Finance Director

The Historic Town of Eatonville; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Historic Town of Eatonville is seeking a senior financial leader to manage the Finance Department, oversee budgeting, accounting, payroll, and treasury activities, and ensure compliance with GAAP and state/federal requirements. You will drive financial strategy, supervise staff, and coordinate audits to support town operations and capital planning.

Responsibilities include preparing financial statements, managing cash flow, debt issuance, and investment strategies, while collaborating with

Qualifications

• Experience with GAAP and governmental budgeting and reporting.
• Public-sector financial management and audit coordination experience.
• Strong leadership and supervisory capabilities.
• Proficiency with Edmunds ERP and standard office software.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement budgetary control systems aligned with best practices.
• Maintain GAAP-compliant financial records and government budgeting compliance.
• Supervise and develop department staff; set goals and evaluate performance.
• Oversee general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, and cash management.
• Coordinate external audits and prepare financial statements for government entities.
• Lead capital, debt, and investment planning and reporting.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and prepare MD&A and financial analyses.
• Present financial reports to Town leadership and external stakeholders.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Public sector accounting

Government budgeting

Financial reporting

ERP software (Edmunds)

Payroll compliance

Cash management

Audit coordination

Team supervision

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Public Administration

Tools

Edmunds ERP

Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)

Job description

Responsible for overall financial strategy, and the performance of all finance functions including all aspects of administration, planning, directing, and supervising the operations of the Finance Department. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, accounting, budgeting, fixed asset management, annual audit, grant reporting, payroll, utility billing, accounts payable and receivable, collection, disbursement, purchasing, banking, customer service, reporting, internal and external support, and treasury management for the town. Work is performed with considerable independence in judgment and decision-making under the general direction of the Chief Administration Officer.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS

Responsible for the development and implementation of budgetary control systems by proactively planning, monitoring and evaluating operational financial activities against budgets, recordkeeping systems, or other administrative control processes and procedures in adherence to best practice methods.

Maintains the financial records of the town in a manner consistent with generally acceptable accounting principles (GAAP) and governmental budgeting requirements.

Supervises, trains, directs, and evaluates department personnel, and monitors all activities and operations of the department; sets goals and objectives, and establishes guidelines for performance.

Plans, directs, and coordinates the work of employees engaged in general ledger accounting, special assessments, lien tracking, utility billing, accounts payable, procurement, and solid waste and recycling contracts in accordance with town procedures.

Ensures proper preparation of bills, surcharge billing, and issuance of credit. Reconciles discrepancies in any one of various accounting control mechanisms by cross-checking source documentation, balancing figures, or through other related processes.

Prepares financial statements and reports required by governmental units and regulatory agencies. Formulates financial and accounting procedures consistent with applicable policies, laws, and regulations.

Provides specialized leadership managing the payroll tax compliance, payroll tax filings, and maintain regulatory compliance with federal and state labor laws.

Supervises financial audits and reviews by other government agencies, state auditors, and independent auditors.

Supervises and provides critical leadership and direction by developing comprehensive financial strategies and fiscal plans for short-term and long-term goals while simultaneously ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and internal controls.

Provides leadership direction in the development of capital improvement projects (CIP) by overseeing fiscal capatown, debt issuance, and long-term financing strategies to ensure projects are realistically funded. Responsibilities include collaborating with stakeholder departments to prepare multi-year capital plans, establishing capital reserves, and linking funding strategies to asset useful life.

Responsible for the town’s annual budget from draft through finalization in compliance with Florida’s Truth in Millage (TRIM) process.

Supervises and evaluates effectiveness and efficiency of all internal financial control systems to safeguard assets and ensure the accuracy and reliability of data report runs. Performs audits and ratio analysis to verify results and protect against fraud or error.

Supervises the management of fixed assets, physical inventory, tagging, and specific accounting entries for additions, transfers, and disposition. Responsible for defining capitalization guidelines that comply with accounting standards such as GAAP.

Directs and supervises daily cash management; determines current, intermediate, and long-term cash flow needs; approves expenditures; and develops appropriate funding alternatives.Manages investment funds to balance yield with liquidity needs.

Develops policies and procedures for approval by the Mayor and/or Town Council as applicable.

Prepares and presents reports on financial activity and conditions to Town Council, management, financial institutions, credit agencies, and others.

Monitors and approves purchase orders for compliance with policies, procedures, and associated budget.Reviews, develops and recommends purchasing policy and procedural changes.

Administers the Town’s external debt program and bond issuance being responsible for developing financing plans, structuring offerings, and managing the issuance of bonds, notes, and loans to fund capital projects and infrastructure working with underwriters and rating agencies to ensure compliance with legal, tax, disclosure requirements and reporting activities.

Manages the Self-Insurance Loss Fund for the risk management insurance program overseeing the financial accounting, tracking deductibles and setting reserves. Works with the Human Resources/Risk Management Director on the workers’ compensation program.

Manages the emergency/disaster claims process for FEMA, completing proper and accurate documentation for claim reimbursements.

Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Graduation from an accredited college or university with Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Public Administration or Business Administration, or related field.

Five (5) years or more of experience of progressively responsible financial management experience to include public sector accounting, governmental budgeting, and municipal finance.

Three (3) or more years of supervisory experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Must possess and maintain a valid Florida driver’s license.

CRITICAL SKILLS/EXPERTISE

Comprehensive knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) standards of governmental budgeting, and financial reporting standards. Applicable Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) rules and regulations relating to town financial reporting.

Significant knowledge of current governmental accounting theory principles and practices.

Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of principles of internal control systems, fraud prevention, fixed asset management, and guidelines for internal and external audits.

Considerable knowledge of office automation and computerized financial applications. Advanced knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software platforms, specifically Edmunds to manage financial transactions and record daily operational data.

Considerable knowledge and thorough understanding of local, state, and federal Internal Revenue (IRS) regulations governing municipal finance and payroll/labor tax laws to include payroll process and accounts payable functions.

Considerable knowledge of Florida's Truth in Millage (TRIM) process.

Expertise in preparing Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A), discussing trends, uncertainties, and critical accounting estimates that impact the town’s financials in preparation for audit compliance.

Strong understanding of capital improvement projects (CIP), long-term financing strategies, asset useful life tracking, bond issuance, and external debt programs.

Expertise in daily cash management, cash flow forecasting, and investment fund management to balance yield with liquidity.

Knowledge of managing Self-Insurance Loss Funds, tracking deductibles, setting reserves, and executing the FEMA emergency/disaster claims reimbursement process.

Analytical proficiency to perform ratio analysis, evaluate financial internal controls and procedures, and cross-check source documentation. Ability to identify weaknesses/inefficiencies, develop appropriate measures for remediation, and reconcile discrepancies.

Strong technical skills to execute process improvements, reduce manual intervention, and enhance data integrity within financial software systems.

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to prepare and confidently present complex financial reports to the Town Manager, financial institutions, and credit agencies.

Proven ability to effectively supervise, train, and evaluate department personnel while setting up performance goals and expectations.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, town officials, and the general public. Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Ability to monitor and adhere to customer service principles to meet quality standards by collaborating across stakeholder departments.

Ability to work with considerable independence in decision-making and operational execution under the general direction of the Town Manager.

Ability to formulate, implement, and monitor financial, accounting, and purchasing policies, procedures, and budgetary control systems.

Ability to perform work that requires constant and careful attention to detail with extreme accuracy using logic and reasoning and /or with frequent interruption while working, reading and understanding documents and reports.

Ability to analyze, interpret and carry out assigned projects to their completion. Ability to plan, organize prioritize and coordinate work to meet time commitments.

Ability to prepare reports and present ideas clearly and concisely. Knowledge of methods of data collection.

Working knowledge of modern office practices, systems and procedures; working knowledge of personal computers and electronic data processing with indispensable practical ability to use spreadsheets.

Proficient skills with a personal computer to include but not limited to Microsoft Office products with emphasis on Outlook, Excel and Word.

Ability to manage confidential and sensitive personnel data in a professional and discrete manner.