Assistant Finance Director

Town of Fort Myers Beach Florida•Fort Myers Beach, FL

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Town of Fort Myers Beach is seeking a dynamic and hands-on finance leader to serve as Assistant Finance Director. This is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing and stabilizing the Town's day-to-day accounting operations, leading a high-performing team, and ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and efficiency of all financial functions. The ideal candidate is not only technically strong, but also a proactive problem-solver who can step in, bring structure, and drive operational excellence in a fast-paced municipal environment. If you are a proactive leader with a strong operational mindset, excellent communication skills, and a passion for public service, we encourage you to apply and be part of a team committed to delivering efficient, accountable, and high-quality service to our community. The Assistant Finance Director is a key leadership role responsible for directing and overseeing the daily operations of the Town's accounting and financial functions, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and strong internal controls across all areas of responsibility. This position serves as a strategic partner and deputy to the Finance Director, providing leadership to the accounting team while ensuring the integrity of financial reporting, compliance with governmental accounting standards, and alignment with the Town's fiscal priorities. This role is heavily focused on managing the day-to-day accounting operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial reporting, and audit coordination, while driving consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement within the department. The Assistant Finance Director also plays a critical role in the implementation, optimization, and ongoing maintenance of the Town's financial software systems, ensuring systems are effectively supporting operations, reporting, and internal controls.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field; Master's degree preferred.
Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible governmental accounting or public sector financial management experience, including at least three (3) years in a leadership role overseeing day-to-day accounting operations (general ledger, AP/AR, payroll, and financial reporting).
CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CMA (Certified Municipal Manager), or CGFO (Certified Government Finance Officer) certification strongly preferred; ability to obtain within a specified timeframe may be considered.
FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) Training: IS-100.C, IS-200.C, IS-700.B, IS-800 .D (Required within 12 months of employment if not already completed)
Active membership in the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), or willingness to obtain membership upon employment required.
Demonstrated experience with the implementation, configuration, or significant optimization of financial/ERP systems (Tyler Munis or similar preferred), including workflow design, reporting, and internal control alignment.
Demonstrated experience leading month-end and year-end close processes and coordinating external audits.
Proven ability to lead and stabilize accounting operations, implement process improvements, and drive accountability within a team environment.
Extensive knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) standards; Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards; Florida's Uniform Accounting System Requirements and financial reporting requirements.
In-depth understanding of municipal budgeting, forecasting, capital improvement planning, and fund accounting.
Solid understanding of Emergency Financial Management.
Detailed knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and compliance requirements related to public finance, including FEMA, ARPA, and other grant funding.
Knowledge of Florida Department of Revenue's Truth in Millage requirements.
Familiarity with debt financing, bond issuance, and investment strategies in a public-sector environment.
Understanding of enterprise fund operations, such as utilities and stormwater, and the development of related billing rates.
Knowledge of internal controls, audit processes, and financial risk management practices.
Awareness of public procurement laws, contract management practices, and ethical purchasing standards.
Knowledge of ERP and financial software systems used in government finance.
Familiarity with National Incident Management System requirements.
Strong analytical and financial modeling skills for data-driven decision-making.
Exceptional leadership and team development skills, with the ability to foster accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Skilled in strategic planning, goal setting, and policy development.
Proficient in the use of financial management systems, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation tools.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial information to elected officials, staff, and the public in an understandable manner, as well draft clear, concise policies and resolutions.
Effective project management and organizational skills to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Skilled in interpreting financial data and translating it into practical operational guidance.
Skilled in managing and forecasting cash flow.
Skilled in the preparation of monthly and annual financial statements and related accruals and necessary adjustments.
Skilled in reviewing RFP's, RFQ's, Bid's, and contract's scope of work, terms and conditions for completeness and accuracy.
Ability to maintain the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and transparency in all financial practices.
Ability to build strong working relationships with elected officials, staff, auditors, funding agencies, and the community.
Ability to interpret and apply complex legislation, regulations, and funding conditions.
Ability to identify financial risks and implement proactive strategies to mitigate them.
Ability to lead through change and guide the organization through financial challenges or recovery processes.
Ability to think strategically while maintaining attention to operational and technical details.
Ability to work under pressure and make informed, timely decisions in high-stakes or emergency situations.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree
CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CMA (Certified Municipal Manager), or CGFO (Certified Government Finance Officer) certification
Tyler Munis or similar financial/ERP system experience
FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) Training: IS-100.C, IS-200.C, IS-700.B, IS-800 .D (if not already completed)

Responsibilities

Provide direct leadership and oversight of the Town's day-to-day accounting operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, general ledger, and financial reporting functions, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
Lead, manage, and develop accounting staff, establishing clear expectations, monitoring performance, and ensuring departmental workflows and deadlines are consistently met.
Review and approve journal entries, reconciliations, and financial reports to maintain the integrity and accuracy of financial data.
Oversee the coordination of monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting.
Ensure strong internal controls are in place and consistently followed across all accounting functions to safeguard public funds.
Serve as a key leader in the implementation, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of the Town's financial software systems, ensuring system functionality aligns with operational needs and reporting requirements.
Identify opportunities to improve financial processes through system enhancements, automation, and best practices.
Manage user access, permissions, and controls within financial systems to ensure appropriate segregation of duties and data security.
Partner with the Finance Director to support financial strategy, budgeting, and long-term planning initiatives.
Coordinate and oversee the annual audit process, serving as a primary liaison with external auditors and ensuring all audit requirements are met.
Ensure compliance with GAAP, GASB, Uniform Grant Guidance, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
Develop, document, and implement accounting procedures and workflows that promote efficiency, consistency, and accountability.
Support and oversee financial reporting related to grants, ensuring compliance with funding requirements and accurate tracking of expenditures.
Provide clear and concise financial insights and reporting to leadership to support informed decision-making.
Attend assigned meetings and events.
Participate in emergency response and recovery operations as required.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Comprehensive health insurance with low deductibles and annual maximums.
The Town covers 100% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums.
Employer-paid life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
Gym membership reimbursement
Employees accrue paid leave monthly
Sick leave
Birthday benefit annually
14 paid holidays
Immediate vesting in a 401(a)/457(b) pension plan with generous employer contributions.