Deputy Director of Finance

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. About one-quarter of the City’s square miles have been designated as a national or local historic district. We proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for the Deputy Director of Finance position.

An Overview:

The City of Alexandria is seeking a Deputy Director of Finance who possesses a strong sense of vision to help create a responsive and collaborative team of finance professionals. With oversight from the Director of Finance, the Deputy Director will be responsible for leading the Accounting and Procurement Divisions and will be an integral member of the City’s financial management team. The incumbent in this role will work with fiscal staff across the organization to organize, direct and manage the City’s financial activities, to ensure the City’s long-term financial stability. The Deputy Director will have the opportunity to develop new and revise existing policies, processes, and procedures to help establish and institutionalize a contemporary, technology-driven, and nimble financial environment across the organization.

This is a new position with the opportunity to contribute to a variety of financial areas, including collective bargaining, economic development, procurement disparity, and insurance strategy. In the absence of the Director of Finance, this position will hold the authority of the Director of Finance, established by the Code of Virginia and the City Charter. The City of Alexandria, Virginia is an independent City with an All Funds Operating Budget of $1.4 billion in FY 2024 (including $884 million of General Funds), and a 10-year Capital Improvement Program of $2.4 billion. The City’s most recent bond issuance received AAA/Aaa ratings, and the City’s current outstanding debt is approximately $1.1 billion.

What You Should Bring:

The ideal candidate has experience successfully managing teams of financial professionals tasked with producing complex, critical financial reports and documents. Additional skills and abilities include:

• Thorough knowledge of city financial operations;
• Ability to navigate multiple tasks simultaneously, and respond to customer needs timely and effectively
• Thorough knowledge of modern office management principles, practices and equipment;
• Ability to manage complex financial business processes;
• Ability to prepare accurate and complete financial reports;
• Ability to plan, organize, assign and supervise the work of others;
• Ability to communicate clearly, courteously, and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of management and external business partners.

The Opportunity – Examples of Work:

• Plans, coordinates and directs the activities of the divisions of Accounting, Procurement and the Risk Management team;
• Ensures the timely preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
• Directs the Procurement division to ensure fair, competitive execution of the City’s procurement activities and contract management;
• Provides revenue forecasting and economic analysis;
• Analyzes, reviews, and provides comments and recommendation on proposed legislation that impacts the City’s financial strength and local authority;
• Assist in formulating the annual budget with the Finance Director;
• Directs and manages the Department’s operations, as needed, to include personnel resources, staffing, handling operational and employee concerns and ensuring adequate training of personnel, approving employee leave, participating in decisions to hire, discipline, discharge and promotion of employees;
• Works directly with the Finance Divisions to provide subject matter expertise and assistance to City agencies and employees in the areas of financial management, financial reporting, procurement, safety and risk management;
• Participates in projects, initiatives and meetings with a variety of stakeholders where the City’s assets or fiscal situation are impacted;
• Formulates the goals and objectives of the Finance Department;
• Performs related work, as required.

About The Department:

• The City of Alexandria's Finance Department is a fast-paced, diverse, and customer service focused operation that is responsible for: the assessment, collection, and enforcement of all City taxes, the management of cash flow and investments, accounting for and reporting the City’s financial position, processing payroll, executing a fair and competitive procurement environment, assessing all real and personal property in the City, managing the City’s risk and safety programs, and managing the City’s pension plans. The Finance Department has seven divisions and in fiscal year 2024 is operating with a total budget of $15.4 million and 110 FTE positions.
• The goal of the Finance Department is to treat all employees, residents, and business owners professionally, with fairness and compassion.

Minimum & Additional Requirements:

• Possession of a four-year college degree from an accredited college or university with a degree in finance, business administration, or public administration; Plus five years of progressively responsible financial management and supervisory experience; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the following required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Progressively responsible experience as a Finance Director, Comptroller, or Chief Financial Officer.

Notes:

• This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment background checks including but not limited to a criminal background check. The selection process for this position may include a phone or virtual interview, and in-person interview.
• The hiring salary range for this position is $109,464.96 to $177,413.86, based on qualifications and experience. The full salary range for this position job class is $109,464.96 to $196,128.75.