Chief Financial Officer, Guilford County, NC

Chief Financial Officer, Guilford County, NC

Salary

See Position Description

Location

Guilford County, NC

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

2026-38

Employer

Guilford County

Opening Date

10/19/2026

Closing Date

11/18/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

About Us

Application Deadline: November 18, 2026

Transform Financial Leadership in a Thriving, Forward-Looking Regional Hub

Guilford County, North Carolina, seeks a dynamic, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as its next Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As one of North Carolina's most populous and vibrant counties, Guilford County offers a rare opportunity for a transformational executive to align fiscal strategy with organizational innovation.

The next CFO will be a key advisor to County Leadership and the Board of Commissioners, serving not only as a strategic financial advisor but also as a trusted business partner, effective communicator, and team builder. Managing the fiscal health of a complex local government with a nearly $1B budget, the ideal candidate will bridge technical mastery in municipal finance with adaptive leadership-modernizing operations, building enterprise-wide relationships, and leading key initiatives, including structuring and managing debt issuances to support a $2B public education bond referendum, while preserving the County's outstanding bond rating.

About the Community

Guilford County, with a population of over 550,000, is North Carolina's third most populous county and a major regional center for commerce, higher education, and culture. Anchored by its two largest municipalities-Greensboro (the county seat) and High Point-the community offers a high quality of life with diverse neighborhoods, rich cultural amenities, and robust economic growth.

• Diversity & Population: Guilford County is a vibrant, inclusive community with over 100 languages spoken. Demographically, the county is 47.23% Caucasian, 33.15% African American, 9.63% Hispanic (of any race), and 5.31% Asian, with a median age of 37.
• Education & Higher Learning: A renowned hub for higher education, the county hosts numerous prestigious institutions, including UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, High Point University, Elon University School of Law, Guilford College, Bennett College, Greensboro College, and Guilford Technical Community College.
• K-12 Educational Excellence: Guilford County Schools (GCS) is the third largest district in North Carolina and among the top 50 in the nation, serving approximately 66,000 students across Pre-K-12th grade. GCS boasts a 93% graduation rate and offers 258 Career-Technical Education programs. The community approved a historic $2B school bond investment to fund new school construction and major countywide modernizations.
• Economy & Major Employers: Historically recognized for textiles and furniture manufacturing-highlighted by the world-famous semi-annual High Point Market-the local economy has expanded into technology, healthcare, aviation, and advanced manufacturing. Major economic developments include Toyota Battery's $13B+ investment bringing 5,000+ jobs, and Jet Zero's 600-acre campus at Piedmont Triad International Airport projected to add 14,000+ jobs. Five Fortune 500 companies maintain a strong presence in the county.
• Lifestyle & Recreation: Residents enjoy exceptional lifestyle amenities, including the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, the Greensboro Science Center, extensive greenways, hiking and mountain biking trails, and scenic lakes. Located in the central region of the state, the mountains and beaches of North Carolina, are a reasonable drive away.

About the Organization, Department & Position

The Organization: Guilford County is governed by a nine-member Board of County Commissioners, elected by district and at-large for four-year terms. Operating under the County Manager form of government, the County is recognized for sound fiscal administration, a strong fund balance, and a AAA bond rating. The FY2026-27 adopted budget is approximately $889 million, supported by a property tax rate of 78.95 cents per $100 of assessed value. The County employs nearly 3,000 full-time personnel across more than 30 departments organized into strategic service areas. The Board adopted a comprehensive plan in 2025 which guides County planning, development and financial priorities.

Duties/Responsibilities

The Department & Position: Reporting directly to the County Manager, the Chief Financial Officer serves as Guilford Countys statutorily designated Finance Officer under North Carolina law. The CFO leads a department of 40 employees, including five direct reports, and oversees accounting, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, debt management, cash management and investments, financial reporting, auditing, and procurement. Additionally, the role translates complex financial data into clear dashboards and presentations, optimizes ERP (MUNIS) technology and cross-departmental data workflows, and mentors department staff to foster a highly communicative, supportive team culture. The most recent Annual Comprehensive Financial Report can be found here.

Key Position Priorities

• Interdepartmental Collaboration & Process Modernization: Partner with department leadership to strengthen and standardize financial procedures, improve service delivery, and develop consistent, transparent, and collaborative processes that support operational effectiveness across the County.
• Debt Management & Long-Term Forecasting: Structuring and managing debt service for the $2B public education bond referendum over a 5-10 year forecast, evaluating debt ratios and fund balances in concert with the Budget Office and County Manager to safeguard the AAA bond rating.
• ERP Strategy & System Integration: Leading the optimization of the Tyler/MUNIS ERP system; working with IT and HR to build reliable data bridges; developing practical workarounds; and engaging frontline staff in process design.
• Board & Stakeholder Communication: Delivering clear, concise, and engaging financial reports and presentations to the Board of County Commissioners and executive management to elevate financial acumen and support informed decision-making.
• Staff Development & Operational Stability: Strengthening cross-training, updating formal documentation, and filling critical staffing vacancies.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or a closely related field.
• Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible governmental or complex organizational financial management experience, including at least three (3) years in a senior management or supervisory capacity.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in public administration, business administration, finance, or related field.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential.
• North Carolina Certified Local Government Finance Officer designation.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a Finance Officer or Deputy Finance Officer in North Carolina local government.
• Comprehensive expertise in Local Government Commission (LGC) requirements, GASB standards, debt issuance, capital project financing, investments, internal controls, and ACFR preparation.
• Hands-on experience leading ERP system optimizations (preferably Tyler/MUNIS) and process re-engineering in a complex organization.

Residency Requirement: Guilford County requires the Chief Financial Officer to reside within a two-hour driving radius of Guilford County (or be willing to relocate upon hire).

Successful Candidate Characteristics

The successful candidate will be a hybrid leader-combining deep technical acumen in North Carolina municipal finance with adaptive executive leadership, emotional intelligence, and proactive project management skills.

Specifically, the ideal leader will be:

• A Collaborative Partner: Known for replacing operational silos with open communication, seeking department head input, and viewing finance as a customer-service business partner.
• An Outstanding Communicator: Possessing the rare ability to demystify complex accounting, debt, and statutory concepts into clear, actionable presentations for elected officials, non-financial managers, and residents.
• A Strategic Problem Solver: Able to navigate complex ERP challenges with critical thinking and common sense, leveraging data to drive continuous improvement.
• An Empowering & Ethical Mentor: Committed to transparency, fairness, and staff development-someone who actively coaches employees, values frontline feedback, encourages professional growth, and fosters psychological safety.
• A Resilient Strategic Steward: Possessing long-term commitment to organizational stability, calm crisis leadership, and a steadfast commitment to maintaining public trust and fiscal integrity.

Additional Information

Salary and Benefits

Hiring Range: $145,000 - $190,000 (commensurate with qualifications and experience).

Guilford County provides a highly competitive, comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance options
• Participation in the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System (NC LGERS)
• Supplemental 401(k)
• Generous paid leave (vacation, sick, caregiver, and holidays)
• Wellness incentives, life insurance, and professional development support

How to Apply

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Chief Financial Officer - Guilford County, NC job title.

• Note: If you have accessed this position from within the Government Jobs portal, simply hit the green "Apply" button in the upper-right corner to begin your application.
• Application Deadline: November 18, 2026.
• Application Process: All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal using the link above-NOT via the County's employment portal or external job boards.
• Required Documents: A comprehensive resume and tailored cover letter must be uploaded with the online submission.
• Hiring Process Schedule: Successful semi-finalists will be invited to participate in virtual interviews and skill assessment evaluations scheduled for December 17-18, 2026. These dates are fixed. Onsite interviews for selected finalists will take place with the Guilford County leadership team at a time to be determined. Candidates are asked to reserve these dates should they be invited to participate.

For direct inquiries, please email hiring@developmentalassociates.com.

Guilford County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Developmental Associates, LLC, manages the recruitment and selection process for this position. To learn more about the selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select "Client Openings," and scroll to "Important Information for Applicants."

Benefits are specific to the employing organization. Please refer to the benefits information that is in the ad as well as in the recruitment brochure. If you need further information, please contact the employer associated with the position

01

CONFIDENTIALITY DISCLOSURE AND APPLICATION COMPLETION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Developmental Associates works on behalf of this client to recruit and collect information on candidates for this position. All applicant materials will be shared with the employer and their employees who are involved in the hiring process for this position. This application process uses a combination of automated and hand scoring of all application materials against screening criteria that have been established by the employer. 1) By submitting this application, I am consenting to have my application materials shared with this employer. 2) I understand that if I have not completely and fully answered all application questions and/ or supplemental questions with details, my application may not be able accurately evaluated. 3) Further, I understand that merely referring to my resume (e.g. "see resume" in lieu of providing detailed responses) is not sufficient for purposes of ensuring accurate application evaluation.

• Yes
• No

02

The minimum degree for this position is a bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field. A master's degree in Public Administration or a Finance-related field is highly preferred What is your highest degree?

• High School or GED
• Some College, No Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Some Graduate School, No Degree
• MPA, MBA or other related graduate degree
• Other Degree

03

If you listed "other degree", please list what degree and in what field if not clear.

04

What professional Finance/Accounting certifications do you hold? (Select all that apply)

• CPA
• CLGFO
• CGFM
• CMA
• CFM
• CFE
• CFP
• CIA
• Other - Please specify
• I hold no Finance or Accounting certifications

05

If you stated "other" above, please specify what certifications you have:

06

This position prefers local government (County or City/Town) experience in finance. Do you have experience working directly in local government finance or accounting?

• Yes
• No

07

If you answered yes in the previous question, with which local or municipal governments have you served in a finance/accounting management role?

08

What was your highest level in a finance/accounting leadership role?

• Ive never served in a finance/ accounting leadership role in local or municipal governement.
• Ive served in a supervisory role in a finance/accounting department.
• Ive served in a division management role in a finance / accounting department.
• Ive served in an assistant director/director in a finance or accounting department.
• Ive served in a finance/accounting management role within a Town/City/County Managers Office.
• Ive managed budgets in another local government or municipal department.

09

This position requires 5 years of progressively responsible and broad-based professional experience managing financial and accounting functions for a local government or private industrial organization. How many years of Finance and Accounting experience in local government or private industrial organizations do you have?

• Less than 1 year
• 1-2.99 years
• 3-3.99 years
• 4-4.99 Years
• 5 Years or more

10

What is the largest budget amount you have directly managed?

• No direct budget management experience
• Less than $50M
• $50M - $100M
• $100.1M - $150M
• $150.1M - $200M
• $250.1M - $500M
• $500.1M - $700M
• $700.1M - $879.99M
• Greater than $880M

11

What level of budget management experience do you have?

• No budget management experience
• Followed a budget developed by others
• Managed a unit budget
• Responsible for and developed an entire department budget
• Responsible for coordinating and final development of an organizational budget

12

What is the total number of employees in the largest organization in which you have been serving at management level or higher?

• I have not served as a manager.
• Less than 500
• 501 - 1,000
• 1,001 - 1,500
• 1,501 - 2,000
• 2,001 - 2,500
• 2,501 - 3,000
• Greater than 3,000

13

What is the largest number of employees for whom you have had supervisory responsibility (direct reports or down line supervision)? (Note: Down line supervision refers to employees who are supervised by your direct reports or by subordinates of your direct reports).

• Ive never supervised any employees.
• 10-20
• 21 - 40
• 41 or more

14

In which of the following areas would your references say you are proficient (NOTE: proficient means that you have personally implemented or have great depth of knowledge in the identified area):

• Bond Referendums
• Capital Improvement Programs
• Forecasting
• Financial Modeling
• Performance Management Metrics
• Financial Reporting
• Budgeting Strategies
• Non-tax revenue development
• Other

15

Please identify with which financial technology solutions you are proficient:

16

I understand that the salary range for this position is $145,000 - $190,000 (commensurate with qualifications and experience).

• Yes
• No

17

The City is using a multi-step screening and evaluation process including an assessment center process for selecting its next Chief Financial Officer. The dates for this virtual assessment center process are on December 17-18, 2026. Participation as a candidate involves engaging in 3-4 activities to assess key competencies. This is a time investment of about 3-4 hours of engagement during the 2 day process not including preparation time. These are not public meetings but there will be substantial interaction with other professionals in the field who will serve as assessors. Further, we have all participants sign letters of confidentiality. NC Law does not require the announcement of applicants until a finalist is selected. Indicating "yes" below represents your understanding of these elements of the process.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer Developmental Associates, LLC

Address Durham

Durham, North Carolina, 27707

Website http://www.developmentalassociates.com