Assistant Director of Finance

City of Suffolk•Suffolk, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Suffolk seeks a highly motivated and experienced financial professional, driven by integrity, excellence and professionalism with a successful background in local government accounting to serve as the next Assistant Director of Finance. Under limited supervision, the Assistant Director assists the Director of Finance in directing the City’s financial operations, with primary responsibility for the finance division’s performance of governmental accounting, general ledger integrity, year-end closing activities, audit preparation and coordination, debt management and compliance, internal control, and development of the City’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. The position supervises and reviews complex accounting activities, ensures financial transactions are properly recorded and supported, strengthens internal controls, and coordinates the work necessary to produce accurate and timely financial statements. The position also provides oversight and support for debt management, financial analysis, and other Citywide financial initiatives. The Assistant Director of Finance is responsible for the Finance Division and is part of a three division management team and supervises the finance division’s 13 member staff with four direct reports (grants manager, payroll manager, controller and financial reporting manager). The position is the senior member of the management team under the Director of Finance and may provide limited oversight of budget or procurement activities when assigned or in the Director’s absence but is not responsible for the day-to-day management of the City’s budget or procurement functions. The Assistant Director acts on behalf of the Director when assigned or in the Director’s absence and reports directly to the Director of Finance. The ideal candidate will embody the guiding principles of the department and possess strong ethics, significant municipal accounting experience, excellent analytical and leadership skills and the ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to all levels of the organization. The position may present financial information to City Council or the public as directed. 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. Since 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 be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or closely related field
6 years previous experience and/or training that includes progressively responsible governmental accounting, financial management, general accounting, financial analysis, budget development, financial reporting, accounting controls, public procurement, supervision, and personal computer operations
Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Nice To Haves

Valid Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification
Possession and maintenance of valid Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) certification

Responsibilities

Directs and reviews the City’s accounting activities including general ledger maintenance, journal entries, account reconciliations, receivables, payables, payroll, capital assets, debt, leases, grants, accruals, financial schedules and supporting documentation prepared by staff.
Ensures routine and complex transactions are properly recorded in the appropriate funds and accounts and that balances are accurate, adequately supported and reconciled timely.
Identifies discrepancies, determines appropriate corrections, and ensures issues are resolved timely.
Leads and coordinates preparation of the City’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report; including the year-end closing process, financial statements, note disclosures, supporting schedules, statistical information, and other required reporting.
Ensures the ACFR is accurate, complete, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable governmental accounting standards, and completed within established deadlines.
Serves as the primary Finance Department coordinator for the City’s annual external financial audit and other assigned financial, compliance, and regulatory audits.
Coordinates audit requests and departmental responses, reviews supporting documentation, resolves accounting issues, monitors audit progress, and assists with developing and implementing corrective actions.
Supervises assigned employees; including assigning and reviewing work, establishing performance standards, identifying training needs, evaluating performance, addressing employee concerns, and recommending or initiating appropriate personnel actions.
Coordinates daily work activities; organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; monitors the status and quality of work performed; assists staff with complex or unusual situations; and provides technical accounting guidance.
Ensures departmental compliance with applicable laws, regulations, accounting standards, policies, and procedures and initiates appropriate action to correct identified deficiencies or violations.
Collaborates with the Director of Finance on the development and revision of departmental and Citywide financial policies, procedures, internal controls, methods of operation, and organizational practices to improve accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness.
Oversees the implementation and maintenance of financial policies and internal controls and provides technical assistance to Finance staff and other City departments regarding accounting procedures, financial records, documentation requirements, and accountability.
Performs or oversees financial compliance reviews and other internal reviews as assigned.
Identifies control weaknesses, accounting deficiencies, or areas of financial risk and recommends corrective action.
Manages the development and administration of the Finance Department’s operating budget and monitors departmental expenditures.
Provides oversight and support for debt issuance and management activities.
Reviews financial schedules and documents related to debt transactions and assists with preliminary official statements and other legal, technical, or financial documents as needed.
Researches, analyzes, reviews, and prepares financial reports, schedules, account analyses, agenda items, correspondence, and other documents.
Performs special financial, analytical, budgetary, accounting, or purchasing projects as assigned.
Consults with the Director of Finance regarding financial operations, complex accounting matters, departmental priorities, operational issues, and recommendations for improvement.
Attends meetings, serves on committees, represents the Finance Department, and makes presentations as assigned.
Reviews and approves employee time records, leave requests, invoices, and other administrative documents within assigned authority.
Maintains current knowledge of applicable laws, accounting standards, professional practices, and emerging issues affecting municipal financial operations.
Participates in relevant professional organizations, workshops, and training.
Performs the duties of the Director of Finance in the Director’s absence or as assigned.
Performs other related duties as required.