Director, Budget and Finance

Harris County Sheriff's Office•Houston, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Finance serves as the senior executive responsible for strategic financial leadership, fiscal governance, and enterprise-wide financial operations of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). The role oversees an annual operating and capital budget exceeding $750 million and supports a large, complex public safety organization operating across law enforcement, detention, support services, and specialized operational units. The Director advises the Sheriff, Chief Deputy, and Executive Command on fiscal strategy, budget planning, resource allocation, and long-term financial sustainability, balancing operational readiness, accountability, compliance, and strategic planning within public-sector funding and oversight requirements. The position provides executive oversight of budgeting, accounting, reporting, procurement coordination, grants, internal controls, multi-year financial planning, and capital funding. It also oversees the Inmate Trust Bank and commissary financial administration, and leads and develops the Finance Division team. The position is appointed by the Sheriff and is civil service exempt and full-time. It operates primarily in a professional office setting, with frequent access to secure detention and operational areas and on-site response as needed for mission-critical systems or outages. The typical schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with availability for after-hours and on-call support as required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education, executive-level experience, and professional expertise may be considered.
Ten years of progressively responsible financial management experience, including five years at an executive or senior leadership level.
Extensive public-sector finance, audit, and compliance experience.
Advanced knowledge of employment and labor law in a civil service or public-sector environment.
Advanced knowledge of workforce planning, organizational design, and classification and compensation systems.
Advanced knowledge of employee relations, grievance administration, and disciplinary processes.
Advanced knowledge of HR governance, policy development, and risk management.
Advanced knowledge of HRIS platforms, workforce analytics, and data-driven decision-making.
Advanced knowledge of executive-level budgeting, financial stewardship, and resource allocation.
Ability to advise executive leadership and elected officials.
Ability to balance operational authority, employee rights, and legal compliance in a public safety environment.
Ability to lead complex, sensitive workforce matters with discretion and sound judgment.
Ability to influence outcomes across bureaus and divisions without direct operational command.
Ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership, legal counsel, oversight bodies, and external stakeholders.
Ability to lead large, multidisciplinary teams through organizational change and modernization initiatives.
Ability to work in controlled-access environments, including housing units, intake, control rooms, and restricted law enforcement systems areas, and to respond on-site in support of mission-critical systems or outages.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Experience managing large-scale public-sector budgets; budgets of $500 million or more are preferred.
CPA, CGFM, or similar professional certification.
Executive experience in law enforcement, corrections, or large governmental organizations.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary financial advisor to the Sheriff, Chief Deputy, and Executive Command.
Participate as a member of Executive Command on matters with agency-wide fiscal impact.
Represent HCSO with County Administration, the Auditor’s Office, Budget Office, Purchasing, Legal, and Commissioners Court.
Oversee financial operations, including budgeting, accounting, reporting, procurement coordination, grants, and internal controls.
Direct development and execution of an annual budget exceeding $750 million.
Lead multi-year financial planning and capital funding strategies.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, county, and local fiscal regulations.
Maintain audit readiness and internal control systems and coordinate with internal and external auditors.
Analyze expenditure trends and cost drivers.
Supervise the financial implications of labor, staffing, and compensation in collaboration with Human Resources.
Evaluate funding for new initiatives and programs.
Provide executive oversight of the Inmate Trust Bank, including its administration, internal controls, and regulatory compliance.
Oversee financial administration of inmate commissary funds, safeguarding inmate accounts and ensuring transparent, accountable use of funds.
Coordinate with Detention leadership, Legal, and external partners regarding inmate financial services.
Lead and develop the Finance Division team.
Establish financial policies and performance standards.
Promote transparency and accountability across the organization.