CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER at City of Huntington Beach, CA

About the Department

In Huntington Beach, we believe passionately that the key to becoming the best beach City in the world starts and ends with finding the right people to join our team. At this time, we have an outstanding career opportunity available, as we're looking for the "right person" to serve as Chief Financial Officer.

The Finance Department currently has 27 full-time and 1 part-time team members organized across four divisions: Administration, Accounting Services, Budget Management, and Business License. The department is responsible for providing financial management, oversight, monitoring and reporting functions for the City's complex financial resources. The department accomplishes this objective by providing budgetary oversight, monitoring and preparation; purchasing and procurement expertise; accounting and financial report services; cashiering, accounts receivable and collections services; payroll and accounts payable services; utility billing; and business license customer service. 

The City of Huntington Beach is seeking an exceptional leader with demonstrated expertise in public sector financial management principles. This finance professional will report to the Assistant City Manager and join a cohesive Executive Leadership Team that is aligned to serve the public interest through good governance, dedicated to Huntington Beach’s quality of life, and committed to City Council policy. The ideal candidate will excel in problem solving and critical thinking, making use of these skills to identify solutions to complex organizational and budget challenges while continuing to meet project deadlines and policy goals.


Please note: This recruitment may close at any time, and will close when the hiring manager determines that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Position Duties

• Assists in directing the fiscal management of the City, including budget preparation and monitoring, revenue forecasting, general accounting, financial reporting, pre-auditing and internal controls, debt issuance and administration, capital financing, financial systems design, implementation and control; recommends and administers policies and procedures
• Plans, directs and coordinates the administration of the City’s finance, purchasing, utility billing, business licensing, reprographic and mail services 
• Recommends policies and implements procedures to conduct activities; ensures that all activities are conducted in accordance with related laws, ordinances, rules and regulations 
• Manages the development and implementation of the goals, objectives, policies and priorities for each assigned service area; establishes, within City policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; allocates resources accordingly 
• Assists in ensuring that the financial needs of the City are met; raises funds through creative financing, bond issues, certificates of participation and lease purchase financing; evaluates alternative financing methods for all major acquisitions 
• Supervises and controls capital financing projects; assists in negotiating major financial transactions; directs and coordinates revenue collection, disbursement activities, purchasing, and inventory control functions
• Advises department heads and the City Administrator in the review of estimates and proposed budget allocations for the City and the Redevelopment Agency; estimates anticipated revenues; conducts fiscal analyses and submits data and reports for use in evaluating operating department proposals 
• Provides the City Administrator and department heads with timely and informative financial reports and statements; manages and participates in the development and administration of the Finance budget; directs the forecast of additional funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies
• Determines, with the advice of the City Attorney when necessary, the regularity, legality, and correctness of claims, demands and charges; draws warrants upon the City Treasurer for all claims and demands that are approved; specifies the purpose for which drawn and the fund from which payment is made 
• Supervises and is responsible for the proper accounting, collecting, management and record keeping of all revenues and expenditures; conducts studies or oversees the conduct of complex studies relating to the development of rates, fees and user charges 
• Prepares and supervises the preparation of reports to the State Controller, County Auditor Controller and other Federal, State or County agencies 
• May serve on the City’s negotiation team for labor contracts; calculates costs of proposals and various scenarios and may present information in sessions with the City Council; serves as the liaison to the Finance Board
• Selects, trains, motivates and evaluates Finance personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct performance deficiencies; implements discipline and termination procedures 
• Plans, directs and coordinates work plans through subordinate level managers; meets with staff to identify and resolve problems; assigns projects and program areas of responsibility; reviews and evaluates work methods and procedures
• Performs other related duties

The preceding duties have been provided as examples of the essential types of work performed by positions within this job classification.  The City, at its discretion, may add, modify, change or rescind work assignments as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would likely provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in the position is qualifying. A typical combination includes:

Knowledge of:  
- Principles and practices of public administration, including budget preparation, purchasing, program analysis, and revenue forecasting 
- Accounting principles, practices and methods 
- Public revenue resources; principles of municipal debt financing; ordinances, resolutions and laws affecting municipal financial operations 
- Methods and techniques of public administration research, analysis and report preparation 
- Legislation related to public agency finance, including grant accounting and bond issuances 
- Financial planning; research methods and techniques and methods of report presentation 
- Principles of personnel administration, supervision and training 
- Concepts of automated financial management information systems 
- Principles and practices of cash collection and cash management

Ability to:  
- Plan, organize, direct and coordinate the work of management, supervisory, professional and technical personnel; delegate authority and responsibility 
- Select, supervise, train and evaluate staff 
- Provide administrative and professional leadership and direction for activities related to finance and central services 
- Identify and respond to community and City Council issues, concerns and needs 
- Develop, implement and administer goals, objectives and procedures for providing effective finance and purchasing services 
- Prepare and administer large and complex budgets; allocate limited resources in a cost effective manner 
- Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions and implement recommendations in support of goals 
- Research, analyze and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures and techniques 
- Prepare clear and concise reports 
- Interpret and apply Federal, State and local policies, procedures, laws and regulations 
- Interpret financial statements and cost accounting reports 
- Administer contracts and ensure compliance with contract provisions 
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing 
- Establish effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work 
- Develop and utilize a data processing system for processing City records including general ledger, revenue and expenditure ledgers and other pertinent City records, data, information and statistics  

Education:  Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from a college or university with a major in accounting, finance, business or public administration, or closely related field, and including courses in advanced accounting, auditing, cost accounting, and business law.  A master’s degree or equivalent coursework in a related field is preferred.

Experience:  Six (6) years of responsible financial experience including at least four (4) years as a supervisor.

Licenses/Certifications:  A valid Certified Public Accountant credential is preferred.
 
SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Public Employee Disaster Service Worker: In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, all Huntington Beach city employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

Other Qualifications

Work is primarily performed in an office environment and requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, bending, and stooping in the performance of daily activities.  The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination to operate a personal computer in order to prepare statistical reports and data.  Additionally, the position requires near vision in reading correspondence and statistical data on the computer.  
Reasonable accommodation(s) for an individual with a qualified disability will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

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