Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Salary

$13,380.94 - $17,931.74 Monthly

Location

Bend, OR

Job Type

Regular, full time, full benefits

Job Number

2026-00115

Department

Finance

Opening Date

08/07/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

Bargaining Unit

Non-Rep

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Summary

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The Deschutes County Finance Department leads the County's financial and tax collection operations and helps ensure public funds are managed responsibly, accurately, and transparently.

The department:

• Oversees accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, payroll, procurement, property tax and transient lodging tax collection, internal controls, long-range financial planning, debt management and dog licensing.
• Provides clear financial information and practical guidance to the Board of County Commissioners, County Administration and department directors.
• Supports sound decision-making by helping leaders understand financial options, risks, and tradeoffs.
• Protects County assets through strong financial systems, policies, reporting, and internal controls.
• Helps departments plan for current operations, future service needs, and long-term financial stability.
• Promotes accuracy, accountability, transparency, and responsive service across County financial operations.

ABOUT THE COUNTY:

We know where you choose to live, work and play matters. Deschutes County is one of the largest employers in Central Oregon and the largest local government in the region. More than 1,200 County employees serve the community through a broad range of public services, including public safety, health services, community development, road operations, solid waste, justice services, property assessment and taxation, elections, emergency management, and general government.

Located in the heart of Central Oregon, Deschutes County sits between the towering Cascade Mountains and the high desert plateau. The region offers exceptional access to outdoor recreation across all four seasons, strong communities, and a high quality of life.

We are looking for a thoughtful, experienced, and service-oriented financial leader to join our leadership team

ABOUT THE JOB:

The Chief Financial Officer is Deschutes County's senior financial executive and leads the Finance Department.

This is a high-impact leadership role for someone who can strengthen financial systems, support practical decision-making, and help the County plan for sustainable services in a growing region.

The CFO:

• Serves as a key financial advisor to the County Administrator, Board of County Commissioners, elected officials, and department directors.
• Protects the County's financial position and strengthens systems that support accurate, transparent, and responsible financial management.
• Oversees countywide finance, accounting, budgeting, procurement, property tax collection, payroll, financial reporting, and related fiscal functions.
• Serves as the County's Chief Tax Collector.
• Helps the organization plan for future service needs, capital investments, financial risks, cash flow and long-term stability.
• Explains complex financial issues in clear, practical terms so leaders can make informed decisions.

Successful candidates will bring technical financial expertise, steady leadership, sound judgment, clear communication, and a strong commitment to public service.

Treasury and Investment Management

Treasury and investment management functions are overseen by the elected County Treasurer. In the past, the Chief Financial Officer has also served as the County's elected Treasurer. Candidates who are interested in filing to run for the County Treasurer position during the Nov. 3, 2026 election will need to contact the County Clerk's Office or visit the Clerk's website. The earliest day to file for the County Treasurer position is August 12, and the deadline is not later than 5 PM on August 25. Please see the compensation section of this recruitment notice for additional information about how compensation is adjusted when the Chief Financial Officer is also elected as County Treasurer. To be eligible for the office of County Treasurer in Oregon, a candidate must be a United States citizen, a registered voter, and a resident of the county for one year preceding the election.

What You Will Do

The Chief Financial Officer will:

• Lead the Finance Department with integrity, clarity, accountability, and a strong public-service focus.
• Advise County leadership on financial strategy, budget development, fiscal policy, risk, compliance, and long-range planning.
• Oversee accounting, financial reporting, payroll, procurement, property tax and transient lodging tax collection, investment management, procurement, internal controls, audits, and fiscal compliance.
• Lead preparation, implementation, monitoring, and forecasting for the County budget in coordination with the County Administrator and departments.
• Safeguard County assets through strong financial policies, internal controls, risk awareness and transparent reporting.
• Support capital planning, debt management, grant financial oversight, financial systems, technology improvements, and major financial strategies.
• Build strong working relationships with departments, auditors, financial institutions, state agencies, community partners, professional organizations, and the public.

What You Will Bring

We are looking for a leader with strong technical knowledge, steady judgment, clear communication, and a collaborative approach.

The ideal candidate will bring knowledge and experience in:

• Public sector financial administration, Oregon local budget law, public finance practices, and governmental accounting standards.
• Accounting, auditing, internal controls, financial reporting, fiscal compliance, and Government Finance Officers Association best practices.
• Property tax collection, cash flow, debt administration, capital planning, and grant financial oversight.
• Budget development, forecasting, cost analysis, long-range financial planning, and financial risk assessment.
• Payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, procurement, contracts, grants accounting, financial systems, and process improvement.
• Public sector leadership, supervision, performance management, personnel rules, organizational development, and healthy workplace culture.
• Explaining complex financial information in plain language and helping leaders weigh options, risks, and tradeoffs.

Leadership Qualities

The successful candidate will be:

• A steady and ethical leader.
• A clear and practical communicator.
• A trusted financial advisor.
• A collaborative partner.
• A careful steward of public funds.
• A mentor and coach who develops employees and supports accountability.
• A public-service focused leader who respects the people doing the work and the community they serve.
• This posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but rather constitutes a general definition of the positions scope and function.

Notification to all candidates will be sent via email and/or text only. Please opt in for text messaging or check your email and your Governmentjobs.com account for application status.

Review the full job description by clicking HERE.

Compensation

$13,380.94 to $17,931.74 per month for a 172.67 hour work month. Excellent County benefit package when eligible. This position is available immediately.

Attention all candidates: please make sure your application includes all job history, education, training, certifications, licenses, and other relevant experience, as this information will be used to determine your starting salary range in accordance with Oregon Pay Equity. Resumes will not be reviewed.

BENEFITS:

Our robust healthcare package covers medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage at a minimal cost of $100 for employee only and $121 per month for employee plus dependents, which includes an innovative on-site clinic, pharmacy, and wellness and wellbeing services. Additionally, we include life insurance, retirement (PERS), generous paid time-off (14-18 hours/month to start, pro-rated for part-time), holidays, and professional development opportunities. Please click HERE for full benefit details.

Application Process

This position is open until filled.

Applications will be referred weekly on Thursdays by end of day.

Anticipated Interview Schedule: Virtual interviews on Sept. 3rd and 4th and in-person interviews on Sept. 28, 2026.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business;
• AND six (6) years of public sector financial operations management experience;
• OR any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills and knowledge to perform the essential functions of the job.

Preferred Qualifications

The following are preferred, but not required:

• Master's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field.
• Certified Public Accountant license.
• Certified Public Finance Officer credential.
• Certified Government Financial Manager credential.
• Experience as a finance director, chief financial officer, controller, treasurer, budget officer, auditor, tax collector, or similar senior public finance role.
• Experience in Oregon local government finance.
• Experience with enterprise financial systems, budget systems, financial reporting systems, and process modernization.

Necessary Special Requirements

Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Oregon driver's license within 30 days of hire.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of required pre-employment screening, which may include criminal history, driving history, controlled substance testing, and verification of employment eligibility.

Positive test results for marijuana use may result in rescission of a contingent offer of employment, consistent with County policy and applicable law.

Deschutes County is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build an inclusive environment that encourages, supports, and represents the diverse voices and needs of our communities. All are encouraged to apply - we welcome diverse perspectives and experiences.

If you are a veteran and would like to apply for Veterans Preference, please click HERE for information.

Excellent County benefit package when eligible.

Deschutes County offers eligible employees a comprehensive healthcare package that covers medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage at a minimal cost of $100 for employee only and $121 per month for employee plus dependents. Included in the health care package is the Deschutes Onsite Clinic (DOC), which provides a wide range of health, wellness, and primary care services to employees and their dependents. The DOC offers convenient hours and no out-of-pocket costs to patients. The DOC Pharmacy is a full service pharmacy available to employees and dependents to have their prescriptions filled at a discounted co-pay. In addition to the health care package, Deschutes County provides a generous and comprehensive benefits program to eligible employees.

When Are you Eligible:

If you are hired on the first business day of the month, your benefits will start on the first of that month (immediate benefits, either that day or back to the first of the month if the first is on a Saturday or Sunday). If you are hired after the first business day of the month, your benefits will start on the first day of the following month.

Employer paid benefit offerings include:

• Life Insurance for employee and dependents
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• Long-term Disability Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement Program through Oregon PERS
• Time Management Leave

Employee paid voluntary benefit offerings include:

• 125 Flexible Spending Program
• 457 Deferred Compensation Program
• Supplemental Life and Accident Insurance

To learn more about Deschutes Countys generous benefit offerings, please visit our Benefits page and click on Employee Benefits or click HERE for full benefits guide.

01

This position requires a Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or Public Administration; AND six (6) years of public sector financial operations management experience; OR any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills and knowledge to perform the job. Do you meet the requirements as listed above?

• Yes
• No

02

Please describe how you meet the requirements of the position. Be specific with regard to education and length of experience.

03

Have you served as a CFO, Finance Director, Controller, Budget Officer, or comparable senior financial executive for a public-sector organization?

• Yes, as the chief financial executive for a public-sector organization.
• Yes, as a deputy or assistant financial executive for a public-sector organization.
• Yes, in a senior finance leadership role below deputy/assistant level.
• No public-sector senior finance leadership experience, but I have comparable nonprofit or private-sector executive finance experience.
• No comparable senior finance leadership experience.

04

Have you served as the chief or deputy financial executive for a city or county government?

• Yes, both city and county government.
• Yes, county government.
• Yes, city government.
• Yes, another local government such as a special district, authority, or regional government.
• Yes, state, federal, higher education, or school district finance leadership.
• No direct government finance leadership experience.

05

Do you have experience with Oregon local budget law, governmental accounting standards, Oregon property tax systems, or Oregon public finance requirements?

• Yes, direct Oregon city or county finance leadership experience.
• Yes, Oregon local government finance experience outside city/county government.
• Yes, Oregon public-sector finance experience in a limited or support role.
• No Oregon experience, but I have direct experience with another state's local budget, tax, or public finance requirements.
• No state or local public finance experience.

06

What is the largest annual operating and/or capital budget for which you have had direct leadership responsibility?

• $500 million or more.
• $250 million to $499 million.
• $100 million to $249 million.
• $50 million to $99 million.
• $25 million to $49 million.
• Less than $25 million.
• No direct budget leadership responsibility.

07

Please note your specific role in the budget process referenced in Question 4.

08

Which major finance functions have you directly overseen? Select all that apply.

• Accounting/general ledger.
• Budget development and monitoring
• Financial reporting/ACFR.
• External audit coordination.
• Debt administration/bond issuance.
• Payroll.
• Property tax collection or distribution.
• Grants accounting/compliance.
• Procurement/contracts.
• Accounts payable/accounts receivable.

09

Have you been directly responsible for annual financial statements, external audits, ACFR preparation, audit response, or implementation of audit findings?

• Yes, I had executive responsibility for ACFR, audit, audit response, and financial reporting.
• Yes, I directly managed financial reporting and audit processes.
• Yes, I had significant responsibility for portions of the audit or financial reporting process.
• I supported audit or financial reporting work but did not lead it.
• No direct audit or financial reporting experience.

10

Have you regularly presented financial information, recommendations, forecasts, audit results, or policy options to elected officials, governing boards, executive leadership, or department directors?

• Yes, regularly to elected officials or a governing board.
• Yes, regularly to executive leadership and department directors.
• Yes, occasionally to elected officials or executive leadership.
• Yes, primarily to internal finance or operational teams.
• No regular presentation or advisory experience.

11

Have you overseen cash flow, banking relationships, bond issuance, debt administration, or credit rating processes?

• Yes, executive responsibility for several of these functions.
• Yes, direct responsibility for several of these functions.
• Yes, direct responsibility for one or two of these functions.
• Supported these functions but did not lead them.
• No direct experience with these functions.

12

How many employees have you directly or indirectly supervised in finance, budget, accounting, treasury, payroll, tax, or related functions?

• More than 40 employees.
• 21 to 40 employees.
• 11 to 20 employees.
• 6 to 10 employees.
• 1 to 5 employees.
• No direct or indirect supervision experience.

13

Please describe the length of time you supervised the group of employees referenced in Question 9.

14

Have you led or played a major role in implementing or improving financial systems, budget systems, ERP systems, reporting tools, payroll systems, or finance-related technology?

• Yes, led a major system implementation or modernization effort.
• Yes, led a significant process or reporting improvement using financial systems or technology.
• Yes, played a major role in a system implementation or process improvement effort.
• Participated in a system or process improvement effort.
• No meaningful systems or process improvement experience.

15

Briefly describe one example of a financial issue where you helped leaders understand the options, risks, and tradeoffs before making a decision. Please include: The issue. Your role. The information you provided. How you explained the tradeoffs. The outcome.

Required Question

Employer Deschutes County Human Resources

Address 1300 NW Wall Street Suite 201

Bend, Oregon, 97703

Phone (541) 388-6553

Website https://www.deschutes.org/jobs