The Ideal Candidate

Mount Pleasant is seeking a new Finance Director to join their dynamic municipal team to help the City ensure its financial stability into the future. The next Director will bring a proven history in municipal finance, high ethical values, and a true understanding of the nuts and bolts of fund accounting, debt management, and investments.  The Finance Director must be a strategic and creative problem solver, possessing exceptional leadership and management skills and ready to partner with the City Manager and Department Directors to ensure financial transparency and build trust in the community.  

The ideal candidate should be a strong leader with a technical understanding for municipal finance.  The candidate should have excellent communication skills and be comfortable making public presentations to the City Council and various boards/committees about the City's finances.  The next Director will be able to develop employees and build a finance team as well as be an active member of the City's leadership team.  

Other attributes of the ideal candidate include: excellent customer services skills both internally and externally, community involvement, history of integrity, and the ability to translate technical and general discussions about municipal finances.  

The Role

The Finance Director serves as the financial officer for the city and directs, oversees, and manages all the aspects of the City's financial operations including: accounting, budget, financial planning, forecasting, revenue collections, accounts payable/payroll, treasury, purchasing, debt management, investment program management, and utility billing functions. The Director ensures fiscal activities are in compliance with state and federal regulations and city policies and procedures and that a sound system of internal controls are in place throughout the organization.  

Essential Job Functions:

1. Oversees the treasury management system.

2. Develops and implements sound financial policies to ensure fiscal integrity and transparency.  

3. Oversees preparation of citywide annual operating budgets and monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements with a prudent use of available resources and the knowledge and ability to leverage other available funding mechanisms.

4. Directs development, implementation, and monitoring of plans and budgets for the Finance Department. 

5. Supervises Finance Department and Utility Billing staff including interviewing and selecting, counseling, disciplining, terminating, or promoting employees.  Also, includes planning and evaluating work and identifying training needs and resources. 

6. Oversees maintenance of an accounting and financial records system for the city in accordance with generally accepted governmental accounting principles. 

7. Directs and supports the development and implementation of financial and statistical measures to evaluate the existing and future financial condition of the city. 

8. Presents and explains complex budgetary and financial analyses and makes sound recommendations to departments, City Manager, and City Council through the use of detailed charts, graphs, and other audio-visual aids. 

9. Responsible for financial investments using investment instruments, variables, and resources. 

10. Understands economics and the principles of financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of economic data. 

11. Conducts internal audit of city operations. 

12. Coordinates with and participates in external groups to promote city and department goals. 

13. Maintains various electronic spreadsheets containing data for the calculation of various accruals, checking account balances, and other historical data. 

14. Works with outside auditors and other staff preparing and directing preparation of audit work papers and resolving audit questions. 

15. Manages all city funds and expenses including payment of debt service requirements. 

16. Answers inquiries from the public with regard to budgets, taxes and tax rates, and other finance-related subjects.

17. Performs such other related duties as may be assigned. 

Compensation and Benefits

The salary midrange for this position is $120,000 and the City will offer a competitive salary based on qualifications and experience.  The organization also offers a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, and life insurance and generous leave package with 14 paid holidays.  The City participates in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) with an employee contribution rate of 7%, a City matching ration of 2:1, full vesting after five years of employment with the City, and retirement eligibility with 20 years of credited service.