Budget & Finance Manager

City of Charlotte•Cocoa, FL

1d•$94,029 - $135,168

About The Position

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region. Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs. The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

Requirements

Applicant must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field and/or a minimum of five (5) years’ experience or a Master’s degree with three (3) years of relevant work experience in various facets of financial management, budget development, and municipal administration providing the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the essential job duties.
Strong critical thinking and strategic analytical skills
Ability to select, coach, supervise, motivate, train, develop, and evaluate the performance of staff through demonstration of managerial and leadership competencies, including integrity, accountability, communication skills, commitment to teamwork, and excellence
Ability to establish and effective working relationships
Working knowledge of the principles and practices of Governmental Accounting, Federal, State, and Local financial regulations
Demonstrate a high level of sustained accuracy and compliance with written procedures and verbal instructions
Possess considerable knowledge of budgetary preparation, monitoring, forecasting of expenses and revenues, and analysis
Ability to research and analyze complex financial transactions, draw logical conclusions, make viable recommendations, and develop solutions or alternative practices based on sound logic and data
Strong organizational, time management, and advanced problem-solving skills to manage multiple activities with attention to details
Ability to triage competing priorities according to importance and urgency
Ability to make decisions and produce high quality work independently
Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (particularly Word and Excel to include knowledge of pivot tables and other excel functions, demonstrating proficiency in creating and working effectively with spreadsheets, databases, and reporting systems)
Ability to quickly master City’s ERP System and CATS’ Systems, providing training support as needed to Project Managers and other staff
Participate in research and analysis projects to develop sustainable, quantifiable budget-related process improvements
Ability to work in diverse environment, working flexible schedules, days, and hours in completion of routine work and special assignments coordinating various functions
Ability to complete work assignments with minimum supervision
Ability to effectively communicate both, written and verbally

Responsibilities

Performs direct support to Senior Manager of Budgets & Financial Management to ensure financial systems reports and information are verified and financial transactions are accurately reported for inclusion in various financial reports
Performs budgetary, financial, and analytical tasks of high complexity and scope
Supervises, trains, and works with team of Senior Budget & Finance Analysts responsible for budget/financial management. Establishes priorities and delegates workload to complete major assignments.
Reviews budget requests and conducts a wide variety of studies, analysis, and program reports for Transit
Provides extensive input in coordinating development of quality operating and capital annual budgets for presentation to MTC and City, including grant funds budgeting for operation projects
Provides direct support to Senior Manager of Budgets & Financial Management with development and maintenance of annual projections, debt financing projections/administration, long-term financial plans, and needs and cost assessments in compliance with requirements of the Federal Transit Administration, and other specialized projects, e.g. monthly, quarterly, and annual reports to MTC
Ensures CATS’ budget entered accurately within City’s Budget System and agrees to City’s budget and Adopted MTC’s budget
Develops, analyzes, and completes operating, grant-funded operating, and capital budgets working with all levels of management in analyzing short and long-term operating and capital requirements
Provides supervision and ensures accuracy on tracking operating expenditures and obligations, reviews adequacy of supporting records and governing accounting procedures for operations in compliance
Supervises compilation of monthly Transit financial reports for Executive Team and Division Managers, providing year-to-date updates on operating expenditures, revenues, grants, transit activities, etc.
Reviews and enters budget transfers/amendments for operating and capital accounts
Handles day to day management of operating and capital budgets through requisitions, PSRs, purchase order/contract change orders, and journal transfers/entries transactions review, ensuring both budgets and expenditures are recorded to proper accounts
Maintains operating ledger and capital projects through budget adjustments, transfers, journal entries, and accounts set up
Coordinates and works closely with departmental staff to monitor the progression of spending, accruals, and other accounting functions for operating accounts and/or capital projects
Analyzes expense charges from other City of Charlotte departments for propriety and accuracy
Collects, maintains, and analyzes operational data to monitor and ensure CATS’ performance measures are in full compliance with MTC policies, City Finance, and Strategy & Budget standards
Coordinates special projects required by Transit industry in compliance with Federal, State, and Local regulations, such as the FTA Triennial Review, by gathering, maintaining, and analyzing data from multiple reporting systems, coordinating meetings, and following up
Creates and updates PowerPoint presentations for MTC, PTAG, and City Council
Develops, analyzes, and completes operating and capital grant proposals by working with all levels of management in analyzing long and short-term capital and operating requirements
Maintains a five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and is responsible for needs/cost assessments and justifications necessary for CIP development
Develops, controls, maintains, and updates grant registers of programmed budgets, obligations, payments, un-liquidated obligations, un-obligated funds, and available funds for all federal, state, and local grants, including any financing contingent upon future grants
Provides supervision and ensures accuracy on the tracking of grant expenditures and obligations, reviews adequacy of supporting records and governing procedures to account for resources and operations in compliance with grantor requirements
Develops and maintains grants status reports, which provides updates on grant-funded project commitments, obligations, and expenditures
Assists with all aspects of grants administration, including access to technical legislative and statutory references
Performs other related duties as assigned
As part of your responsibility to support the CATS Safety Culture, report safety concerns and issues through the various methods established by CATS as outlined in the ASP.