Waste Prevention Environmental Services (WPES) Finance Manager

Oregonmetro; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 172,000; Full time

Job summary

Metro’s WPES Finance Manager leads the department’s budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis, partnering with WPES leaders to guide strategic decisions and fund stewardship. The role also oversees contracts, accounts payable, revenue recognition, and internal controls, ensuring accuracy and compliance while supporting performance and transparency across the organization.

Working on-site with a hybrid telework option, you will mentor a team and collaborate with multiple departments to align

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Seven years of progressively responsible budgeting and accounting experience, including at least five years in a supervisory role.
• Experience translating complex financial information into actionable insights and recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the department’s annual operating and capital budgets and financial planning.
• Provide strategic financial guidance to WPES leadership and stakeholders.
• Supervise staff responsible for contracts, accounts payable, revenue recognition and internal controls.
• Develop and implement cost recovery models, grant accounting, and regulatory reporting.
• Deliver timely financial reporting, forecasting, and variance analysis.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial analysis

Contract management

Internal controls

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, or related field

Tools

PowerBI

PeopleSoft

NEOGOV

Workday

Job description

Hello, we’re Metro! Metro is dedicated to shaping a better future for the greater Portland region. The work the people of Metro do every day benefits the lives of the people who live here, today, and tomorrow.

The Finance Department provides Metro with the financial, administrative, regulatory, and operational services that support sound stewardship of public resources. As the Waste Prevention & Environmental Services (WPES) Finance Manager, you will serve as a key member of Metro's financial leadership team, partnering closely with WPES leaders to provide strategic financial guidance that supports critical environmental, waste prevention, and sustainability programs. In this highly collaborative role, you will help shape financial decisions by leading budget development, financial forecasting, analysis, fee and revenue modeling, labor and unit costing, capital project financial management, and long‑term fund balance planning.

Beyond financial oversight, you will act as a trusted advisor to department leadership, translating complex financial information into actionable insights that support organizational goals and operational success. You will also lead and develop a talented team of analysts and specialists responsible for contracts, accounts payable, revenue recognition, and internal controls, ensuring financial integrity and compliance while fostering a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and excellent customer service.

As the WPES Finance Manager you will:

• Lead the development and management of the department’s annual operating and capital budgets, working closely with department program managers and Finance staff.
• Serve as a key member of the WPES management team and trusted advisor on financial, operational, and strategic matters.
• Manage the departmental adherence and compliance to procurement and internal accounting policies, Metro agency objectives, and the achievement of departmental goals.
• Provide full supervisory leadership for assigned staff, including hiring, performance management, training, and team development.
• Provide analysis and recommendations related to existing and proposed WPES programs and initiatives, including budget variance reports, financial forecasting, profit/loss evaluations, pro forma statements and legislative proposals.
• Manage various revenue, funding requirements and expenses from waste tonnage activity.
• Develop departmental fees for operational and regional activity cost recovery. This includes Regional System Fee, waste disposal fees charged at Metro stations and others as directed. Presentation of fees to departmental and agency leadership and external stakeholders is required for transparency and annual adoption.
• Ensures accurate and timely financial reporting, including monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, audit schedules, and grant billing.
• Supports operating contracts, the stations’ point of sale system and other departmental systems (grants, PowerBI, etc) as needed.

Attributes for success:

• Strong strategic thinker with the ability to shift between high‑level planning and detailed financial analysis as needed.
• Ability to build strong, trust‑based relationships by investing time in understanding team members’ roles, strengths, and challenges to foster a collaborative and high‑performing work environment.
• Approaches financial leadership with a CFO mindset—applying expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis to guide planning, resource allocation, and data‑driven decisions.
• Effectively manages both people and processes, removing obstacles, streamlining workflows, and ensuring operational continuity and clarity across complex financial systems.
• Prioritizes the success of the team and department, demonstrating a service‑oriented leadership style that centers collective achievement while stepping into visible leadership when needed.
• Exhibits intellectual curiosity and a strong commitment to understanding the mission, operations, and public impact of the department, ensuring financial leadership is aligned with organizational goals.
• Maintains high standards of accountability, compliance, and accuracy in all financial functions, with knowledge of cost accounting, grants administration, internal controls, contract management, and regulatory requirements.
• Communicates financial and operational information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences—including executive leadership, program staff, oversight bodies, and external stakeholders.
• Collaborates across departments and agencies with professionalism and purpose, contributing to policy development, shared strategic priorities, and long‑term planning efforts.
• Embraces challenges as opportunities—proactively identifies issues, develops solutions, and leads change efforts that improve systems, support staff, and enhance organizational effectiveness.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At Metro, we strive to cultivate diversity, advance equity, and practice inclusion in all of its work. This means attracting and empowering a workforce that is inclusive of a broad range of human qualities. Workplace diversity is both a moral imperative and a business strength, essential to providing quality support and services to our region. Metro’s goal is to hire, develop and retain highly skilled and talented individuals across all departments and programs who best reflect the diversity of our community.

TO QUALIFY

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific in your application materials on how your background is relevant.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, or a related field, and
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in governmental budgeting and accounting, including at least five (5) years in a supervisory or leadership capacity, or
• Any combination of education, professional, volunteer and lived experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the classification duties and responsibilities.

Working Conditions: This role requires working on‑site at least three days per week, providing opportunities for in‑person collaboration, relationship building, and engagement with your team and department.

If this statement is true for you, then you may be ineligible to apply

If you were terminated for cause during any employment with Metro, or resigned in lieu of termination, you may be ineligible for rehire for a minimum of 3 years.

Hybrid Telework

This position is designated as "hybrid telework." You will be required to work onsite and at times have the option to work away from your assigned work location. The specific schedule and balance of onsite and telework will be discussed with the hiring manager at the time of offer. Employees must reside in Oregon or Washington to work at Metro. Please note, the designation of hybrid telework may be subject to change at a future time.

Like to have qualifications

You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider them when identifying the most qualified candidates. Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience, including the military, or life experience that are relevant for this position.

• Previous experience working in a union an environment.
• Previous experience working with Peoplesoft and NEOGOV.
• Experience in cost accounting, microeconomics modeling and cost analysis.
• Experience working with ERP systems (e.g., Workday, PeopleSoft) and grant‑funded programs.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and/or Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
• Certification or additional training in financial management or public sector finance (e.g., CGFM, CPFO, or similar).

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND REPRESENTATON

The full-salary range for this position for is step 1: $134,836.98 annually to step 6: $172,089.69 annually. However, unless a candidate’s qualifications justify, based on the Oregon Pay Equity Act requirements and Metro’s internal equity review process, the appointment will likely be made between step 1: $134,836.98 annually to the equity range step 4: $156,091.17 annually.

This position is not eligible for overtime and is not represented by a union. It is classified as a Finance Manager.

Classification descriptions are typically written broadly and do not include the specific duties and responsibilities of the positions.

Equal employment opportunity

All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability for which a reasonable accommodation can be made, or any other status protected by law.

Non-discrimination in hiring decisions

Metro is committed to equal employment opportunity and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws. Metro employment decisions – including recruitment, screening, interviewing, selection, promotion, compensation, and separation – must not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected class.

Accommodation

Metro will gladly provide a reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing this application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter outlined in the job announcement in advance to request assistance.

Veterans' preference

Under Oregon Law, qualified veterans may be eligible for veterans' preference when applying for Metro positions. If you are a veteran and would like to be considered for a veterans' preference for this job, please provide qualifying documents as instructed during the application process.

Pay equity at Metro

No matter who you are or where you work at Metro, you deserve to be paid fairly for the work you do. Every worker must get equal pay for equal work regardless of your gender, race, age, or other protected characteristics. Metro has established processes and conducts routine pay equity reviews as part of the hiring process to ensure compliance with the 2017 Oregon Pay Equity Act.

Online applications

Metro accepts job applications online. If you need assistance or accommodation with your application, or access to a computer, please contact the recruiter outlined in the job announcement in advance to request assistance.

Metro

Led by an elected council, this unique government gives all residents of greater Portland a voice in shaping the future and provides parks, venues, services, and tools at a regional scale. We find solutions for our area’s garbage and recycling that protect clean air and water; help plan land use and development to provide jobs and safe transportation; manage local venues that provide a connection to arts and culture and help keep the economy growing; protect 17,000 acres of parks and natural areas, and run the Oregon Zoo, to keep nature close to home.