Director of Budget & Finance
Harris County
Houston, TX
$169,495 - $189,495 a year
Description
Position Description
Position Overview:
The Office of the County Engineer (OCE) is the engine driving Harris County's growth, safety, and resilience. Guided by the Harris County Commissioners Court, this department is responsible for a vast range of essential infrastructure projects and services that impact more than 4.7 million residents across the county, including Houston and the surrounding areas. The Department currently employs 809 full-time employees and has a total operating budget of over $100 million and a Capital Projects Budget of over $3.5 billion.
The Office of the County Engineer seeks a highly motivated and experienced leader to join as the Director of Budget & Finance. Under the supervision of the Chief Financial Officer, this position entails highly responsible management and complex professional administrative duties within the Finance Division. The primary role involves monitoring and analyzing the department's financial status to provide critical information for executive leadership’s decision-making process.
Job Duties & Responsibilities:
- Provide daily leadership and management in planning and directing the activities of the Finance and Budget division, which includes compliance, training and developing employees, evaluating performance, and providing coaching.
- Develop and implement financial strategies, plans, and policies aligned with organizational goals.
- Lead inventory control, purchasing policies, and procedures, and improve efficiency and compliance. Incorporate best practices for public budgeting and finance, including applicable practices advised by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), as well as County and State-mandated guidelines.
- Prepare and review financial reports monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad hoc to support department leadership in making informed financial decisions and providing well-founded recommendations based on identified trends and variances.
- Conduct financial analysis, forecasting, and modeling to guide strategic decisions.
- Lead the annual budgeting process and ensure budgets are aligned with strategic objectives.
- Monitor budget implementation and variance analysis, making recommendations for adjustments as needed and preparing and presenting accurate and timely financial statements, reports, and analyses to executive leadership.
- Ensure compliance with accounting standards, regulations, and internal policies.
- Manage cash flow and liquidity to support operational needs and strategic initiatives, forecast cash flow projections, and make recommendations for optimizing cash resources.
- Oversee risk management strategies related to financial operations and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and reporting standards.
- Implement controls and procedures to safeguard financial assets and minimize the risk of fraud.
- Serve as a financial advisor to support decision-making and strategic planning initiatives.
- Coordinate financial audits and ensure the timely completion of audit requirements.
- Perform other duties as assigned by Executive Leadership.
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.
Requirements
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
Experience:
- A minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in budgeting and financial management in a multi-layer organization, in a leadership role, addressing business analytics and process improvement.
Emergency Deployment & Continuity of Operations Requirement: In accordance with Harris County’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Policy, this position is subject to emergency response and deployment protocols. The employee may be designated as supporting a Mission Essential Function (MEF) and must:
- Employee is responsible for sustaining MEF and operations during emergency events and is expected to report to the appropriate work location even when a "temporary closure" has been issued for the County.
NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.
Preferences
Education:
- Master's Degree in Business Administration or related field.
Experience:
- Experience with governmental budgeting, accounting, and purchasing processes and principles.
- Experience using PeopleSoft Financials or other enterprise software.
- Experience with e-builder and other project management software.
Knowledge, Skill & Abilities (KSAs):
- Aptitude for making sound financial decisions under pressure.
- Ability to innovate and improve financial processes and systems.
General Information
Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:
Full-Time | Regular | 40 hours per week.
Subject to early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays at times, depending upon the project or workload.
Physical Demands and Environmental Exposure:
- Most assignments will be performed in an office, meeting, or operations command center environment, but some field work may be required. May be required to work extended work hours during activation of disaster recovery operations for an unspecified length of time (depending on the extent of the event).
- This position requires bending, stooping, and lifting up to 25 lbs. It also requires frequent walking, standing, sitting, reaching, and ascending/descending stairs.
- The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
FEATURED BENEFITS:
Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
Wellness.
Professional development opportunity.
Flexible spending account.
457 deferred compensation plans.
Retirement pension (TCDRS).
Transportation assistance (Metro Ride Sponsor Program).
Disability and life insurance.
Harris County is a Qualified Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).
Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.
Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.
- Medical Coverage
- Dental Coverage
- Vision Coverage
- Wellness Plan
- Life Insurance
- Long-term disability
- Employee Assistance Program
- Ten (10) days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service
- Accrual rates increase based on years of service
- Eleven (11) County-observed holidays and one (1) floating holiday
- Professional development opportunities
- Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
- Healthcare Reimbursement Account
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
- Retirement Pension (TCDRS)
- Flexible schedule (varies by department)
- Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.
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