Finance Director

Transylvania County, tucked away in the beauty and splendor of Western North Carolina, is seeking an experienced finance executive to serve as its next Finance Director. This opportunity is for the forward-thinking leader who has experience working with the Council-Manager form of government and extensive knowledge and understanding of local government finance. As the County’s outdoor industry, pharmaceutical cluster and primary industry of Tourism continue to grow, the Finance Director will have the unique opportunity to be highly engaged in the County’s long-term vision – bringing innovative ideas and solutions to support the growth and sustainability of the County.

The successful candidate thrives in a collaborative environment and can effectively manage the daily demands of operations while building and strengthening relationships within the organization and supporting the County Manager with annual and ongoing tasks including the budget and capital planning. The next Finance Director has impeccable communication and interpersonal skills – one who can effectively communicate complex financial issues to various stakeholders including the Board, staff, peer directors, etc. County leaders desire a motivating, honorable leader who has demonstrable experience cultivating an environment of highly engaged team members where mutual respect, appreciation, and value for one another builds partnerships and connections to collaboratively meet departmental and organizational goals.

About the Community:

Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and established in 1861, Transylvania County spans more than 375 square miles and is centrally located between Asheville to the north and Greenville, SC to the south. Transylvania County includes the municipalities of Brevard and Rosman, 8 townships and 17 unincorporated communities where over 33,500 community members live permanently. As a highly attractive location for part-time residents and tourists, the County’s population exceeds 45,000 in the summer months. Of the County’s full-time residents, 93% are white, 3% African American, and 4% Hispanic.

Known as the “Land of Waterfalls,” with over 250 waterfalls and more than 80,000 acres of Pisgah National Forest, the County’s landscape is full of adventure. In fact, over 50% of the county’s land is publicly owned and protected. From hiking, cycling, fishing, horseback riding, and camping to canoeing, swimming, and tubing, there is much to explore in the County’s Pisgah National Forest, Dupont State Forest, Gorges State Park, and Headwaters State Forest.

The County’s charming historic seat, Brevard, is home to nearly 7,800 people and frequently named as one of the best, coolest small towns in the country to visit. Brevard is a popular tourist destination attracting visitors from around the world. On a summer day in Brevard, you’ll find visitors grabbing their friends and tubes for a ride along the French Broad or Davidson River to bask in the warmth of the sun, the beauty of the forest and the coolness of the water, all while trying to spot a white squirrel. They might also be taking a plunge in the frigid waters of Sliding Rock, flocking to Bracken Mountain Bakery for homemade pastries and scones, having lunch at the old-fashioned Rocky’s Soda Shop followed by ice-cream at Dolly’s where the flavors are named after the local camps and snagging a new game or toy at the best toy store around – O.P. Taylor’s.

Of the county’s frequent visitors are thousands of campers who come to one of the county’s 16 camps each summer. Transylvania County has one of the highest concentrations of summer camps in the entire nation. Our deeply ingrained summer camp culture – going back over 100 years – ensures a joyous and meaningful experience for children of every age and interest. In fact, so beloved are our many summertime homes-away-from-home that it’s typical for former campers to return decades later to seek out the sacred spots where they first learned to dive, shoot an arrow, ride a horse, paddle a boat, and conquer homesickness with s’mores and a good ghost story.

As attractive as Transylvania County is to visitors, it is perhaps even more attractive for those of us who call the County home. Those who journey here truly never want to leave. The County’s unique slow-paced lifestyle continues to attract more and more permanent residents, including families who are seeking a peaceful, thriving place to raise and educate their children. For their children’s primary education, families can choose from the robust Transylvania County public school system, public charter school Brevard Academy, or Mountain Sun Community Montessori School.

Higher educational opportunities include Brevard College, named a Top College in the South by the U.S. News & World Report. This liberal arts college, in the heart of downtown Brevard, enrolls nearly 800 students annually, 60% of which participate in one of the school’s athletic programs. Students love the small class sizes and experiential learning – especially the college’s Wilderness Leadership program. With a campus in Brevard, Blue Ridge Community College offers over 20 programs and is highly attractive for those seeking continued education, college transfer or educational opportunities in various trades. The low-cost tuition, flexible online courses, and small class sizes attract over 2,500 students annually to attend Blue Ridge.

With a culture of appreciation for the arts and music, many artists are born from our mountain community. The world-renowned Brevard Music Center, with its 180-acre campus, hosts one of our country's premier summer training programs and festivals. More than 500 gifted students, ages 14 through post-college, come to the Brevard Music Center each summer to study with a distinguished faculty of over 80 artists from the nation's leading orchestras, colleges, and conservatories. As you journey through the county, you’ll find the inspirational work of many artists – from various styles of paintings to pottery, fiber arts, glass blowing, metal, and woodworking, our galleries showcase the Appalachian artistry of our County’s cultural heritage.

Duties/Responsibilities

About the Organization, Department and Position:

Transylvania County, which operates under the Council-Member form of government, strives to maintain its reputation as an ideal place to live, work, visit and play. The County employs 367 benefitted staff (full and part time) across 26 departments to support and fulfill its vision and deliver state mandated services. Through leadership and community engagement, Transylvania County is committed to preserving the County’s natural beauty and cultural resources while developing our built environment to improve the economic, social, and cultural conditions of our county.

The mission of the Finance Department of Transylvania County is to conduct the financial activities of Transylvania County and the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority in compliance with all governmental regulations and accounting standards: to assure sound internal controls and transparent accountability for public funds: to provide reliable, timely, useful information for fiscal management and for community member review: and to deliver courteous responsive service to both internal and external customers.

Through daily operational management and short and long-term planning, the Finance Department plays a critical role in supporting the County’s vision and strategic goals:

Goal 1: The local economy has a more diversified tax base, an increase in living wage jobs and has more stability. The community has capitalized on the unique quality of life and environment unique to the area.

Goal 2: The educational environment facilitates learning, and students are being prepared for a successful future. There are more available resources for enhancing education for all ages.

Goal 3: The community has vibrant nodes of economic and civic activity that create a draw for tourism as well as a platform for community engagement.

Goal 4: The community's quality of life includes resources that promote health, transportation connectivity, a sense of place, cultural heritage, and public safety. The wealth of natural resources in Transylvania County have been well managed and maintained to support the local economy and quality of life with plans in place to assure sustainability.

Goal 5: County government is service driven, transparent and performance based with more active and engaged citizens.

Reporting to the County Manager, the Finance Director assists with the oversight of the County’s budget, analyzes spending patterns, and utilizes data, metrics, and the County’s long-term goals to communicate its financial position to County leaders and stakeholders. The FY 22-23 Adopted General Budget (Download PDF reader) of $74.4M, which is supported by a tax rate of $.6033 per $100 of assessed tax value, includes a $4 million Solid Waste Enterprise Fund. The Total Annual FY 23 Appropriation for all funds is $164,771,744 including:

• General Fund: $74.4 million
• Capital Fund: $83 million
• Special Funds including Fire Districts: $7.9 million
• Self-Insurance Fund: $5.8 million

The next Finance Director, who will oversee 5 positions - Accounts Payable, Payroll, Purchasing, Accountant, and a Specialist, is a flexible and adaptable leader and a strong advocate for the staff and needs of the Finance department. The Finance Director must demonstrate knowledge and skill in governmental accounting; NC laws and regulations; debt sales; procurement law; enterprise funds; state, federal, and private grant management and best practice financial procedures and operations that comply with North Carolina local government fiscal law and policy. This executive should have experience utilizing external resources such as the Local Government Commission and the School of Government.

Key Position Priorities:

Oversee the full integration of the new Munis and Executime (timekeeping) software, ensuring training and education while revising software and departmental processes, policies and procedures as needed to streamline workflows and improve the organization of team and division leadership.

Facilitate education and understanding of financial policies and procedures within the department and across the organization to build skills and improve communication and efficiency while balancing accounting funds management, navigating federal, state, and private funding requirements, and ensuring compliance and adherence to deadlines across the department.

Thoroughly assess the functions and staffing within the organization – evaluating effectiveness, accuracy, and efficiency in service delivery while improving staff training and development efforts, strategically planning for future retirements, and building a sustainable culture of finance professionals with strong morale and a desire for growth.

Work collaboratively with the County’s department directors to build an understanding and awareness of constraints and responsibilities of the Finance department and ensure commitment and compliance to quality service delivery for the County, its leaders, and the community.

Ensure consistent and transparent communication across the organization and within the community regarding financial matters and capital projects that aligns with the expectations and functions of the County’s administration.

Qualifications

Qualifications: A Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field is required. A Master’s Degree and/or Certified North Carolina Local Government Finance Officer designation or CPA is preferred. Seven years of progressive leadership experience in governmental finance or organization-wide financial management, including five years of supervisory experience, ideally in a local government setting is preferred. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered. North Carolina Local Government Finance Officers Certification is required within one year of hire, contingent upon the availability of the courses. Must have the ability to be bonded and possess a valid driver’s license in the State of North Carolina.

The Successful Candidate:

demonstrates extensive knowledge and application of NC General Statutes, the principles and practices of the general fund and local governmental accounting, the preparation of internal financial statements, and complex external financial reports, including the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and other required regulatory reports; the principles and practices of cost and fixed asset accounting, grants management and compliance, internal controls and audit principles and practices, and of the principles and practice of municipal budgeting, capital improvement budgets, and funding, forecasting and financial modeling;

• communicates excellently one on one, in small groups, and in public speaking in order to make complex financial topics understandable to community members, staff, and Commissioners;
• advocates for best practices and confidently and persuasively presents options to the County Manager and management team, and the Board of Commissioners;
• models a positive and enthusiastic approach that builds confidence within the Finance Department and encourages the building of productive relationships within and outside the department;
• is a responsive, detailed, and deadline-oriented professional who continuously improves customer service in a service-driven organization and develops and engages staff to deliver excellent customer service to both internal and external customers;
• is a tech-savvy leader with prior experience assessing and facilitating financial software system upgrades and ongoing implementation;
• will seek opportunities to decentralize duties among the departments while ensuring responsible internal controls and collaborative partnerships;
• develops effective audit preparation skills in-house or collaborates with a contractor to support the preparation of financial statements;
• strives for effective outcomes by being a results-oriented project manager who incorporates the input of multiple stakeholders and collaborates proactively to develop policies and procedures, solve problems and manage financial resources;
• creatively assesses ways to increase revenue and manage expenses in a resource-restricted environment; and,
• develops and applies performance measurement metrics to evaluate progress and increase accountability for goal achievement with high attention to detail.

Additional Information

Transylvania County provides a comprehensive benefits package (Download PDF reader) including participation in the NC Local Government Employees Retirement System.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Finance Director – Transylvania County, NC title. To learn more about the selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select “Client Openings” and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.” All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal – NOT the County Employment Application portal, nor any other external website; it is not sufficient to send only a resume. Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application. Applicants must apply by June 25th, 2023. Successful semi-finalists will be invited to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation on August 3rd - 4th, 2023. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate. All inquiries should be emailed to hiring@developmentalassociates.com. Transylvania County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The recruitment and selection process is being managed by Developmental Associates, LLC.