Finance Director/Treasurer

Town of Berlin; Berlin (CT); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Town of Berlin is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to oversee the financial affairs of the Town. You will provide leadership in developing financial policies, oversee Finance and Assessor staff, and direct internal controls and financial reporting across departments and external agencies.

Responsibilities include treasury, budgeting, debt management, and capital planning, with collaboration across town leadership and boards to ensure fiscally sound operations and accurate data for

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting; 10+ years experience or 5+ years municipal finance leadership.
• Master’s degree and/or GFOA designation preferred.
• Advanced MS Office; experience with cloud-based software; staff management experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee treasury, budgeting, payroll, accounts payable/receivable, grants management, and purchasing.
• Lead financial policy development and long-term CIP planning.
• Serve as liaison to Board of Finance and Town Council; present budgets and fiscal analyses.
• Ensure internal controls and GAAP compliance; coordinate external audits.

Skills

Financial leadership

Budgeting

GAAP knowledge

Staff management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting

Master’s in business or public administration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Cloud-based software

Job description

Hours

(35) per week (Mon – Wed 8:30am – 4:30, Th 8:30am – 7:00pm, Fri 8:30am – 1:00pm)

Union Affiliation

Non-Union

Starting Range

$140,000 - $160,000 annually

Function

Under the direction of the Town Manager, serves as the Town’s CFO and is primarily responsible for the administration of the financial affairs of the Town. Provides leadership, vision, and direction in developing both long and short-term financial policies, procedures, and plans that support the Town’s financial goals and strategies. This position oversees the staff of the Finance Department, as well as the Assessor’s office, Revenue Collection and Purchasing. The position also organizes and directs the oversight of accounting systems, financial records, and supporting systems of Internal Controls of the Town to ensure that accurate and timely data is provided as needed to all departments, offices, boards and commissions, or external agencies.

Typical Duties, Responsibilities, Tasks & Assignments

• Assumes overall administration of the Town municipal systems of treasury, budgeting, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, grants management and related record keeping, fixed asset recording, debt issuance and management, external audit management and annual audit report preparation, the management of the town’s health benefits fund, pension administration, and purchasing administration.
• Works closely with department heads and other town officials to assist them in budget and fiscal concerns. Prepares detailed financial information, schedules, statements, and reports for the Town Manager, Board of Finance and Town Council, which includes but is not limited to budget formulation, including annual estimates of revenues and expenditures for each department by fund, tax rate analysis, and projections of fiscal year end fund balances along with providing related financial recommendations and guidance.
• Serves as the primary liaison to the Board of Finance, including coordination with the Chairman on each meeting agenda, organizing budget materials and meeting spaces, running the technology during the meeting, working with the commission secretary to publish minutes within establish timelines.
• Provides financial leadership to the Town-owned water & sewer utility, including financial analysis, debt issuance and management, treasury and grant management. Coordinating with the outsourced billing and collection company for financial reporting, refund administration and cashflow.
• Responsible for the preparation and on-going development of short-term and long-range strategic planning in relation to the Town’s 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and Capital Budget; identifying capital projects and their various funding alternatives, including debt issuance, to be considered during the planning and approval period.
• Maintains records of funds that have been committed as compared to funds budgeted and the responsibility for recommending a transfer of funds or corrective action when required.
• Works in conjunction with the Town Manager and Director of Human Resources during Labor Negotiations, providing related financial analysis.
• Conducts cost effectiveness studies for Town officials, maintaining property control records, supervising employee benefits programs such as pensions and the fiscal aspects of health insurance; prepares requests for Federal or State reimbursement, coordinating data processing functions and acting as Town Treasurer.
• Ensures the financial records of the town meet the various state-mandated standards and meet with accepted accounting procedures. Recommends accounting procedures to be used and is responsible for providing an internal auditing function.
• Establishes and maintains strong working relationships with Board of Education, elected and appointed Town officials, Town employees, and the public. Coordinates and manages favorable external business relationships with vendors, external auditors, attorneys, banking and financial institutions representatives, insurance providers and consultants, Actuaries, Bond Counsel, debt agents, financial advisors, underwriters, credit rating agencies, and federal, state, and local authorities/officials.
• Stays abreast of current issues affecting the Town, such as reporting requirements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) statements, and changes in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) as they apply to local governments.
• Remains current and advises on changing economic conditions affecting local revenues and expenditures, changes in industry trends and practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Special Skills & Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or closely related field, with (10) or more years’ experience (or a minimum of five years’ municipal finance leadership experience) required. A master’s degree in business or public administration and/or designation as a Certified Public Finance Official from the GFOA is preferred. Advanced Microsoft Office skills and experience with cloud-based software. Experience managing staff (preferably direct and indirect reports).

Physical and Other Requirements

The work is primarily of an intellectual nature but requires a variety of physical capabilities. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and rarely has to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. This position requires the ability to operate a keyboard and calculator at efficient speed.