Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer Salary

$150,000.00 - $185,000.00 Annually

Location

Portsmouth, VA

Job Type

Full-Time Regular

Job Number

FY2025-01298

Department

Finance

Opening Date

03/13/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

Description

Benefits Questions General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions

GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE JOB

Under limited supervision, this position performs high-level leadership, managerial and financial responsibilities over the city's financial operations. This position is an appointed position and serves at the pleasure of the City Manager. Reports to City Manager or designee.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Responsible for the overall management of the city's fiscal operations, budget administration and monitoring.
• Ensures cost effectiveness; ensures purchasing and financial transactions are properly conducted in accordance with city administrative policies and procedures.
• Participates on the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Committee, and coordinates preparation of documents for bond issues.
• Conducts periodic internal audits or review of all funds and departments.
• Responsible for providing oversight over the areas of accounting, budget, payroll, workers compensation, procurement and risk management.
• Leads and coordinates long-range fiscal planning, the preparation of annual budget, and capital improvement and financial planning.
• Provides leadership and strategic direction for developing, administering and communicating city financial and department policies and procedures to meet overall city goals and objectives.
• Responsible for preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) in a timely manner.
• Plans and directs the city's debt management program, to include determining the structure of special financing.
• Selects and works with underwriters as needed, and provides assistance to the city's bond counsel to ensure compliance with the Virginia Public Finance Act bond covenants and MSRB.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with the city's financial advisor (s) and rating agencies.
• Serves as an ex-officio member of the city's Retirement Board.
• May serve as the custodian of all retirement funds.
• Manages relationships with retirement money managers and actuary and retirement system advisors.
• Authorizes and manages cashflow and disbursement of city funds in accordance with officially established procedures.
• Develops proposals and reports as requested by the City Manager, and ensures reports, studies, presentations and plans are appropriately processed in accordance with federal, state, and city laws and ordinances.
• Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Knowledge of Job:
• Has extensive knowledge of the principles and practices of accounting and auditing including modern city financial administration.
• Has extensive knowledge of federal, state and city laws and policies concerning city fiscal operations.
• Has extensive knowledge of the operations of city government.
• Has considerable knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization and administration.
• Is able to maintain standard accounting and control measures for city government.
• Is able to plan, direct and coordinate the work of other employees.
• Is able to prepare clear and concise reports and to compile and analyze financial statements and reports.
• Is able to operate standard office machines and computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet and file maintenance programs.
• Is able to express ideas clearly orally and in writing.
• Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Quality of Work:
• Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities.
• Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility.
• Maintains high quality communication and interacts with all city departments and divisions, co- workers and the general public.
• Quantity of Work:
• Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions."
• Dependability:
• Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines.
• Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures.
• Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
• Attendance:
• Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness.
• Provides adequate notice to City Manager with respect to vacation time and time- off requests.
• Initiative and Enthusiasm:
• Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities.
• Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
• Judgment:
• Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility.
• Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives.
• Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations.
• Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors.
• Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
• Cooperation:
• Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same.
• Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with city policy or procedures, etc.
• Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons and departments within the city.
• Relationships with Others:
• Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and city benefit.
• Contributes to maintaining high morale among all city employees.
• Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the general public so as to maintain good will toward the city and project a good city image.
• Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city.
• Interacts effectively with fellow employees, City Manager, professionals and the general public.
• Coordination of Work:
• Plans and organizes daily work routine.
• Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology.
• Avoids duplication of effort.
• Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly.
• Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time.
• Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules.
• Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events.
• Safety and Housekeeping:
• Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies.
• Sees that the standards are not violated.
• Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.
• Planning:
• Plans, directs and uses information effectively in order to enhance activities and production of the department.
• Knows and understands the expectations of the city regarding the activities of the department and works to see that these expectations are met.
• Designs and formulates ways, means and timing to achieve the goals and objectives of the department and the city.
• Within the constraints of city policy, formulates the appropriate strategy and tactics for achieving departmental and city objectives.
• Organizes, arranges and allocates manpower, financial and other designated resources in an efficient and effective way so as to achieve the goals and objectives of the department and city.
• Organizing:
• Organizes work and that of subordinate staff well.
• Ensures that staff members know what results are expected of them and that they are regularly and appropriately informed of all city and department matters affecting them and/or of concern to them.
• Staffing:
• Works with other city officials and management to select and recommend employment of personnel for the department who are qualified both technically and philosophically to meet the needs of the department and the city.
• Personally, directs the development and training of department personnel in order to ensure that they are properly inducted, oriented and trained.
• Leading:
• Provides a work environment which encourages clear and open communications.
• Has a clear and comprehensive understanding of the principles of effective leadership and how such principles are to be applied.
• Provides adequate feedback to staff so that they know whether their performance levels are satisfactory.
• Commends and rewards employees for outstanding performance yet does not hesitate to take disciplinary action when necessary.
• Exercises enthusiasm in influencing and guiding others toward the achievement of city goals and objectives.
• Controlling:
• Provides a work environment which is orderly and controlled.
• Coordinates, audits and controls manpower and financial resources efficiently and effectively.
• Coordinates, audits and controls the utilization of materials and equipment efficiently and effectively.
• Has a clear and comprehensive understanding of city standards, methods and procedures.
• Delegating:
• Assigns additional duties to staff as necessary and/or appropriate in order to meet department goals, enhance staff abilities, build confidence on the job and assist staff members in personal growth.
• Has confidence in staff to meet new or additional expectations.
• Decision Making:
• Uses discretion and judgment in developing and implementing courses of action affecting the department.
• When a particular policy, procedure or strategy does not appear to be achieving the desired result, moves decisively and definitively to develop and implement alternatives.
• Creativity:
• Regularly seeks new and improved methodologies, policies and procedures for enhancing the effectiveness of the department and city.
• Employs imagination and creativity in the application of duties and responsibilities.
• Is not averse to change.
• Human Relations:
• Strives to develop and maintain good rapport with all staff members.
• Listens to and considers suggestions and complaints and responds appropriately.
• Maintains the respect and loyalty of staff.
• Policy Implementation:
• Has a clear and comprehensive understanding of city policies regarding the department and city function.
• Adheres to those policies in the discharge of duties and responsibilities and ensures the same from subordinate staff.
• Policy Formulation:
• Keeps abreast of changes in operating philosophies and