Knowledge of:

• Federal, State and local laws and regulations applicable to assigned area of responsibility, such as public liability and/or accounting laws.
• Advanced principles and practices of fiscal resource planning.
• Advanced principles of financial administration, including public budgeting and reporting.
• Advanced principles of financial and actuarial forecasting and financial analysis.
• Basic principles and practices of County-wide operations and its administration and organization.
• Principles of personnel training, supervision and evaluation.
• Computer systems and applications as used within the County such as IFAS (Integrated Fund Accounting System) and BRASS (Budgeting Reporting and Analysis Support System).
• Advanced principles and practices of organizational and systems analysis, research methods and human resource planning.
• Basic principles and practices of the assigned County department operations and its administration and organization.

• Plan, organize, supervise, coordinate, direct, organize and participate in a wide variety of advanced administrative and operational activities related to the assigned work section, program area specialty or department.
• Coordinate activities with other departments, programs and/or outside agencies.
• Direct and participate in the analysis of a wide variety of highly complex administrative and operational problems and make effective operational and/or procedural recommendations.
• Develop, administer and interpret policies, guidelines and procedures related to the assigned program area.
• Plan, schedule and manage large scale projects.
• Negotiate agreement between differing individuals and groups of individuals.
• Monitor current and proposed Federal, State and local legislation which impact on assigned area of responsibility.
• Utilize appropriate interpersonal style and methods of communication to gain acceptance, cooperation, or agreement of a plan, activity, and/or program idea.
• Work cooperatively with other County departments and public and private organizations.
• Supervise, evaluate and train assigned personnel.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Perform complex mathematical and statistical calculations accurately.
• Prepare complex and detailed written reports, procedures, grant applications and contracts.
• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

Other Qualifications

Open and Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra help/limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

The examination will consist of an interview (weight: 100%), which may include the evaluation of a brief written and/or performance exercise given immediately preceding the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or a screening committee may select those applicants whose education and/or experience appear to best meet the needs of the position based solely on the information provided in the application documents. Because of this screening process, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the next phase of the examination process. All interviews will take place in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the 'Apply' button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date:  Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. PST
Screening: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Combined Panel Interviews:  Friday, September 26, 2025

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.