Finance Director

Position Title:  Finance Director

Department:  Finance

Reports To:  Town Manager

Contract/Grade:  Personnel Policies, Grade 15 

FLSA Status:  Exempt

Pay Range:  Pay range begins at $109,413 annually (starting pay depends on qualifications)

1.       Nature of Work:  The Finance Director is responsible for coordinating and supervising all operations of the Finance Department consisting of Accounting, Assessing, Treasury & Collections, performing a variety of complex professional, administrative, supervisory, and technical accounting and finance functions involved in maintaining the fiscal records of the Town.  Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

2.       Supervision Received:  Under direct supervision of the Town Manager, the employee plans and carries out the regular work in accordance with standard practices and previous training, with substantial responsibility for determining the sequence and timing of action and substantial independence in planning and organizing the work activities, including determining the work methods.  The employee is expected to solve through experienced judgment most problems of detail or unusual situations by adapting methods or interpreting instructions to resolve the particular problem.  Instructions for new assignments or special projects usually consist of statements of desired objectives, deadlines and priorities.  Technical and policy problems or changes in procedures are discussed with supervisor, but ordinarily the employee plans the work, lays it out and carries it through to completion independently.  Work is generally reviewed only for technical adequacy, appropriateness of actions or decisions, and conformance with policy or other requirements; the methods used in arriving at the end result are not usually reviewed in detail.

3.       Supervisory Responsibility:  Employee has direct supervision of all subordinate full-time and part-time positions.  The Director formulates or recommends program goals and develops plans for achieving short and long-range objectives.  The Director formulates, prepares, and defends budget and manpower requests and accounts for the effective use of funds and staff.  Employee, as a regular and continuing part of the job, is accountable for the quality and quantity of work done by subordinates and assures the accomplishment of the assigned work in the prescribed manner.  Supervisory functions typically consist of most of the following: plans, schedules, and coordinates work operations to meet schedules, deadlines and priorities; revises work schedules to meet changes in workload or availability of manpower; recommends and justifies to higher levels of management changes in the organization of work, work methods or assignment of functions to positions that may affect staffing patterns, costs, work standards, etc; assures that completed work meets the required standard of quality, timeliness and cost, taking corrective actions as necessary; oversees attendance and leave, typically including approval of ordinary sick and vacation schedules; advises employees of performance requirements and prepares formal evaluations of performance; informs subordinates of organizational policies, goals and procedures; resolves employee complaints and effects disciplinary actions, oral warnings and reprimands.

4.       Confidentiality:  Employee has regular access to confidential information of the department.  Confidentiality must be maintained with regard to this information in accordance with Departmental Policy and the Public Records Act.

5.       Accountability:  Duties include department-level responsibility for technical processes, service delivery, and contribution to municipal-wide plans and objectives and fiscal responsibility for the Town.  Consequences of errors, missed deadlines or poor judgment could severely jeopardize department operations or have extensive financial and legal repercussions, excessive costs, delay of service delivery, and adverse public relations.

6.       Judgment:  Guidelines may be in the form of administrative or organizational policies, general principles, legislation or directives that pertain to a specific department or functional area.  Extensive judgment is required to develop new or adapt existing methods and approaches for accomplishing objectives or to deal with new or unusual requirements within the limits of the guidelines or policies.  The employee is recognized as the department or functional area’s authority in interpreting the guidelines, in determining how they should be applied, and in making recommendations for operating policies, standards or criteria.

7.       Complexity:  The work consists of employing many different concepts, theories, principles, techniques and practices relating to an administrative field.  Assignments typically concern such matters as studying trends in the field for application to the work; assessing services and recommending improvements; planning short- and long-range projects; and devising new techniques for application to the work, and recommending policies, standards or criteria.

8.       Nature and Purpose of Public Contact:  Employee constantly with co-workers, the public, groups and/or individuals such as civic leaders, peers from other organizations, representatives of professional organizations, and news media.  The employee promotes collaboration, is an open and honest communicator, serves as a spokesperson or recognized authority of the organization in matters of substance or considerable importance.  The employee deals with the public and other individuals on behalf of a department to communicate departmental practices, procedures, regulations or guidelines.  Excellent communication and customer service skills are required involving more than ordinary courtesy, tact, and diplomacy in resolving complaints or concerns of the public.

9.       Essential Functions:  The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or logical assignment to the position.

1.  Develops, implements and administers financial procedures and systems in accordance with state and federal practices.
2. Directs employees in the processes and procedures for maintaining the Town’s financial records.
3. Assists the Town Manager in initiating personnel actions, such as hiring, promotion, discipline and termination as needed.
4. Maintains contracts with banks and oversees the Town’s Investments and debt management, as needed.
5. Prepares Revenue Forecasts and bottom-line budget projections necessary in order to establish an annual budget message.
6.  Prepares and administers the Town’s annual budget and capital budget as directed by and for the Town Manager.
7. Participates in meetings with various departments and boards on budget and other financial matters.
8. Works with Department Heads, Finance Committee, and Fiscal Advisory Committee to achieve financial objectives of the Town.
9. Exercises purchasing authorization following financial and accounting procedures and state regulations.
10. Performs special financial studies and analyses.
11. Participates in audits of the Town’s financial operation by government agencies or independent auditors.
12. Supervises and participates in the year-end closing of the book process.
13. Attends 2-3 night meetings per week, October through March (required).
14. Works closely with the Human Resources function on compensation costs, decisions, planning, and policy as well as financial impact of Personnel Policies and collective bargaining

10.   Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience:  Minimum of 3-5 years of municipal finance experience required. Graduate of a four-year college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting with four to six (4-6) years related work experience preferred; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job

Special Requirements:  Valid driver’s license.

 Preferred Requirements: Certified Governmental Accountant, Certified Public Accountant, Master’s Degree. 

11.   Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge:  Through knowledge of the principles and practices of municipal accounting and of applicable financial or treasury provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws and Federal Laws; extensive knowledge of computer applications for accounting and financial management.

Abilities:  Ability to analyze and interpret financial data and to present findings clearly in written and oral form; ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with town officials and governmental representatives; ability to provide motivation, incentive and leadership.  Ability to plan, assign and supervise the work of department personnel.

Skill:  Excellent organizational skills; skill in working with numbers and detail; excellent analytical and communication skills; must have excellent computer skills including demonstrated skill in use of business and financial software applications.

12.   Work Environment:  The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements.  Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant.  Employee is required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings and to accomplish work assignments.

13.   Occupational Risk:  Duties of the job present little potential for injury.  Risk exposure is similar to that found in typical office settings.

14.   Physical and Mental Requirements:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Demands:  Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work.  Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing.  There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books, office equipment and computer paper generally up to 30 pounds.

15.   Motor Skills:  Duties involve assignments requiring application of hand and eye coordination with finger dexterity and motor coordination.  Examples include using a personal computer.

16.   Visual Demands:  Position requires the employee to constantly read documents and reports for understanding and analytical purposes.

This job will be posted March 17, 2023 through April 20, 2023

Salary : $109,413 - $153,178