Finance Chief Financial Officer
Job Description
Jeffco Public Schools, Colorado’s largest K-12 school district, with 85,000 students and approximately 14,000 employees, has provided educational excellence for more than 60 years. Nearly 10 percent of all Colorado K-12 students attend a Jeffco school and our employees benefit from partnerships with experienced, dynamic school leaders throughout our district. Our Jeffco Generations vision document and strategic plan map out with focus and clarity what we expect our schools to accomplish with our graduates. Come join us!
Jeffco Public Schools is a Single-State Employer. All candidates hired by Jeffco Public Schools must reside within the state of Colorado.
Financial Services is responsible for leading, advising and consulting with the school district, government entities, citizens, and professional organizations on financial issues. Financial services is responsible for conducting school and department audits and insuring compliance with district financial policies and procedures as well as federal, state and local regulations. Financial services provides administrative support to all departments and schools in regard to their financial needs and consists of the following departments: Accounting, Accounts Payable, Budget Management including Grants Acquisition and Accounting, Internal Audit, Payroll, Purchasing, Risk Management and School Accounting Support Team.
SUMMARY Establish strategic direction and provide leadership of the Financial Services organization within Jeffco. Key deliverables include: maintaining a multi-year financial outlook; creation of an annual budget; maintaining a general ledger and providing financial reporting in accordance with Governmental Accounting Standards and state statutes; development of the Annual Financial Report (AFR) detailing the financial status of the district; and ensure appropriate service delivery and outcomes associated with operational functions including accounting; budgeting; purchasing; disbursements; cash management; risk management; payroll; and financial planning, analysis and reporting. Oversee a budget that exceeds $1B and has more than 50 staff in the department.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Serve as a member of Superintendent’s Cabinet bringing financial understanding and impacts to the strategic and tactical decision-making of this team. Manage all the policies and regulations to ensure Jeffco is fiscally well managed. Attend all Board of Education meetings.
Hire, manage, develop and actively lead a team of finance and accounting professionals capable of meeting the required functional responsibilities and effectively meeting the strategic goals of the District.
Develop the annual budget, with the director of budget, to align with the District’s strategic goals, including establishing the process and timelines, developing the budget request process, and partnering with District committees and community groups to ensure budgetary alignment with the District and Board of Education goals. Includes extensive public engagement to ensure the voice of the public is reflected in the process. Presentations of financial status and budget outlook to the Board of Education throughout the year.
Direct and review the administration of financial activities through the staff including:
*Development and maintenance of a multi-year financial outlook.
*Assistance to school, department and grant managers in budget development, monitoring and management, including maintenance of financial records and controls.
*Management of centralized accounting for District financial transactions; maintenance of official accounting records; preparation of annual District financial audit reports (CAFR) and monthly financial reports; tuition-based program fiscal management; charter school funding; processing of purchasing card and petty cash transactions; fixed assets accounting; filing of state reimbursement claims; and monitoring of grants and special revenue funds.
*Management of cash flow, banking relations, investment of District funds, disbursing of district payments, processing of employer/employee taxes and employee pay withholdings.
*Implementation of appropriate financial and budgetary controls of public and private resources and management of internal audit.
*Management of property and liability insurance program management and worker’s compensation program support, risk management loss prevention and training and related functions.
Facilitate the Financial Oversight Committee comprised of business partners charged with making financial recommendations to the Superintendent and the Board of Education to ensure sound fiscal management in Jeffco. Support the district audit committee in conjunction with Director of Finance.
Extensive knowledge of school finance act and other impactful state legislation. Maintain knowledge of current and proposed State and Federal laws governing the control and distribution of the school district finances. Confer with appropriate individuals in legislature and Colorado Department of Education to provide information regarding fiscal impacts and influence outcomes positively where possible.
Ensure district funds are invested wisely and cash flow is monitored to support the work of the District.
Provide detailed, multi-year financial analysis for labor negotiations and participate as a member of the negotiating team when required.
Provide quarterly Board of Education updates on District finances; monitor bond expenditures; and provide information and presentations to the public and community groups on financial matters related to Jeffco.
Respond to public information inquiries, Board and Superintendent correspondence, and Colorado Open Records Act requests.
Provide legally required financial data to support District bond elections. Manage issuance of bonds, including preparing offering statements, meeting with rating agencies and working with underwriters to design the issuance model for board approval. Manage investments of bond proceeds within investment and debt policies.
Other duties as assigned.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EXPERIENCE 10 plus years progressive experience in increasing levels of supervision and management in business, finance or accounting; knowledge of governmental accounting and financial reporting required; executive level experience preferred.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or accounting; Master’s degree, Certified Public Finance Officer or CPA preferred.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Valid Colorado driver’s license
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & EQUIPMENT Working knowledge and experience with managing large, complex financial systems. Strong leadership and project management skills. Ability to develop and maintain financial management strategic plans. Experience with vendor negotiations and contracts. Excellent executive interpersonal skills. Positive communicator of complex ideas to diverse audiences. An effective team player who enjoys working in a collegial manner with peers and subordinates.
DECISION MAKING Ability to direct the application of technical and business knowledge, analytical skills, and experience in analyzing collected data to form or adjust policy or direction based upon the analysis performed. Errors in judgment could result in disruption of service and/or bring major discredit to the District, Superintendent, and/or Board of Education. Errors could potentially result in substantial embarrassment and/or cost to the District.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Daily contact with professional staff within and outside the department to discuss routine internal matters, obtain/furnish information, resolve routine corrections/adjustments, interpret policy, maintain relationships, recommend policy, and negotiate controversial matters. Weekly contact with Board of Education, vendors, contractors, developers, and public agencies such as Colorado Department of Education to discuss routine internal matters, obtain/furnish information, resolve routine corrections/adjustments, interpret policy, maintain relationships, and negotiate controversial matters. Monthly contact with citizen or advisory committees, local government, State Legislature or Congressional staff to discuss routine internal matters, obtain/furnish information, resolve routine corrections/adjustments, interpret policy, maintain relationships, and negotiate controversial matters; and with the media, news, press, etc to obtain/furnish information and maintain relationships.
SPAN OF CONTROL Directly supervises employees including Director, Finance; Director, Budget; Director, Payroll; Director, Purchasing; Director, Risk Management; and Executive Administrative Assistant. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Total department numbers more than 50 staff.
EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY Financial Services interacts with all aspects of both support and instructional district activities. Provide direct services for cash management and financial reporting and management. The majority of time is not spent on the school site.
COMPLEXITY OF WORK Generalized goals and objectives are defined by the Board of Education, Superintendent, and based upon the District?s Strategic Plan. Requires independent judgment to interpret board policies, financial management practices, organizational management practices, and District procedures to manage the allocation of resources in achieving goals and objectives. Requires technical knowledge, business knowledge, analytical skills, facilitation skills, interpersonal skills, and interpretation of facts to understand unique technical and business problems, recommend and implement solutions and evaluate the results.
The physical demands, mental functions, and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, or crouch; and talk or hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
MENTAL FUNCTIONS While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to compare, analyze, problem solve, communicate, copy, coordinate, instruct, compute, synthesize, evaluate, use interpersonal skills, compile, and negotiate.
WORK ENVIRONMENT The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
OTHER The Chief Financial Officer provides leadership in the critical areas of financial administration as well as ensuring that timely and accurate financial information is available to all levels of the organization.
