CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER III

State of careers Rhode Island • Providence, RI

20h • $152,065 - $170,589 • Onsite

About The Position

This position oversees the financial administration for a large and highly complex department’s fiscal and budgetary processes. The Chief Financial Officer III is responsible for all departmental fiscal functions, including budget development, internal controls, and the fiscal administration of programs funded by state, federal, or other sources. This role also participates as a key member of the agency’s executive leadership team in establishing and updating the agency’s strategic planning documents and key performance metrics. The position works under the administrative direction of the Department Director with wide latitude for independent initiative and judgment, and is subject to review through conferences and submitted reports. The role directly plans, coordinates, supervises, and reviews the work of a professional staff engaged in fiscal/financial tasks.

Requirements

• Possession of a master’s degree in Public Administration, Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of management-level experience in the administration and oversight of fiscal/administrative functions such as accounting, accounts examining, budget management or grants administration.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures of governmental accounting, budget execution and control, and fiscal management.
• Thorough knowledge of applicable federal and state legislation.
• Thorough knowledge of management and business administration principles and techniques.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques involved in operating a financial tracking and reporting system.
• Advanced knowledge of financial and budget related software.
• Ability to plan, develop, coordinate, and supervise the work of a staff engaged in performing departmental fiscal and administrative tasks.
• Ability to prepare and interpret financial reports, studies, and analyses.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to incorporate practices of business administration and fiscal management in developing complex programs for funding and budgeting.
• Ability to plan and direct the execution of fiscal management and methods studies and the composition of reports thereon.
• Ability to evaluate existing programs and develop plans for their expansion, modification, or elimination.
• Ability to utilize automated financial management, budget preparation, contract administration, and grant management systems.
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with subordinates, superiors, vendors, members of the legislature, other governmental agencies, and departments.
• Demonstrate analytical and critical thinking.
• Demonstrate problem solving.
• Demonstrate attention to detail.
• Demonstrate time management.
• Demonstrate communications (verbal, written, presentation, materials, unique approaches).
• Demonstrate developing and monitoring work and work processes.
• Demonstrate supervision.
• Demonstrate flexible.
• Demonstrate ability to lead a team.
• Demonstrate ability to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrate ability to develop process improvements.
• Must undergo a national fingerprint background screening.
• Must have employment eligibility validated through E-Verify.

Nice To Haves

• Candidates should demonstrate flexible, ability to lead a team, meet deadlines and ability to develop process improvements.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the financial administration for a large and highly complex department’s fiscal and budgetary processes.
• Be responsible for all departmental fiscal functions including budget development, internal controls, and the fiscal administration of programs funded by state, federal, or other sources.
• Participate as a key member of the agency’s executive leadership team in establishing and updating the agency’s strategic planning documents and key performance metrics.
• Provide leadership and direction for a departmental financial management team.
• Oversee agency staff who perform procurement, accounting and budget tasks using the State’s ERP software and other software tools.
• Lead the process to develop agency annual operating and capital budgets.
• Develop effective tools for comparing actual financial operating results with the budget and research/determine reasons for variances.
• Develop and implement effective corrective action plans to address variances between budgeted and actual expenditures.
• Present the agency’s budget, operating results, corrective action plans, and other financial matters to staff at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Accounts & Control, and legislative finance.
• Prepare all required reports and make presentations to explain budget variances and associated corrective action plans.
• Develop and monitor processes to ensure compliance with various Federal program provisions and Federal OMB Uniform Grants Guidance.
• Manage revenue and cash flow and ensure that funding from all non-general revenue sources, including Federal and restricted sources, is maximized to the extent allowable.
• Provide guidance to agency staff on compliance with generally-accepted accounting principles and ensure appropriate internal controls are implemented to protect agency assets and minimize risk.
• Oversee the maintenance, review, and reconciliation of financial information to subsidiary records to ensure compliance with generally-accepted accounting principles and sound internal control principles.
• Make relevant recommendations to the Department Director and senior management team to improve financial processes and internal controls.
• Collaborate with the Department of Administration in financially managing the completion of contracts, grants, purchasing and lease arrangements, and related special projects.
• Interpret federal and state laws and accounting principles to ensure departmental accounting processes and procedures comply.
• Be responsible for conducting analyses of the costs of various departmental operations to provide recommendations for reducing costs and ensuring costs are allocated properly.
• Be responsible and accountable for the proper receipt and disbursement of departmental funds, ensuring they are used for intended purposes.
• Be responsible for the evaluation of existing programs and develop plans for their expansion, modification, or elimination.
• Interface with federal and other funding sources to ensure all eligible funding resources are made available, and develop/implement corrective action plans in response to audit findings.
• Make recommendations to the Department Director on financial planning and developing systems for effective administrative and fiscal management.
• Attend meetings and conferences as required.
• Provide financial oversight, leadership, and management for a state agency.
• Develop, implement, oversee, and be responsible for the Department’s financial planning, forecasting, and reporting systems.
• Ensure successful development of the annual budget for the assigned department and track the budget throughout the development process.
• Ensure the budget is developed in accordance with statutory requirements and that the department’s submission is in balance.
• Collaborate with all senior management staff and community partners.
• Be responsible for the overall supervision of the central accounting system, expenditure control, and budgetary reports.
• Conduct cost analysis surveys of various Departmental operations and make recommendations for reducing costs.
• Develop and monitor all federal cost allocation plans to ensure appropriate claiming of federal funds.
• Monitor variances to the Department(s) budgets, analyze causes, and implement necessary adjustments.
• Exercise overall supervision and direction of billings and reimbursements.
• Provide leadership, training, and technical assistance to the Department’s financial officers and program staff.
• Supervise a staff of full-time employees who perform professional and technical functions within budget, fiscal reports, purchasing, contract management, and client/vendor payments.

Benefits

• For information regarding the benefits available to State of Rhode Island employees, please visit the Office of Employee Benefits' website at http://www.employeebenefits.ri.gov/.
• New hires are required to participate in the direct deposit system.
• Public service with purpose and impact.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive