Finance Director

Location:  City of Greeley, CO Download:  ity of Greeley, CO - Finance Director Brochure

City of Greeley, CO
Finance Director

About Greeley, Colorado

Incorporated in 1886, Greeley became a Home Rule City in 1958 with the Council-Manager form of government. The county seat of Weld County, Greeley lies 30 miles east of the front range of the majestic Rocky Mountains near the confluence of the Cache la Poudre and South Platte Rivers and 52 miles northeast of Denver. 

Education, Economy and Community Excellence.  Greeley thrives as the education, trade, transportation, cultural and marketing center of Weld County. It's one of the top ten most prosperous and most productive agricultural counties in the U.S. and the state of Colorado's most productive oil and gas operations. With an estimated population of 108,000, the City covers an area of 46.4 square miles at an elevation of 4,658 feet. Greeley is home to the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), the third largest university in Colorado and Aims Community College. In addition to investments in education, there is a true commitment to achieving community excellence through the development of economic opportunities, enhanced quality of life, cultivating community resources, talent and workforce development, enhanced transportation spending and the development of infrastructure to serve Greeley's future.

Greeley is home to a diverse mix of industries - from breweries to oil and gas, from unique shops to food processing, and from agricultural innovation to an incredible concentration of creative industries and individuals. The City attracts good corporate citizens with skilled-labor jobs that pay competitive salaries.

Arts and Culture.  Greeley offers diverse arts, music and cultural events. This includes performances by the UNC's College of Performing and Visual Arts, Greeley Chorale and the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, and many more entertainers. Enjoy Greeley's Union Colony Civic Center hosting Broadway shows, art shows, movies, and performances. Greeley is also home to favorite community events such as the Greeley Stampede, Arts Picnic, Friday Fest, and so much more.

Parks, Recreation and Mountain Access.  With a plethora of parks and facilities encompassing over 650 acres, the recreational amenities in Greeley are endless. There are golf courses, recreation centers, swimming pools, fields and courts for sports, skate parks, playgrounds, fishing ponds, picnic areas, and more. Experience more time outdoors on biking and hiking trails in the community. Beyond our City, Rocky Mountain National Park and many other pristine alpine environments are all less than 50 miles away. 

What's happening in Greeley?

Exciting things are happening in Greeley:

  • Recently, the City of Greeley and the Weld County region have been nationally recognized as highlighted below:
    • Second-fastest population growth in the United States (Weld County - 2017)
    • 6th best place in the United States in 2019 for First Time Homebuyers by WalletHub
    • 8th most dynamic metropolitan area in the United States by the Walton Family Foundation
    • 8th on WalletHub's 2019 Best Small-Town Real Estate Market Study
    • 5th on SmartAsset's Top 50 Boomtown's Nationwide
  • City Center South, a recently constructed modern municipal office building, houses City Council meeting chambers, Municipal Court, Information Technology, Water & Sewer offices, GTV8, and Central Records. The City is committed to developing centralized modern governmental workspaces with ample meeting rooms, effective collaborative spaces and up to date audio visual equipment to facilitate video conferencing, meeting broadcasting and other time and travel efficiency tools.
  • Ongoing investment in the redevelopment of Downtown Greeley with major investments in public art, road & pedestrian infrastructure, stormwater mitigation, redevelopment incentives, and sense of place enhancements attracting investment and innovation. A new, upscale hotel and conference center recently opened downtown attracting new visitors, business meetings, and special events. New restaurants, hospitality, and retail outlets are choosing to locate in every corner of the city.
  • Major construction projects recently completed include the construction of the UCHealth Hospital in west Greeley, Campus Commons on the University of Northern Colorado campus, and much more. The South Maddie Apartments currently under construction will feature mixed use multi-family housing and street-level retail shops; this project builds on the momentum of new improvements to the 8th Avenue corridor.

The Organization

A Home Rule Municipality that is self-governed under the State of Colorado Constitution, Greeley operates under a Council-Manager form of government with seven elected officials on the Council including the Mayor.  Under this form of government, the City Council sets the policies for the operation of the Greeley government while the council-appointed City Manager has administrative responsibilities for city operations. 

The City has a total 2020 budget of $471.3 million and a staff of approximately 970 full-time equivalent positions. 

The Finance Department

The Finance Department is responsible for the administration of the financial affairs of the City including compiling financial information and data for the City Manager's annual budget, the supervision of disbursement of all monies and control over all expenditures to ensure appropriations are not exceeded, the design and maintenance of a general accounting system along with the development and maintenance of internal controls, preparation of periodic statements of receipts and disbursements showing the financial and budgetary condition of the City, preparation of year-end financial statements, the collection of all revenue due to the City, investment of City funds, the purchasing of goods and services, and the disposal of surplus assets.  

The Finance Department accounts for all revenues and expenditures of the City, compiles information and data, monitors the budget, is responsible for recording and reporting all expenditures and revenue of the City, and prepares the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and the Biennial Operating & Capital Improvement Plan, along with providing ongoing analysis of the financial condition of the City, debt issuance, debt management and the investing of City funds. The department has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) award for Excellence in Financial Reporting each year since 1983 and the GFOA award for Distinguished Budget Presentation each year since 1992.

In FY 2020, the Finance Department is comprised of 30.5 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) and an operating budget of approximately $3.382 million and supports 16 citywide Departments and Divisions.  The Department currently encompasses the following functions:

Function

                                            Purpose

Accounting Operations

Reviews purchase orders, creates vendor accounts, processes requests for payment, payroll, and oversees the Visa Card program.

Budget

Responsible for the City's budget and budget documents.

Cash Operations

Responsible for all customer service, cashiering, and billing. This area oversees the Food Tax Rebate Program, bill printing, the bill stuffer and mailing contract.

Financial Reporting

Processing bank transactions and reconciliation, creation of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Investments, and fund accounting.

Financial Services & Fiscal Management

Provides complete and accurate financial information to management, City Council, City departments and to the citizens of Greeley.  It also provides administrative direction for the entire Finance Department in addition to debt issuance and debt management. 

Purchasing

Provides a purchasing team which is utilized for any City purchase.  This team assists with specifications, prepares bids, and assures observance of City ordinances pertaining to purchasing and contracting.  The purchasing staff serves as an interface between departmental personnel and vendors.  

Sales Tax Administration

Ensures the collection and auditing of sale and uses taxes and the issuing of business licenses.

Utility Billing

Provides billing services to the City utility customers, answers public inquiries, maintains utility billing records, performs special utility meter reading service requests.


The Position

The Finance Director is responsible for the preparation and oversight of the City's $178,273,757 operating budget. In addition, the Director maintains appropriate accounting records and financial reporting to the City Council, the City Manager, and all the departments of the city.

Key responsibilities include providing leadership and coordination in the administrative, business planning, accounting, and budgeting efforts of the City of Greeley by overseeing all functions outlined above.  The Finance Director - a position which reports directly to the City Manager with day to day supervision currently provided by the Assistant City Manager for Finance and Administration - provides information to the City Council, City Department Directors, and to the public. 

The Ideal Candidate

Greeley's ideal candidate is an established or up and coming leader in the municipal budget and finance field with a proven ability or passion to engage staff and collaborate with colleagues while integrating policy and best practice.  The new Finance Director should:

  • bring a strong foundation in municipal finance's core services such as budgeting, utility billing, audits, five-year forecasting, investments, debt issuance and management, financial planning, financial reporting, and sales tax administration - while also providing vision and strategy to create a high-performance departmental culture, and develop a solution-based, customer service focused department.
  • have the highest degree of integrity, judgment, and independence as well as expert level skills necessary to apply budget-related laws, regulations, policies, and methods to manage complex budgetary and financial assignments.
  • promote the internal and external customer service expectations of the department and build strong relationships across the organization to achieve city-wide goals.
  • be skilled in creating a positive atmosphere for employees in the organization and within the department, and set a superior example of competence, professionalism, energy, collaboration, innovation and work ethic to the organization and community.
  • model ethical behavior and a strong work ethic and ensure fair and equitable treatment of employees.
  • be politically astute, an effective communicator, and equally comfortable talking with line level staff, department directors, and presenting before City Council.
  • be a persuasive, confident leader, with a clear understanding of complex financial issues.
  • be able to focus on leveraging technology to improve services.
  • be a team player who is collaborative and supportive in serving as a member of the City's executive leadership team.
  • be a skilled professional with a high sense of emotional intelligence and an awareness of community, organizational, employee and constituent issues and political sensitivities.
  • be open, approachable, instill trust, work collaboratively in a team environment; be action oriented; exercise good judgment; treat others with respect; and hold staff accountable.
  • be an outstanding leader of employees who provides guidance and professional support to staff, offering regular feedback to city leadership and employees.
  • be a positive leader, bringing innovation and creativity to the finance department.
  • have the capacity and interest to be an effective mentor and leader for staff and should inspire staff to achieve excellence.
  • be a creative and innovative leader who has the ability to effectively make firm recommendations and decisions to City management based on experience and professional judgment.
  • be able to demonstrate superior management skills and have the ability to make strategic decisions pertaining to staff and procedures within the department.
  • have the ability to effectively delegate authority and responsibility while maintaining appropriate levels of operational control.
  • have extensive knowledge of governmental accounting and budgeting practices to ensure that the City's financial records are accurately presented.
  • understand and implement GASB statements and have knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
  • be familiar with generally accepted auditing standards, government auditing standards, and public capital financing principles.
  • have a high level of expertise and hands-on skills with automated financial systems and electronic spreadsheets. 

Key Finance Department Initiatives in 2020 and Beyond Include:

  • Conduct an organizational and operational assessment of the Finance Department in late 2020;
  • Conduct research, provide projections and scenarios related to the short- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on revenues and operations, development of associated service level reset options and testing opportunities such as drive thru and kiosk services;
  • Play a key role in completing the implementation of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system scheduled to go live in late 2020 and ensuring the continuous iteration of procedures, policies and process to ensure ease of use and data driven decision making;
  • Implement recommendations from a third-party assessment of the Finance Department's internal controls;
  • Serve as Executive Sponsor for the implementation of a new utility billing system;
  • Maximize collaborations between the Finance Department and other enterprise serving departments such as Human Resources and Information Technology;
  • Serve as Executive Sponsor of the Development Impact Fee Study currently underway; and
  • Iterate the use of the Priority Based Budgeting tool to the next level to maximize the strategic development and implementation of the budget process. 

Education and Experience

Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or a closely related field and at least (7) seven years progressively responsible municipal government and finance management experience; a Master's degree is preferred.

Required Certifications/Licenses

A CPA certification is desired. 

Salary

The City of Greeley is offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Relocation assistance will also be available for the successful out-of-area candidate. 

Residency Requirement

Residency within the City of Greeley is highly preferred.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to:

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: GREELEYFD

Affion Public
PO Box 794
Hershey, PA 17033
888.321.4922

www.affionpublic.com 

The City of Greeley is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. 

 

*The deadline to receive resumes is July 07, 2020**

Posted: 03/22/2022