DEFINITION

Manages the Finance Department and all financial accounting, reporting, revenue collection and disbursement, tax filing, investment and money management functions for the City; assists City Manager in development of annual budget; plans, coordinates and conducts financial and operations analyses and prepares recommendations and acts as financial advisor for City.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Finance Director/City Treasurer has responsibility for the lawful, effective and prudent disbursement, investment and management of City funds as well as for ensuring the City's compliance with all regulations governing the keeping of municipal financial records and the filing of reports. The incumbent is responsible for maintaining positive community relations while efficiently collecting sufficient taxes, fees and fines to sustain the City's operations. The incumbent is expected to know all laws, codes and standards regulating municipal finances and within these guidelines, has discretion to plan, organize and direct the City's financial operations.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED/EXERCISED

Policy direction is provided by the City Council and administrative direction is provided by the City Manager. The Finance Director/City Treasurer provides direct and indirect supervision of staff engaged in the operations of the Finance Department.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Manages Finance Department activities relating to the billing and collection of taxes, fees, assessments, fines and other forms of revenue; manages investment portfolio of idle City funds; ensures that investments for each fund are properly made and accounted for; conducts studies of cash on hand and cash flow requirements to determine investment schedules; invests money in accordance with City and State policies; transfers funds; monitors the market and status of current and proposed investments; oversees maintenance of accounting records of investments, including forecasting and apportioning investment income; works with underwriters on issuance of municipal bonds; ensures availability of funds for debt service payments and proper accounting for bond funds; plans, coordinates, conducts or reviews cost analyses, financial and operations analyses and makes recommendations to department heads and the City Manager; attends City Council meetings as required and makes staff reports, updates and advises Council regarding financial matters including the advisability of increasing fees and taxes; prepares resolutions and ordinances; manages the preparation of annual financial reports, budgets, and budget projections; assists departments with financial planning and budgeting; analyzes impact of department requests for funds; projects revenue and expenditures; controls budget for various City departments and projects, reviews capital improvement projects and ensures that authorized expenditures match the proper funding source; oversees assessment segregations; supervises the maintenance of the General Ledger and the preparation and analysis of various financial statements, schedules and reports; reviews revenue and expense reports, cash reports, transfers and disbursements; reviews and signs checks; works with external auditors to complete fiscal year audits; responds to complaints and requests for information from a variety of sources; serves as staff liaison with consultants; recommends and develops changes in accounting and budget control systems and procedures to streamline operations and comply with new laws and regulations; works with contractor to design and maintain finance software; selects, trains, organizes and sets standards for the work of staff; provides technical assistance to staff; represents the City in community meetings and with various governmental bodies.

OTHER DUTIES

Represents the City in various situations and does other duties and special projects as requested by the City Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience/Education/Training

Sufficient experience, education and training to manage the finances of a City, the collection, accounting and reporting of City funds and the work of a City finance department. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications is to have the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, business or public administration and five years of increasingly responsible work in governmental accounting, auditing and financial management, including two years in a supervisory capacity.

Knowledge/Skill/Ability

Thorough knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, principles and practices of governmental accounting and budgeting, investment management, public administration and personnel management; good knowledge of fund accounting and reporting; of standard financial office procedures, machines, manual and automated data storage, processing and retrieval systems; thorough knowledge of laws, codes and regulations pertaining to the financial operations of municipal government. This position requires skill to manage public money, to make financial plans, projections and budgets and to apply financial regulations and sound accounting principles to a wide variety of transactions; skill to use spreadsheets and other computer applications related to financial operations; skill to analyze, interpret and quickly act upon data related to investment decisions and other financial transactions, to make independent decisions and to solve practical operational problems. Ability to analyze and evaluate operations, systems and financial data; detect problems and suggest corrective action as well as operations, systems and financial data; detect problems and suggest corrective action as well as ability to analyze needs and develop and implement systems or programs to meet them; resolve conflicts, communicate and work effectively with others in City government, boards and commissions, attorneys, underwriters, contractors and members of the public; plan and coordinate the efforts of others; train and supervise others and evaluate their work.

Working Conditions

Position requires prolonged sitting in the performance of daily duties and frequent repetitive keyboarding motion for preparing reports and other documents. The position also requires walking and some standing, stooping, pushing, dragging, and light lifting of journals, printouts or boxes.

License/Certificate

Possession of a Class C California driver's license by date of appointment.