Financial Services Manager

City of Foster City                                                                                                                                  

Estero Municipal Improvement District                                                

Job Specification

 

DEFINITION:

Under general direction of the Finance Director, plans, organizes, directs, and performs professional budgeting activities.  Responsible for the development, maintenance, and operation of the City's Annual Budget, all non-departmental budgets, and for providing financial information and analysis to aid in executive management decision making. Plans, develops, coordinates, and manages the work and supervision of accounting staff, including accounts receivable, business license, cash receipts, and utilities. Manages computer operations.  Performs a wide range of complex professional accounting duties in the analysis, preparation and maintenance of financial records and reports; makes complex and difficult account analyses and reports; manage and performs related duties as assigned.

The Financial Services Manager is responsible for performing the highest level of complex budget analysis. The incumbent has frequent interaction with staff and leaders of

other City Departments.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS, FEATURES, REQUIREMENTS:

The Financial Services Manager is the experienced level in the accounting series.  This single-position class is at the management level and performs diverse and specialized accounting work that is complex and involves significant accountability and decision-making responsibility.  Responsibilities include coordination of accounts receivable, business licenses, utility billing, and the municipal finance related software applications.  This classification is distinguished from the Finance Director in that the latter has overall responsibility for providing administrative direction and oversight in all financial and related functions and activities for the Finance Department.  This classification is distinguished from other lower-level accounting classes by its supervisory and administrative responsibilities.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED AND RECEIVED:

Receives general direction from the Finance Director.  Provides direct supervision to the Senior Accounting Specialists, Accounting Specialists, and other administrative and/or management support staff.

Important and Essential Duties:

  • The duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Plan, organize, direct and coordinate the City's budget processes and prepares the City's budget, and all non-departmental budgets
  • Forecast revenues and expenditures for the City's General Fund and other funds using trend analysis or other appropriate econometric models/software
  • Work with department heads and their designees to identify and solve budget issues
  • Perform complex administration and technical work on fully benefited personnel costing and convenience fee and budget software deployment and maintenance
  • Lead project manager on implementing new financial related software systems such as OpenGov, citywide cost allocation, and pension forecasting/cost analysis
  • Coordinate approved budget input
  • Coordinate Master Fee Schedule update with other City Departments
  • Manage and supervise accounts receivable, business license, cash receipts, and utilities for the City and District
  • Guide and support staff in providing customer service
  • Provide staff training and perform staff annual evaluations
  • Responsible for financial software function maintenance (Central Square SunGard HTE/Naviline) including navigation of report writing functions
  • Troubleshoot software problems/issues, and coordinate resolution with the software vendor and the City’s Information Technology Division
  • Manage staff daily workload, coordinate and review staff work
  • Participate in the development of policies and procedures
  • Plan, direct and coordinate work plan; assign projects, programs and activities; review and evaluate work products, methods and procedures; identify and resolve problems
  • Monitor and prepare monthly reports on investment portfolios for the City/District and Foster City JPA
  • Maintain and update City website for Financial Services department and the City intranet regarding financial service functions
  • Provide support and assistance to the Finance Director in the departmental administrative functions
  • Assists in the development and implementation of departmental polices, goals, and objectives
  • Perform a variety of accounting duties in support of accounting programs including accounting, financial reporting and monthly journal entries
  • Coordinate financial reporting and auditing activity with external auditors and other agencies; research, compile and analyze data; prepare reports as required
  • Prepare audit schedules and confirmations; respond to inquiries from auditors and provide information within area of assignment
  • Manages and performs complex analytical work that may involve extracting data from multiple databases and prepare summary reports; make recommendations based on information gathered; designs financial forms, spreadsheets, and worksheets
  • Coordinates and provides assistance to the City’s independent auditor and auditors from other agencies as needed
  • Oversees the City’s financial management software system; supervises the operation and maintenance of financial computer and software systems; identifies, develops, and implements upgrades or new software as necessary to facilitate departmental goals, polices and objectives.  Provides training to staff and ensures optimal use of the system to perform tasks
  • Analyzes existing accounting procedures and prepares recommendations for their revision when necessary
  • Assess, support, monitor, evaluate, and implement internal controls
  • Perform other duties as assigned

JOB-RELATED QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

  • Principles and practice of local government financial operation
  • General accepted accounting principles
  • Governmental fund accounting
  • Government accounting standard board requirements
  • Sales tax and payroll tax laws
  • Federal and State laws and regulations
  • City/District ordinances
  • Personal computer and software application operation
  • Governmental budgeting
  • Principles and practices of municipal budgeting (operating and capital).
  • Principles and practices of financial policy development and implementation, revenue forecasting, financial control systems and methodology, laws, rules and regulations that apply to local government fiscal operations, sources of revenue and expenditures typical of local government
  • Research methods and statistical analysis
  • Complex spreadsheets and database applications.
  • Business computer user applications, including spreadsheet programs and automated financial management systems
  • General operations, public policy and fiscal complexities of local government

Ability to:

  • Supervise, train and evaluate staff performance
  • Prioritize and coordinate staff projects and workload
  • Develop and formulate financial policies and procedures
  • Interpret and analyze complex financial transactions
  • Prepare accurate financial statements, reports and analyses timely
  • Establish and maintain fiscal procedures and records
  • Communicate effectively with public and the City employees
  • Provide training to the City employees in processing financial related transactions
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationship with co-workers
  • Communicate complex financial information, analyze problems, and prepare effective written and oral reports
  • Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in various PC applications, including integration of the budget and publication software, spreadsheets, databases and presentation software programs
  • Analyze and interpret laws, rules, regulations and departmental policies
  • Prepare accurate accounting and statistical reports
  • Apply the principles and practices of budgeting and financial operations to municipal government
  • Interpret a variety of operating reports and statistical information
  • Exercise sound and independent judgment, conduct independent analyses and make recommendations on difficult and sensitive issues
  • Build constructive relationships by promoting effective partnerships within the Finance Department, with other departments
  • Represent and speak for the department and its work, e.g., presenting, explaining, promoting, defining, and negotiating with those within and outside the department by making clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals and groups, by listening effectively, by clarifying information and by facilitating an open exchange of ideas
  • Prepare and present clear, complete, accurate, concise and logical written and oral reports
  • Work effectively in time-sensitive situations and meet deadlines
  • Coordinate multiple projects and complex tasks simultaneously
  • Develop creative and practical solutions to complex and difficult problems

Skill in:

  • Performing professional level analysis and interpretation of financial and accounting records and fixed assets; examining, preparing and verifying financial statements, reports and documents
  • Preparing complex financial statements, reports and analyses
  • Examining, completing and analyzing detailed financial documents, forms and records
  • Developing and implementing modified and new accounting procedures and systems
  • Supervising, training and evaluating assigned personnel
  • Interpreting, applying and explaining rules and regulations regarding accounting and auditing practices
  • Establishing and maintaining cooperative and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work
  • Working independently in the absence of direct supervision
  • Communicating clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: Equivalent to graduating from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree with major coursework in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field. 

Master’s Degree finance, accounting, public or business administration or a CPA is highly desirable. 

Experience: Five years of professional accounting and data processing experience with at least two years in municipal accounting with at least two years in a supervisory capacity. 

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, REGISTRATION:

License:  If the incumbent is required to drive for city business, a valid California Driver’s License is required.

SALARY: $9,973 - $12,123 per month 

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