Assistant Finance Director
Group: City of Eugene
Location: Eugene, OR
Salary Range: $112,632.00 - $152,048.00 Annually
Deadline Information: This position is open until filled. The first review will take place: Monday April 3, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. PDT
Deadline Date: 04/03/2023
Posted Date: 03/20/2023
Contact Information for Applicants
Samantha Wright
swright@eugene-or.gov
5416825061
General Statement of Duties
Do you enjoy ensuring that all of a city’s financial functions run smoothly? Are you interested in helping a finance organization move through significant changes in personnel and service delivery? Would you like to lead debt management functions including planning, issuing, and managing municipal debt for a highly rated city in the Pacific Northwest? If yes, then you might be the right person for an exciting opportunity with the Central Services Finance Division.
The City of Eugene's Finance Division is recruiting for an Assistant Finance Director.
The Assistant Finance Director will oversee operational aspects of the work of the Finance Division and will also serve as the City’s Debt Manager, managing a portfolio consisting of $85 million of outstanding debt. This is a reconfiguration of an existing position as a result of a pending retirement, so there will be opportunities to shape the roles and responsibilities together with the Finance Director to create a cohesive partnership for leading the Finance Division. The Finance Division has a staff of 30 full-time equivalent employees and a budget of $5.8 million.
The Assistant Finance Director will ensure effective operations for various functions within the Finance Division, which could include Budget & Analysis, Procure-to-Pay (P2P), Payroll, Financial Reporting, Accounts Payable, Customer Receivables and Payroll Tax Administration. The position will work closely with the Finance Director to respond to strategic priorities, such as staffing policy teams related to major capital projects, analyzing significant changes to City services that will have a financial impact, or adjusting provision of financial services to meet organizational needs and resources.
In addition, the City is seeking a candidate to serve as the City’s Debt Manager. The position will manage all aspects of debt administration. In terms of planning, this position will work with City departments to advise on whether it is possible or feasible to issue debt for a variety of ideas that are generated by City Council, staff and the public. The Debt Manager will serve on policy teams that provide oversight for bond funds and act as the debt expert that advises the City Council on bond-related matters.
The Assistant Finance Director will be a skilled public finance professional with strong communication skills (oral and written), excellent planning and organizational skills, technical knowledge of multiple financial functions, and the ability to work as part of a team. They will have experience directing staff to manage multiple complex tasks under tight deadlines and should be comfortable working independently with minimal guidance from the Finance Director.
Some of the opportunities that this manager will be charged with leading include:
• Staffing transitions as long-time employees retire.
• Supporting and guiding employees through service changes in several of the functional areas.
• Working with department staff, outside consultants, rating agencies and financial professionals to develop a potential revenue bond issue.
• Continuing the effort to effectively document and ensure cross training for continuity of critical financial services.
• Completing a plan for Emergency Continuity of Operations in collaboration with central finance staff and staff across the organization trained in Emergency Operations Center operations.
THIS POSITION IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED
The first review of applications will take place: Monday, April 3, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. PDT
ONLINE APPLICATIONS ONLY
Salary Range: $54.15 - $73.10 Hourly / $112,632.00 - $152,048.00 Annually
The City of Eugene determines starting pay within the range based on relevant education and experience as provided by the applicant in their application materials. This process is consistent with the Oregon Equal Pay Act (OEPA). You can learn more about our process at our How to Apply page.
Department/Division: Central Services / Finance
Work Location: Downtown Library, 100 W. 10th Ave., Suite 400, Eugene, OR 97401
Must reside in the state of Oregon and be able to report onsite in Eugene, OR for work as needed.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM with flexibility per business need.
Benefits: The City of Eugene offers robust and competitive benefits. For more info, click the Benefits Tab, or visit this summary page as well as this benefits package page.
Examples of Duties Performed - Duties may include but are not limited to the following
• Partner with the Finance Director to facilitate and manage the Finance Division’s operations, goals, and initiatives. Participate in the review, development and implementation of policies and procedures, both for the Division and city-wide, that guide sound fiscal management and efficient and effective financial services.
• Serve as Debt Manager for the City of Eugene and the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency to conduct reviews and analyses of the debt financing needs; construct the appropriate financing strategy to be presented to the City Council for approval, including type of instrument, magnitude of issuance and market timing; leading issuance of new debt issues with bond counsel, financial advisors, rating agencies, and underwriters; and managing all existing debt obligations of the City including post-issuance compliance requirements of the Internal Revenue Service, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and other regulatory bodies.
• Act as consultant on a wide range of complex financial issues for departments, Executive Managers, and elected and appointed officials; provide an analysis of the financial impact and risk to the organization from undertaking new approaches or initiatives.
• Represent the Finance Division to other city departments, elected officials and outside agencies; coordinate division activities with those of other departments and outside agencies and organizations; provide staff support to assigned boards and commissions.
• Research, mediate and resolve technical, sensitive and/or controversial inquiries, complaints and concerns; communicate and coordinate with other program areas to ensure effectiveness of interdepartmental operations and activities; respond to requests for information from elected and appointed officials, the media, the public, and business and community organizations.
• Serve as a member of the Finance Leadership Team; create the division budget; participate in development of goals, objectives, policies, and procedures; act in the capacity of the Finance Director in their absence.
• Select, supervise, and evaluate assigned staff; assign work and ensure appropriate training is provided; investigate complaints; recommend and administer disciplinary actions; handle sensitive personnel matters and recommend grievance responses; exercise full supervision over employees.
• Performs related and other duties as assigned.
To view detailed information on the duties, knowledge, and abilities that may be expected for this position, please see the classification: Assistant Finance Director
Qualifications
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes with relevant transferrable skills from a variety of sources and experiences. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role
When screening your application, the City will consider an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to meet minimum qualifications for this position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Training & Education:
• Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business or Public Administration, or a closely related field.
• Master’s Degree in Finance, Business or Public Administration is preferred.
Experience:
• Five years of professional experience in finance administration and management, including two years of supervisory or program management experience.
• Experience working with municipal debt or working in multiple areas for a municipal finance organization is preferred.
Licenses and Certificates:
• Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) is preferred.
Must pass a background check
The ideal candidate will have the following Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
Leading through Transition
The successful candidate will be adept at leading an organization through transition to new managers within the Finance Division and new service provision approaches. Throughout the process, the successful candidate will develop and cultivate trust and confidence within the team, organization, policy makers and community.
Commitment to Financial Integrity and Stewardship
The ideal candidate will be committed to ensuring the integrity of the City’s financial information, responsible stewardship of the City's financial resources, and the transparency of financial data and processes; and they will promote understanding of the impact and risks that financial decision making today can have on the organization in the long term.
Municipal Debt Management Skills
The candidate for this role will be able to work with staff throughout the organization, as well as policy makers, to determine whether it is advisable to issue debt to fund service needs. They will apply their municipal debt knowledge to ensure that the City’s debt portfolio is well managed and complies with all applicable rules and regulations.
Excellent Communication Skills
The candidate will have the ability to clearly explain, both orally and in writing, elements of the City’s financial position, key financial issues and debt management concepts to the City Council, Budget Committee, Executive Managers, City staff and the media.
Creativity, Flexibility and Ambiguity
The Assistant Finance Director will use creative problem solving and innovation to approach complex issues from a broad perspective and see a variety of options and scenarios to be explored. They must be comfortable with remaining flexible while working within all state, federal and local laws and policies. Assignments may be made with ambiguous instructions and a level of uncertainty of the desired or expected outcome.
Strong Interpersonal Skills
The successful candidate for this role will develop and cultivate a respectful and inclusive work environment, and take the time to appreciate, understand and learn from the diversity of their teammates, the organization, and the community. The candidate will demonstrate self-awareness and emotional intelligence, be open and accepting of other people's perspectives and needs, give others the chance to shine, look at themselves honestly, and take responsibility for their actions.
Supplemental Information
What to Expect from our Selection Process: Applicants are screened based upon their relevant knowledge, abilities, skills, experience, and training. The selection process varies according to the position and can include such things as screening of supplemental questionnaires, written or skill tests, ability or fitness tests, interviews, and assessment processes. In addition, background investigations and records checks may be required. Some positions also require applicants to have a psychological evaluation and/or physical examination and a drug test prior to employment. Marijuana use is evaluated consistent with current state law regulations. PLEASE NOTE: Once the posting closes, the process can take 4-6 weeks to complete.
Living & Working in Eugene: For more information on living in Eugene, how the City of Eugene operates, and more, visit this page.
Non-Represented Retirement Program: Upon eligibility, the City will contribute an employee contribution of 6%, as well as the employer contribution, to a retirement program administered by the Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). In addition, the City will pay a 3% contribution to a deferred compensation program if the employee contributes at least 1%.
Eligibility List: This posting may also be used to establish an eligibility list of applicants for future vacancies. Candidates that are placed on the eligibility list will be notified via email which will include the duration of the list and how notification of call up will occur.