Finance Director



Job Details

Finance Director

This listing closes on 5/4/2025 at 11:59 PM Central Time (US & Canada).

Employer

City of Columbus (WI)

Salary

$78,354.00 - $93,600.00 Annually

Location

Columbus

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

202400021

Department

Administration

Division

Treasurer

Opening Date

04/14/2025

Closing Date

5/4/2025 at 11:59 PM Central Time (US & Canada)

General Purpose

This is a highly responsible municipal accounting/finance position. This position has considerable independence and acts as the lead position for the City’s general ledger accounting and key accounting processes. This position assists in the preparation of financial reports, audit work papers, and utility accounting. This position plays a key role in the development of the annual budget and financial statements. The Finance Director maintains the City’s fixed asset records, prepares monthly financial reports, and assists with property tax collection. This position works in partnership and close coordination with other City Hall staff and Department Heads. This position also helps to provide service to customers at City Hall and performs other financial tasks as assigned. The Finance Director is responsible for all requirements of the Treasurer as identified in State Statute as well as City of Columbus Ordinance.

Works under direct supervision of the City Administrator. General day-to-day supervision, administrative direction, and performance evaluation shall be received from the City Administrator, who may consult with the Mayor and Common Council as necessary to provide the employee direction.

The Finance Director has direct supervisory duties over the Deputy Treasurer and Human Resources Administrator. Supervisory responsibilities include annual job performance evaluation, recommending disciplinary action, and cross training of employee for short and long-term vacancies or leave. Final determination of pay increases, disciplinary actions and approvals of leave/vacation shall be made by the City Administrator. Work includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Finance:

  1. Coordinates the daily operation of the City’s financial and data processing procedures, general ledger and journal entries, including coding and entering certain expense vouchers and receipts, making necessary journal entries, budget adjustments and transfers; reconciling banking and investment statements; and working with financial auditors.

  1. Prepares and maintains all accounting records, financial, investment, and statistical reports.  Prepares and submits all government (state and federal) financial, budget, tax and other required reports. Prepares monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports for Administrator.

  1. Performs pre-audit of all invoices for the purpose of ensuring accuracy and appropriateness prior to payment in compliance with city budget, city purchasing policy, state statutes, and federal guidelines.

  1. Ensure accurate records and information necessary for annual audit are available to audit staff and assists in the preparation of management discussion and analysis. 

  1. Assists in the collection and recording of all municipal revenues including taxes, fees and other municipal charges. Responsible for tracking expenditures ensuring the expenditures are consistent with those approved in the municipal budget. Responsible for preparing wire transfers or AP vouchers for debt service and tax settlement payments. 

  1. Serves as a liaison with financial institutions, auditors, and City departments and offices regarding finance related issues.

  1. Serves as an administrator with vendor support of the city’s internal accounting system.

  1. Serves as a voting member of the Investment Board. Makes recommendations for specific investment of city and utility funds to Board.

  1. Invests funds held by City and Sewer Utility.

  1. Acts as financial liaison to the Water & Electric Utilities – monitor daily activity, prepare monthly Treasurer’s reports, monitor bank account reconciliations and monitors debt obligations. Investing funds as directed.

  1. Facilitate general obligation or revenue borrowings for the city and utility by working directly with bond consultants and legal counsel. 

  1. Prepare with assistance from engineers and consultants the plan for the city and assist Utility Director with capital improvement plan. 

  1. Analyze cash flows and maintaining accurate replacement fund contribution schedule for the City and Utility Capital Improvement plan and debt coverage schedules.

  1. Maintain an accurate record of the city’s capital assets; work with department heads to ensure assets are properly recorded as new or disposed of.

  1. Assists the City Administrator with the annual budget preparation.

  1. Assists Municipal Court with financial record keeping and other needs as deemed necessary by the Wisconsin State Court System.

  1. Serves as the administrator of the city online payment service.

  1. Assist in the development and implementation of internal control procedures, ordinances, and resolutions as needed.

  1. Responsible for maintaining the property, vehicle, liability, worker compensation, crime, error & omissions insurance information.  Allocation of premiums between departments, Funds and Utilities.  Invoice outside entities for premiums due.

  1. Prepare annual debt service schedules, special assessment repayment schedules, and use of funds for City Administrator and Council.

  1. Assists the Tourism Commission with financial record keeping. Responsible for the collection of room tax payments; maintaining accurate record of room tax revenue for allocation to City funds and annual state reporting. 

  1. Assist Cable Fund with financial record keeping; maintaining accurate record of franchise fee payments for state aid payments due annually.

  1. Works directly with bond consultant to prepare the annual disclosure statement filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, Moody’s and other financial institutions.

  1. Annually prepare Tax Incremental Financing Districts, developer valuation reports, tax revenues and repayment schedules. 

  1. Serves as financial liaison to the Hillside Cemetery Association, Columbus Public Library and Historic Land Preservation Commission in recording financial activity for these non-City held programs.

  1. Other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

  • Minimum associate or bachelor’s degree in the field(s) of Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Mathematics, Economics, or related field of study.

  • CPA and/or advanced degree preferred.

  • Minimum of five (5) years of experience in local government, finance, or related field.

  • A combination of education and extensive accounting experience will be considered.

  • Working knowledge of computers and electronic data processing equipment/software; modern office practices and procedures; and governmental accounting principles and practices.



NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

  • Maintain ability to travel throughout the city for meetings and trainings.

  • Provide effective, truthful, and accurate written and verbal communications to a wide range of employees, management, elected officials, and the community using diplomacy and tact.

  • Maintain, and actively promote, effective working relationships with the Mayor, Common Council, Department Heads, other employees, residents, and the public.

  • Provide advice appropriate to the position to City employees and management. 

  • Attend seminars, workshops, meetings, and training sessions related to duties and responsibilities for professional development.

  • Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); accounting theory and practices

  • Knowledge of local government financial management including bookkeeping, accounting, and record keeping principles (GASB).

  • Knowledge of computers, financial management and other software programs; fluency with Microsoft Office products including Word and Excel and networking schematics.

  • Ability to exercise initiative, think logically, and independent judgment. 

  • Ability to deal with and maintain confidential information. 

  • Organization skills, ability to prioritize workload, and meet deadlines as given. 

  • Maintain a valid driver’s license with the ability to lawfully operate all assigned City vehicles.

  • Ability to advise and provide interpretation to others on how to apply policies, procedures, and standards to specific situations. 

  • Ability to perform complex mathematical computations accurately and quickly. 

  • Ability to interpret information in mathematical, written and diagram form, such as statistical reports. 

  • Ability to identify and analyze problems, evaluate alternative solutions, and make sound judgments, especially in stressful situations. 

  • Compose, input, and edit a variety of correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other material requiring judgment as to content, accuracy, and completeness. 

  • Ability to attend various evening City committee and Council meetings as required.

Special Requirements

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

Personal computer, local area computer network, word processing and spreadsheet software, website maintenance software, telephone, electric typewriter, copy machine, fax machine, optical scanner, postage meter, and all other equipment required to perform the duties and responsibilities of this position.


The statements listed above are intended to describe the general nature and level of duties performed by the person appointed to this position. These duties are essential to the performance of this job. This position description does not state or imply that these statements are the only duties assigned to this position, and the employee appointed to this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management.


The position description for the City Finance Director does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 


While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. 


The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. 



WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  


The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.


Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Long Term Disability, nine paid holidays, three personal days, vacation, sick leave and the Wisconsin Retirement System.

01
Do you have experience managing or supervising staff?
  • Yes
  • No
02
Are you able to work a flexible work schedule that includes nights, weekends, holidays, and includes varying shifts?
  • Yes
  • No
03
Do you have any certifications? If so what are they?
04
How many years of municipal accounting experience do you have?
05
Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
  • High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (GED)
  • Associate degree
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Professional degree
  • Doctorate degree
06
What major is your degree in? (Put N/A if none)
07
What makes you believe you would excel at this position?

* Required Question

Employer
City of Columbus (WI)
Phone
(920) 623-5900
Website
https://www.cityofcolumbuswi.com/
Address
105 N Dickason Blvd

Columbus, Wisconsin, 53925

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