Director of Treasury & Financial Planning

City of Charlotte•Charlotte, NC

4d•$145,541 - $209,214

About The Position

This position provides senior leadership for CATS’ treasury operations, debt management, investment activities, and long-range financial planning. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Financial Officer or Chief Financial Officer, this role is responsible for safeguarding CATS’ financial resources, ensuring adequate liquidity, managing debt and investment programs, and developing long-term financial strategies that support organizational sustainability. Provides expanded oversight of regulatory compliance including GASB standards, SEC disclosure requirements, and Sarbanes Oxley related internal control expectations. The Director plays a critical role in aligning cash management, capital financing, and long-range financial planning with CATS’ service objectives, capital program, and governance requirements as the organization matures as an independent regional transit authority. The position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte, and will transition to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA) on January 1, 2027. Employees will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, with benefits and compensation following City provisions until the transition. The MPTA aims to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long-term investment in mobility.

Requirements

Advanced knowledge of treasury management, cash flow analysis, debt structures, investment practices, and long-range financial planning.
Ability to evaluate complex financial information, assess risk, and support sound financial decision-making in a public-sector environment.
Interprets financial, market, and operational information to identify significant trends, risks, and implications.
Evaluates alternatives with attention to liquidity, affordability, compliance, and long-term financial impact.
Applies sound judgment in translating complex treasury and financial planning issues into practical recommendations.
Ability to manage liquidity, cash positioning, debt-related obligations, investment considerations, and other financial risks in a manner that protects organizational resources and supports stable operations.
Maintains a strong risk-awareness mindset in matters involving cash, debt, investments, and financial obligations.
Anticipates changing conditions that may affect liquidity, affordability, or financial flexibility.
Balances prudent control of financial resources with the need to support operational and capital priorities.
Ability to connect treasury activities and long-term financial planning to broader organizational strategy, capital delivery, operating needs, and governance expectations.
Evaluates financial issues in the broader context of service plans, capital needs, funding sources, and organizational priorities.
Recognizes interdependencies among cash flow, debt capacity, capital commitments, and long-term sustainability.
Supports forward-looking planning that helps position the organization for resilience and informed decision-making.
Ability to lead managers and professional staff, establish clear expectations, and maintain high standards for analytical rigor, accountability, documentation, and service.
Provides direction, coaching, and follow-through that strengthen team performance and professional judgment.
Promotes consistency, coordination, and accountability across treasury and financial planning activities.
Supports organizational capability through staff development, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
Ability to communicate complex treasury, financing, and long-range financial issues clearly to executive leadership, governing boards, advisors, and other stakeholders and to support decision-making through credible analysis and advice.
Presents financial risks, options, and implications in a clear, organized, and decision-oriented manner.
Adapts communication for technical and non-technical audiences without losing substance or accuracy.
Maintains credibility in high-visibility discussions involving uncertainty, long-term commitments, or competing priorities.
Ability to exercise sound judgment in sensitive or high-impact financial matters and demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and accountability in the stewardship of public resources.
Makes principled decisions in situations involving risk, ambiguity, or significant organizational impact.
Takes ownership for quality, follow-through, and responsible management of assigned functions.
Demonstrates reliability, discretion, and ethical consistency in leadership practice.
Public-sector treasury management and cash management practices.
Debt financing structures, bond covenants, and disclosure requirements.
Investment management principles and public-sector investment regulations.
Long-range financial planning and sustainability analysis.
Applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting transit finance.
Leading treasury, debt, and financial planning functions.
Developing cash flow forecasts and long-term financial models.
Coordinating complex financing transactions and compliance activities.
Analyzing financial risk and communicating implications to leadership.
Preparing executive- and board-level financial materials.
Exercise independent judgment on complex financial and risk matters.
Balance liquidity, risk, and return objectives within governance constraints.
Support executive decision-making with clear, forward-looking financial insight.
Coordinate effectively across Finance and capital program functions.
Maintain high standards of integrity, accountability, and professionalism.
Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, public administration, or a related field and seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in treasury, debt management, financial planning, or public-sector finance, including management responsibility, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field.
Experience in public-sector, transportation, or transit agency treasury or capital finance.
Experience with debt issuance, investment management, and long-range financial planning.
Experience with EFP platforms, treasury management systems, and automated financial forecasting tools.
Professional certifications (i.e.: CTP, CPA, CFA)

Responsibilities

Establish and oversee CATS’ treasury policies, procedures, and internal controls governing cash management, investments, and debt activities.
Ensure treasury operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, bond covenants, investment policies, and governance standards.
Serve as CATS’ primary authority on treasury-related financial risk, liquidity management, and funding structures.
Direct cash management activities to ensure sufficient liquidity to meet operating, capital, and debt service obligations.
Oversee cash flow forecasting and short- and long-term liquidity planning.
Coordinate banking relationships, account structures, and cash controls to safeguard CATS’ assets.
Lead planning and execution of debt issuance, refinancing, and related financing transactions.
Oversee compliance with bond covenants, continuing disclosure requirements, and post-issuance monitoring.
Coordinate with Budget, Accounting, Legal, and external advisors to support effective capital financing strategies.
Prepare rating agency materials incorporating forward looking financial and operating forecasts.
Oversee investment strategies and portfolios in accordance with CATS’ investment policies and risk tolerance.
Monitor investment performance, compliance, and market conditions.
Ensure appropriate segregation of duties and controls over investment activities.
Direct development of long-range financial plans that integrate operating forecasts, capital plans, debt service, and funding assumptions.
Evaluate long-term affordability, financial risks, and sustainability under varying economic and policy scenarios.
Support executive leadership and governing boards with financial projections and strategic financial insights.
Includes scenario modeling and sensitivity analysis of revenues, debt service, economic downturns, and policy shifts.
Integrate fare revenue trends, federal funding forecasts, and tax base projections into long term models.
Provide leadership, direction, and performance oversight to managers and professional staff within the Treasury and Financial Planning function.
Establish expectations for analytical rigor, risk management, documentation, and service standards.
Support workforce development, succession planning, and consistent management practices.
Build staff competencies in financial modeling, compliance, investment analytics, and treasury technology.
Collaborate with Budgets and Financial Management, Accounting and Controls, Procurement, and capital delivery teams to support integrated financial management.
Serve as a financial advisor to executive leadership on liquidity, debt capacity, and long-term financial risks.
Prepare and present treasury and financial planning materials for executive leadership and governing boards.