Chief Financial Officer

DHRM • Richmond, VA

9d

About The Position

The Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to provide executive leadership and strategic direction for the agency’s financial operations. The CFO directs core functions including budget, financial programming, financial reporting, fiscal operations, compliance, and audit, and serves as a trusted member of the executive leadership team, providing strategic input across agency functions.

The role supports the Commonwealth’s freight rail and public transportation programs through responsible short- and long-term financial planning and management. The CFO ensures clear, transparent financial reporting, including development and public presentation of the agency budget and Six-Year Improvement Program. The position collaborates across departments to understand needs and priorities, identify funding strategies, use data to inform decisions and resource allocation, and coordinate multi-year financial plans.

The CFO leads the finance team in developing and administering operating and capital budgets and partners with Transit and Rail program leadership to secure and manage state and federal grant funds. The role also ensures the integrity of fiscal operations and compliance with fiscal and reporting requirements, and oversees external financial reviews and audits.

The agency offers a generous total compensation package. Well-qualified candidates may negotiate exceptional recruitment incentives. New external Commonwealth candidates may negotiate cash and leave bonuses upon hire; existing state employees may negotiate leave bonuses upon hire.

Requirements

• Comprehensive knowledge of complex financial structures, revenue, and cash resources.
• Considerable knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations and trends in government and public finance.
• Extensive knowledge of generally accepted management principles and practices in budget administration and procurement management; legislative processes; public finance; and related federal and state statutes and regulations.
• Outstanding collaboration skills, including the ability to build relationships and gain consensus among staff, colleagues, senior elected officials, stakeholders, and the public.
• Experience and knowledge to plan and accomplish short- and long-term goals.
• Ability to independently interpret and analyze rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to develop and implement organizational processes for managing finances effectively and maximizing available funds.
• Ability to communicate effectively, make presentations, and provide financial guidance to the organization and other entities.
• Demonstrated ability to make quality, timely decisions, sometimes with incomplete information, based on experience and sound judgment.
• Ability to promote the organization, make critical decisions, manage conflict, promote organizational alignment, build relationships, conduct high-level negotiations, and monitor and understand economic, political, social, business, and demographic changes.
• Significant and progressive experience leading and developing staff responsible for delivering complex, high-impact projects and services.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate degree in business administration with a background or training in government or public finance, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Senior management experience in financial planning, accounting, budgeting, cash management, and revenue forecasting.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification.
• Progressive experience in state government roles involving financial management, budget development and monitoring, fiscal analysis, and compliance with state policies and regulatory requirements.
• General knowledge of freight and passenger railroads, mass transit, and mobility management.
• Experience within the transportation industry.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for DRPT’s financial operations.
• Direct budget, financial programming, financial reporting, fiscal operations, compliance, and audit functions.
• Serve on the executive leadership team and provide strategic input to agency functions.
• Lead short- and long-term planning and management of financial resources.
• Ensure clear and transparent financial reporting, including development and public presentation of the agency budget and Six-Year Improvement Program.
• Collaborate across departments to understand needs and priorities and identify funding strategies.
• Use data to inform decision-making and resource allocation in an open and transparent manner.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to develop and coordinate multi-year financial plans and transparent financial reporting.
• Lead the finance team in developing and administering operating and capital budgets.
• Partner with Transit and Rail program leadership to secure and manage state and federal grant funds and provide financial input to agency programs.
• Ensure the integrity of fiscal operations and compliance with fiscal and reporting requirements.
• Oversee external financial reviews and audits to ensure financial stewardship and compliance.

Benefits

• Generous total compensation package.
• Well-qualified candidates may negotiate exceptional recruitment incentives.
• New external Commonwealth candidates may negotiate cash and leave bonuses upon hire.
• Existing state employees may negotiate leave bonuses upon hire.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed