Director of Finance

JOB TITLE: Director of Finance

AGENCY: City of Rialto

LOCATION: Rialto, CA

FILING DEADLINE: January 3, 2025

SALARY RANGE: $183,132 - $245,412 Annually

THE POSITION

The Director of Finance, reporting to the Assistant City Manager, provides the highest level of administrative leadership in the Finance Department, and assumes the pivotal role of Chief Financial Officer for the City’s complex financial resources. The Finance Department includes 20 FTEs, which support the primary functions of Fiscal and Accounting Services, Purchasing & Procurement, Budget, and Payroll. The Director will work closely with the elected City Treasurer and the City Treasury Staff. In addition to strong technical skills, this position will require effective leadership, including planning, organizing, and providing staff direction, mentoring and oversight for this vital City function. The Director of Finance will foster collaborative and cohesive working relationships with other City department heads as well as the City Council.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The City of Rialto is looking for a well-regarded local government finance professional that is strategic, politically astute, team-player and working manager with a record of professional accomplishments that demonstrates the ability to effectively lead in a diverse public organization. A proven record as an effective and collaborative leader—possessing confidence, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, strong technical and business acumen, and sound fiscal management skills are essential. The Director of Finance position requires a strong, visionary leader committed to quality improvement, customer service, staff engagement and inclusiveness, and performance management. The qualified candidate has demonstrated resiliency and experience working with a passionate and involved City Council. The successful candidate will be a strategic leader and planner who can work with City Council, other department heads, staff, and outside stakeholders and City partners to continue the City’s effective, stable and successful financial path as well as assist the entire agency achieve the City’s economic growth aspirations, and improve the quality of life for all City residents.

The successful candidate will have expertise in finance, accounting, audit, and budget management, as well as public sector administration. In addition to being able to hit the ground running and know how to lead a cutting-edge finance department, the incumbent will exhibit excellent interpersonal abilities that are necessary to build and maintain solid relationships with elected officials, regional and national business partners, surrounding cities, governmental agencies, other department heads, staff, and the community through open and respectful dialogue. Experience with ERP implementations is a plus.

Exposure to supporting the fiscal and analytical demands of labor negotiations is highly desirable. This leader should demonstrate financial acumen, financial forecasting methods to influence operational decision making that provide value for the residents of Rialto.

Key Attributes and Characteristics

• A strong leader who shares the vision of the Council, City Manager, Assistant City Manager and community, and who can advocate, articulate, and implement that vision. A manager who is able to blend innovation and creativity; someone who can think outside the box and continue moving the city in a positive direction.
• A professional who upholds the values of the City of Rialto while building positive employee working relations and respecting the richness of cultures and diversity.
• A friendly, approachable leader who is actively engaged in the community to ensure quality customer service.
• A communicative leader with the highest integrity, character, and ethics.
• A manager who values and openly demonstrates an appreciation for and connection with staff and has the ability to maintain and build trust and actively listen.
• A leader who combines strong technical skills with being a change agent that can help bring the essential functions of the Finance Department to the next level.
• An advocate for staff development, mentorship and training to provide ongoing opportunities for success for every member of the department.
• The incumbent will know how to keep the day-to-day together but keep a strong focus on the big picture and understand how all of the moving parts of the organization and its goals fit together.
• An insightful professional with a keen eye toward developing and maintaining relationships across the Agency and who is an adept communicator.
• Someone who is able to explain complex financial concepts to non-finance professionals and staff.
• Our City is on the cusp of major positive change. We seek a Director of Finance who embraces that challenge.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: Six years of progressively responsible financial management experience in municipal government, including three years at a management or program supervisory level.

Training: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in public finance, accounting, public, business administration or a related field.

Licenses and Certifications: Professional certification such as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is not required, but preferred. Possession of a State of California driver’s license.

THE COMMUNITY

The City of Rialto, known as “The Bridge to Progress” city, is in San Bernardino County and is home to a highly diverse community of over 100,000 residents. Conveniently located close to some of the State’s majestic snow-capped mountains, tranquil deserts, and pristine beaches, Rialto offers unique recreational opportunities for every lifestyle. Whatever the recreational or artistic pursuits, they can be found close at hand and include skiing in Big Bear, golfing in Palm Springs, shopping on Rodeo Drive, surfing at Malibu, visiting Disneyland, the Music Center, the California Speedway, Hollywood, historic mission sites, or the National Orange Show. Striving to become a leader in sustainability, the City has strategically focused on striking a balance between visitors, businesses, and residents.

To learn more about the City of Rialto, go to: https://www.yourrialto.com/.

For more details about this opportunity, please visit the job brochure at: https://koffassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Rialto-Director-of-Finance-Brochure-Final-11-27-24-v2.pdf.

To be considered, please electronically submit your resume, cover letter and a list of five professional references (references will not be contacted in the early stages of the recruitment) to: https://koffassociates.com/rialto-dir-of-finance/. Resumes should reflect years and months of positions held, as well as size of staff and budgets you have managed.

For additional information please contact:

Pete Smith

Senior Recruiter

510.342.3233

[email protected]

www.koffassociates.com