Finance Director

Mass Transit magazine; Traverse City (MI); On-site; USD 123,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

MERS retirement

Health insurance

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA) in Traverse City, Michigan, seeks an experienced Finance Director to provide strategic financial leadership for a growing public transit agency. The role oversees accounting, budgeting, treasury, grants administration, procurement oversight, internal controls, audits, and long-range planning while collaborating with the Leadership Team and the Board.

The successful candidate will bring technical expertise in governmental accounting and a track record of

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in government or public transit finance.
• Knowledge of governmental accounting, budgeting, grants administration, procurement, and federally funded programs.
• Experience with audits and long-range financial planning.
• Ability to collaborate with executives, staff, boards, and funding partners.

Responsibilities

• Oversee accounting, budgeting, treasury, financial reporting, and grants administration.
• Manage procurement oversight, internal controls, and audits.
• Lead long-range financial planning and financial stewardship efforts.
• Provide strategic financial counsel to the Executive Director and Board.

Skills

Financial leadership

Public sector finance

Strategic planning

Accounting

Budgeting

Grants administration

Internal controls

Audits

Treasury

Procurement

Job description

Director, Finance

Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA)

Traverse City, Michigan

Help Shape the Future of Public Transportation in Northern Michigan

Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA) is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and strategic financial leader to serve as its next Finance Director.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director and serving as a member of BATA's Leadership Team, this executive leadership position provides strategic financial leadership for a growing public transit agency committed to delivering safe, reliable, and customer focused transportation throughout the Grand Traverse region.

The Finance Director serves as a trusted strategic advisor to the Executive Director by providing financial leadership, analysis, and recommendations that support organizational decision-making and the Executive Director's responsibilities to the Board of Directors. The Finance Director is an integral part of BATA’s leadership team and plays a key role in supporting BATA’s financial stewardship and long-term success.

This is more than a traditional finance position. The Director leads the Authority's accounting, budgeting, treasury, financial reporting, grants administration, procurement oversight, internal controls, audits, and long-range financial planning while helping strengthen organizational resiliency, development of future financial leaders, and support long-term succession planning within the Finance Department.

BATA provides more than 500,000 passenger trips annually, connecting residents and visitors throughout the Grand Traverse region to employment, education, healthcare, shopping, and recreation. In 2024, BATA completed a state-of-the-art $30 million operations headquarters, reflecting the Authority's long-term investment in its employees, customers, and future growth. With a strong financial foundation, expanding mobility services, and a reputation for innovation and continuous improvement, BATA is well positioned for its next chapter of growth.

The successful candidate will bring strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and a collaborative leadership style, along with the ability to build relationships across the organization and with employees, leadership, funding partners, auditors, local governments, and community stakeholders. Experience with governmental accounting, budgeting, grants administration, procurement, and federally funded programs is highly desirable. Public transit experience is welcomed but not required for candidates with comparable experience in local government, public agencies, airports, utilities, higher education, or other publicly funded organizations.

The successful candidate will join an organization committed to collaboration, continuous improvement, transparency, accountability, and servant leadership while helping build the next generation of financial leadership within BATA.

Salary Range: $123,269-$166,413

Anticipated Hiring Range: $123,269-$144,841, depending on qualifications, directly related experience, and demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities.

What BATA offer’s

• BATA offers a competitive benefits package, including MERS retirement, health, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, holidays, life insurance, and professional development opportunities.