City Controller

The City of Pasadena (CoP), Texas is seeking a City Controller with extensive experience in municipal accounting, banking, municipal bonds, municipal budgeting, accounting, taxation, and financial controls.

The CoP has a population of approximately 154,000, is just under 60 square miles in size, and shares a common border with the City of Houston. The city is located in Harris County, which is home to over 4 million people. Pasadena encompasses four major public school districts, is home to San Jacinto College and is just a short drive from several universities. Residents can also easily commute to Galveston’s beaches and the Gulf Coast in less than an hour or be in downtown Houston in fewer than 20 minutes. Home prices are relatively low, especially compared to other areas in the state and nationally. There is also a large medical complex located in the city. The city has low crime and unemployment rates and is a great place to live, work, and play in Texas. In fact, Pasadena ranked #13th in the Safest Cities in Texas report for 2021 by Safety.com (https://www.safety.com/public/places/safest-cities-in-texas/).

For FY21 adopted municipal expenditures were over $242M and there was a combined fund balance of over $180M. The agency’s underlying bond rating for its tax-supported debt from Standard & Poor’s is “AA” and from Fitch Ratings is “AA”. The city’s underlying bond ratings for utility-supported debt from Standard & Poor’s is “AA-” and from Fitch Ratings is “AA”. Based on the FY20 CAFRs, the net debt to be repaid from ad valorem tax was less than $92M and the municipality had a total assessed value slightly more than $10B. Each year since 2018, the agency has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. Accordingly, the city is in a strong financial position.

The CoP operates under a mayor-council form of government with the City Controller’s Office under the authority, control, and direction of council (eight councilmembers). As a result, it is independent from the mayor’s authority to the extent described by the Charter. The former City Controller had been with the agency since 2001 and in her ending position since 2017. Her predecessor had been the City Controller for almost 25 years. Currently, there are a total of 17 positions in the Controller’s Office.

The CoP has over 1,000 full-time employees and these employees are provided with outstanding benefits (https://www.pasadenatx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3956/2020-Employee-Benefit-Options-PDF). To highlight a few:

• City-funded medical clinic, staffed by an M.D. and a medical assistant, free to employees and their dependents;
• Low cost and high quality health insurance (prices range from $15 – $80 per month for employee-only and $74 - $328 for family coverage) depending on the plan selected;
• Ability to accrue up to 960 hours of combined leave for “payout” purposes;
• Tuition reimbursement subject to limitations;
• 10 days of vacation, 12 holidays, and 15 days of sick leave annually for new employees;
• Tuition reimbursement subject to limitations; and
• City-funded life insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability insurance.

The anticipated salary range for the selected City Controller is $160,000-$170,000, DOQ and as determined by city councilmembers. Interested applicants should go to https://www.pasadenatx.gov/672/City-Employment-Opportunities to review the job description and to apply.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST REVIEW AND BECOME FAMILIARIZED WITH ARTICLE IX SECTION 6 OF THE CITY CHARTER.

The City of Pasadena is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Qualified Individuals. A City of Pasadena application is required. Resumes are considered additional information, and accepted only with a completed City application. Applications may be downloaded from the City of Pasadena website at www.pasadenatx.gov. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Pasadena will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations.