Director of Finance

The City of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, invites you to apply for the position of Director of Finance.  

JOB SUMMARY: The Director of Finance is a department head position and performs complex professional and administrative work managing, directing and coordinating the accounting, administrative and supervisory work of the City finance and accounting systems, maintaining controls of municipal funds, budget preparation, and financial reporting, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work involves setting policies and goals under the direction of the City Administrator. Departmental supervision is exercised over all personnel within the department. 

JOB FUNCTIONS: The Director of Finance administers and manages the City accounting system in the preparation of journal entries, posting and reconciling of accounts, and the monitoring of daily/monthly activity to ensure the accuracy of the accounting system in accordance with accepted governmental accounting principles and applicable laws. This position oversees the development and maintenance of the accounting system for payables, receivables, fixed assets, general ledger, debt retirement, special assessments, investments, and risk management;  Directs the preparation of complete, accurate financial information to governmental agencies, auditors, Federal and State grant administrators, City Departments, and the general public; Directs, coordinates, supervises and prepares the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for examination by governmental and independent auditors; Reviews audits of City financial records or accounting procedures to determine adherence to prescribed policies and procedures; Analyzes financial data to determine conformity to overall goals, objectives, and policies and to forecast future financial performance; Reviews and establishes procedures in City Departments to assure the protection of City assets; Coordinates City investments within the guidelines established by the investment policy regarding safety of capital, investment parameters, return on investment, and diversification for adherence to all laws, rules and regulations; Determines when to sell bonds and directs their sale in accordance with State and Federal statutes; Maintains business subsidy files and submits annual business subsidy reports to State Auditor’s Office; Prepares and provides financial information in various formats for use in public meetings or internal communications; Provides assistance on Department policies, activities, and procedures in response to inquiries from the public and other City employees; Directs the preparation of the City’s monthly Treasurer’s and Investment Reports that summarizes financial cash and investment information; Coordinates City-wide budgeting process based on an evaluation of present and future trends in cooperation with Department Heads and within the guidelines established by the City Administrator and monitors the adopted City-wide budget for adherence to approved budget appropriations; Prepares and makes recommendations to the City Administrator for the development of the annual Finance Department budget.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor's degree with coursework in accounting, or related field and considerable experience working in governmental accounting, or equivalent combination of education and experience; Must be bondable; A valid driver's license in the State of Minnesota, or the ability to obtain upon hire.  Preferred qualifications include:  Thorough knowledge of modern governmental accounting theory, principles and practices; Considerable knowledge of internal control procedures and management information systems; Knowledge of financial handling and investment principles and practices; Knowledge of office automation and computerized financial applications; Considerable knowledge of public finance and fiscal planning; Thorough knowledge of budgetary, accounting, and reporting systems, GAAP, and GASB.  The Director of Finance must have the ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions and decimals; Ability to compute rates, ratios and percentages; Ability to perform statistical and risk analyses; Skill in preparing and administering municipal budgets; Ability to coach and train staff on municipal accounting techniques; Ability to recommend policy or procedural changes to keep in line with changing standards, rules and regulations. Please see the attached job description for a full understanding of the requirements of the position.  

SALARY RANGE: The 2025 salary range for the Director of Finance is $89,101.00 to $113,228.00.  The City of Grand Rapids provides an excellent and comprehensive benefits package.

APPLICATION PROCESS:  Applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume, transcripts, certifications, if any, and a City of Grand Rapids employment application to Chery Pierzina, Human Resources Officer at cpierzina@grandrapidsmn.gov by noon on Friday, December 20, 2024.  This position will remain open until filled.  Applications received on or before December 20th will be reviewed the week of January 6th, with first interviews tentatively planned for the week of January 20th, and second interviews tentatively planned for the week of February 3rd.    

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds.