Finance Director

City of Lakeland; Lakeland (FL); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Lakeland seeks an experienced Finance Director to lead strategic financial planning, budgeting, reporting, and citywide financial operations. This executive role partners with the City Manager, elected officials, and department leaders to shape long-term financial strategy and capital planning.

Ideal candidates bring robust local government finance experience, CPA or master's degree, and a track record of aligning financial policy with public service goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting from an accredited college or university.
• Eight years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including four years in finance, debt issuance, investment activities.
• Significant experience in complex local government finance and executive roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead Finance Department as a senior executive, guiding strategy and operations.
• Oversee budgeting, annual reports, and financial forecasting for the city.
• Supervise debt issuance, investments, and covenant compliance.
• Advise the City Manager and officials on financial strategy and policy.
• Maintain internal controls and transparent financial practices.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Public finance expertise

Financial analysis

Executive communication

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

CPA or master's in accounting (preferred)

Job description

The Position

The City of Lakeland, Florida, is seeking an experienced, strategic, and service-oriented municipal finance leader to serve as its next Finance Director. This is a high-impact executive role in a growing full-service city with complex operations that include general government, major utilities, and other enterprise activities. The next Finance Director will join a well-managed organization and serve as a key strategic partner to the City Manager, elected officials, and department leadership on the decisions that shape the City’s long-term financial position, capital capacity, and public service delivery.

Reporting to the City Manager, the Finance Director serves as the senior executive responsible for the administration and management of the Finance Department. The Director leads the City’s financial functions across central accounting, treasury, payroll, accounts payable, customer billing, retirement services, records, City Clerk operations, oversees the preparation of financial and statistical reports, the annual budget process, preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, revenue and expenditure forecasting, debt issuance support, investment oversight, and compliance with bond and loan covenants. This role works closely with the City Commission, City leadership, pension boards, collective bargaining groups, financial advisors, investment bankers, legal counsel, auditors, rating agencies, and other stakeholders, and is expected to provide candid, well-grounded advice on matters that affect the City’s financial strategy, bargaining posture, capital planning, and long-range decision-making.

The Finance Director supervises the Assistant Finance Director, City Clerk, Retirement Services Manager, Human Resource Management Systems Manager, City Treasurer, and one support position across a department budgeted for 47 positions. The Director is expected to bring clear judgment, technical depth, political awareness without politics, and strong leadership to a function that supports citywide decision-making, helps maintain internal controls, and advances efficient, accurate, and transparent financial operations. This is a visible role for a leader who can move confidently between executive-level strategy, public discussions, and the practical realities of a working department.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications

include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in accounting and eight years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including four years of experience in finance, debt issuance, investment activities, and management. Candidates should offer significant experience in complex local government finance and the judgment to operate effectively in a highly visible executive role.

Preferred qualifications

include an active Certified Public Accountant credential or a master’s degree in accounting. Experience in Florida local government finance is strongly preferred, including familiarity with state laws, financial disclosure requirements, debt management, and the fiscal context for collective bargaining and millage-related decision-making. Candidates from outside Florida should be prepared to describe how they would quickly get up to speed on the state’s legal and operating environments. The selected candidate will be required to file financial disclosure in accordance with Florida law.