Deputy Chief Financial Officer

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Overview :
Founded in 1647, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the birthplace of public education in the United States. With approximately 57,000 students from over 114 different countries, nearly 9,000 employees (including 4,800 teachers) and an annual budget of $873 million, BPS is the largest school district in Massachusetts and is one of the most diverse as well. BPS has been recognized as one of the top urban school districts in the United States; in 2006, it was awarded the Broad Prize for Urban Education as the most improved urban school district in the nation. In 2010, the McKinsey consulting firm highlighted BPS as one of the most improving public school systems in the world.

Introduction

The Boston Public Schools Finance & Budget Team strives for continuous improvement in the following areas:

• Creating financial plans that support the school district's core academic agenda;
• Ensuring that all schools have equitable access to available resources that support the needs of the students that they serve;
• Providing insightful, accurate and timely financial analysis that supports policy formulation and decision making;
• Maintaining controls to ensure that spending meets appropriate legal requirements and that funds are used thoughtfully, responsibly, effectively, and ethically; and
• Offering high levels of customer support

The Deputy Chief Financial Officer will use a combination of financial management, strategic thinking, project management, and cross-functional team leadership skills to build on the department's successes.

Boston Public Schools is seeking to fill a senior level position on the Finance & Budget Team that reports to the Chief Financial Officer. This position will lead or play a major role in the following areas:

Responsibilities

Develop and implement multi-year strategic budget development processes : create and implement processes to determine funding allocations as equitably and strategically as possible, including the following:

• Framing key decisions for flexible funding opportunities for district leadership, for instance, anticipating changes in sources federal and state grants
• Proposing and recommending options (a conceptual framework for prioritizing resources) for how to most strategically make those funding decisions to best advance the Superintendent's Acceleration Agenda
• Working across departments to codify ways to ensure measured outcomes are informing decisions, and processes are put in place with significant lead time

Support formal budget development process : work with the budget team to develop a balanced district budget and communications for School Committee and City Council hearings, including the following:

• Presentation of data that is clear, precise, and easily understood by a variety of stakeholders
• Working across departments to ensure timely follow-up on questions or issues that arise in public hearings
• Coordination of efforts with City of Boston financial team

Project manage : acting as the Finance representative for key projects that require extensive internal and cross-functional collaboration.

Provide policy support : On-going review and development of policies that impact Finance & Budget

Serve on Finance leadership team : act as a member of the Finance leadership team, providing input and leadership on cross-department issues and policies.

All other duties as assigned by the Chief Financial Officer.

Requirements:

• 5-7 years experience in strategic planning and/or budgeting and finance
• Experience in urban school districts preferred
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills
• Strong communications and presentation skills
• Proficiency in working with financial/human resources systems
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Skilled at leading and participating in cross-functional teams

Terms:
Managerial; Salary commensurate with skills and experience, Tier E

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals' dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.