The City of Avondale Estates, Georgia is seeking a Director of Finance & Administrative Services. Avondale Estates, is a progressive 1.2 square mile city eight miles east of downtown Atlanta and home to just under 4,000 people and growing. The city celebrates its historic character and small-town atmosphere while facilitating smart-growth and development. Founded in 1924, Avondale Estates is the only documented example of an early 20th Century planned town in the Southeast and is named on the National Register of Historic Places. Recently ranked as the #15 Top Family-Friendly City by Opendoor, Avondale Estates is highly sought after for its small-town feel and big city amenities. Residents enjoy multiple greenspaces including beautiful Lake Avondale, Willis Park and the new Town Green, a 2.5 acre urban town green in the heart of downtown – all beautiful places to meet friends or take the family for an afternoon. The emerging downtown area provides a unique experience with food, beer and entertainment.

The ideal candidate for this position will be an ethical finance professional who is a dedicated team player with a proven record of success in leadership and management of finance functions within a public or governmental agency or organization. The successful candidate should be an experienced and self-confident person who is a critical thinker and can immediately provide quality services to a variety of internal departments. This person should have the ability to address budget questions, concerns and issues with diplomacy and tact. The new director should be a self-starter who will seek creative ways for the department to move to “yes” answers while operating within policy directives of the mayor and council. The new director must have the ability to identify, promote and implement innovative financial best practices within the organization such as enhanced use of on-line customer service options, automatic preapproved payment processes, and electronic service delivery systems to reduce paper-based functions. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, highly organized and have well-developed problem-solving skills. Due to the size of the department, this person must be comfortable with engaging in the detailed work of the department without micromanaging or losing the “big picture” perspective.

Find details about the position by reviewing the recruitment profile at www.mercergroupassociates.com

Minimum qualifications for the Director include:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting or related degree from an accredited university is required. A master’s degree is preferred.
• A minimum of four years of department director/upper-level management experi¬ence in local governments of similar size and complexity to Avondale Estates or in a department director role in the private sector is required. Previous experience as a finance director is desirable.
• Evidence of continued professional development such as GFOA or other up¬per-level finance certifications or Certi¬fied Public Accountant (CPA) designation are positive indicators of dedication to the profession and will be noted during the candidate vetting process.
• Must possess a valid Georgia driver’s license or have the ability to obtain upon

Compensation & Benefits:

The expected starting salary range for this position is $120,000 - $130,000 (depending on qualifications of the selected candidate), with a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental and life insurance. The city offers a generous annual and sick leave program. Relocation expenses are negotiable.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates must submit by email a cover letter, resume, at least five job related references with email addresses and phone numbers, and salary history not later than 5:00 pm (ET) September 30, 2022 to: lisaward912@gmail.com. Any questions call 706-983-9326. Interviews will be conducted in November 2022.

Alan Reddish, Senior Associate, 107 Indigo Lane, Athens, GA 30606, Cell: 706-614-4961