Financial System, Support & Reporting Manager (WMS2)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Lacey, WA

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is seeking a strategic and collaborative leader to serve as the Financial System, Support & Reporting Manager within the Accounting and Financial Services (AFS) Division. This role leads multiple teams responsible for financial systems development, support, training, and reporting that enable statewide financial operations across the agency. The position safeguards the integrity of WSDOT’s financial systems and reporting by ensuring compliance with accounting standards, regulatory requirements, and internal controls. It plays a critical role in advancing statewide financial services that support safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation for communities across Washington. The manager will partner with leaders, technical teams, and external stakeholders to improve systems, implement policy, strengthen operational performance, and ensure WSDOT remains audit-ready and positioned for long-term success.

Requirements

Advanced Strategic Leadership: Ability to lead, supervise, and develop multidisciplinary teams while fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous growth.
Policy & Regulatory Expertise: Knowledge of complex financial policies, regulatory environments, and compliance requirements with the ability to interpret and apply them effectively.
Analytical Thinking: Skill in evaluating complex data, systems, and business processes to support sound decision-making and organizational performance.
Strategic Alignment: Ability to align team priorities, system initiatives, and operational goals with organizational objectives and compliance requirements.
Influence & Communication: Ability to influence decisions through clear, data-informed recommendations and translate complex concepts into understandable information for diverse audiences.
Decision-Making: Ability to make high-impact decisions in complex environments where information may be incomplete or precedent may be limited.
Financial Systems Knowledge: Knowledge of large-scale governmental financial systems and statewide financial reporting environments.
Federal Compliance Knowledge: Knowledge of federal funding requirements and compliance practices related to financial operations and reimbursement.
Data & Performance Measurement: Skill in using analytics, reporting strategies, and performance measures to improve organizational effectiveness.
Systems Innovation: Knowledge of emerging technologies, automation tools, and system optimization strategies.
Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
Service-Oriented: Takes action to meet the needs of others.

Nice To Haves

State Financial Systems Integration: Knowledge of state financial systems integration, such as AFRS, DOTtime, TRAINS 4.0, HRMS, IDL, Crosswalk, Synapse, or related system interfaces.

Responsibilities

Lead and support multidisciplinary teams responsible for financial systems development, support, training, and reporting to deliver accurate, timely, and compliant outcomes.
Establish strategic direction for financial systems by aligning priorities, enhancements, and operational improvements with agency goals and compliance requirements.
Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal leaders, external partners, and regulatory entities to communicate system changes, risks, and priorities effectively.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture by establishing performance expectations, supporting professional growth, managing competing priorities, and ensuring operational continuity.
Strengthen governance, internal controls, and audit readiness through effective change management, system security, access controls, and performance monitoring.
Oversee end-user training and support programs to ensure staff have accessible resources, current guidance, and high-quality service experiences.
Drive continuous improvement by identifying inefficiencies, leveraging data to inform decisions, and supporting innovation in financial systems and business processes.
Communicate complex technical and financial concepts clearly to diverse audiences, including leadership, end users, and stakeholders across the agency.
Safeguard agency financial systems by overseeing vendor service agreements, disaster recovery planning, system upgrades, maintenance, testing, and operational readiness.
Manage vendor contracts for financial systems, including drafting, reviewing, modifying, and monitoring agreements to ensure compliance and service expectations are met.
Analyze, develop, and implement complex financial policies and regulations to support statewide accounting practices, compliance, and financial system integrity.
Serve on behalf of the Assistant Director, as needed, to support operational continuity and organizational priorities.