The City of Ellsworth, Maine, is seeking a seasoned, strategic, and public service driven leader to serve as its next Finance Director / Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – a pivotal executive role at the center of one of Maine’s fastest-growing cities.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a modern municipal finance operation during a period of rapid growth, organizational transformation, and once in a generation major capital investments in the city. The CFO will be a trusted partner to the City Manager, City Council, department heads, and the public – helping ensure that Ellsworth’s financial systems are transparent, resilient, data-driven, and aligned with long-term community priorities.

Ellsworth is intentionally moving away from reactive, siloed government and toward predictable performance, strong internal controls, modern digital systems, and proactive financial planning. The CFO will play a central role in building and sustaining that future. In addition to coming onto an already strong team, this position and the effort to sustain and invest in a successful finance operation is well supported by city leadership, the council, and the community.

While the ideal candidate would bring a long history of high levels of municipal experience- ideally with a master’s degree in accounting and/or is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) – we are also encouraging financial professionals across the private and non-profit sectors who have executive levels of financial, accounting, auditing, and systems management to apply. Extraordinary attention to detail, a belief in the power of sound financial practices being the backbone of all great organizations, a strong work ethic, and being reinvigorated by our public service mission to be good public stewards of citizen tax dollars, are of most importance to the role regardless of municipal background.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Financial Leadership

Serve as the City’s chief financial strategist and steward of public resources.
Advise the City Manager and City Council on fiscal policy, long-range planning, financial risks, and opportunities.
Translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for elected officials, staff, and the public.
Help shape a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement across the organization.

Budgeting, Capital Planning & Financial Strategy

Lead development and execution of the City’s annual operating budget and multi-year financial forecasts.
Play a central role in Ellsworth’s 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), aligning capital investments with growth, infrastructure needs, and the Comprehensive Plan.
Oversee debt management, bonding, reserve policies, and long-term fiscal sustainability strategies.
Support Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts, Credit Enhancement Agreements (CEAs), and other economic development tools.

Accounting, Controls & Compliance

Oversee all accounting, treasury, cash management, payroll, and financial reporting functions.
Ensure compliance with GAAP, Maine municipal law, internal policies, and audit requirements.
Serve as primary liaison with external auditors and regulatory agencies.
Strengthen internal controls, financial procedures, and documentation to reduce risk and improve consistency.

Digital & Systems Modernization

Lead continued modernization of financial systems, including budgeting, procurement, grants management, and reporting platforms.
Champion data-driven decision-making through dashboards, performance metrics, and accessible public reporting.
Partner with departments to streamline workflows and improve financial literacy across the organization.

Procurement, Grants, Revenue & Growth Management

Support the City’s expanding grant portfolio, ensuring strong financial oversight, compliance, and reporting.
Assist departments in identifying sustainable funding strategies and aligning new revenues with service demands.
Help manage the fiscal impacts of population growth, development pressures, and increased service expectations.
Oversee implementation of the city’s new procurement and contracts management digital system

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

Lead, mentor, and develop the Finance Department team with a focus on professionalism, collaboration, and service as well as guidance on professional and educational opportunities.
Build systems that support cross-departmental alignment rather than silos.
Contribute to citywide management culture grounded in merit, accountability, and shared purpose.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

Significant leadership experience in municipal finance, public administration, business/non-profit financial management, accounting, or a related field.
Bachelor’s or higher in finance, accounting, public administration, business, or a related discipline strongly preferred; advanced degree or CPA a plus but not required.
Candidates with non-traditional career paths managing complex financial systems and strong demonstrated results are encouraged to apply.
Experience working with municipal budgets, capital planning, audits, and public boards is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to balance long-term planning and day-to-day operations.
Deep understanding of internal controls, and financial transparency.
Excellent communication skills – able to explain complex financial concepts clearly and calmly.
Comfort operating in a fast-moving, growth-oriented environment where systems are evolving.
High ethical standards and a strong sense of stewardship for public funds.

Job Environment

Full-time, senior executive position reporting directly to the City Manager.
Highly collaborative environment working closely with department heads, elected officials, and external partners.
Typical office hours with periodic evening meetings tied to Council, committees, and budget cycles.

Compensation and Benefits

Starting salary range: $95,000–$150,000 (depending on experience and qualifications).
Generous fringe benefit package including health insurance (with 90% of premiums covered by the City), retirement plan, and paid time off (up to 7 weeks per year).
Participation in the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MPERS) or the city’s defined benefit contribution plan.
Professional development and training support

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and references to Lorina Look, HR Specialist, at llook@ellsworthmaine.gov. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with priority consideration given to early submissions.
The city is looking to interview candidates through the month of February, with an offer to be extended by March 1st.
Timeline to onboard will be negotiable. The city is looking for the right candidate to lead the department for multiple years, not the candidate who has the soonest availability. Though candidates who are looking to onboard immediately may also have that opportunity as the city is currently about to engage in budget season which is an excellent time to get to know the organization.
The City of Ellsworth is an equal opportunity employer

About the City of Ellsworth

Nestled in the heart of Downeast Maine, Ellsworth serves as the professional, recreational, cultural, and retail hub with around 9000 residents. The city is also the county seat and is the only service center in a landmass twice the size of Rhode Island with a population of around 90,000 residents across Hancock and Washington Counties. It is a city where regional responsibility meets small-town character, and where growth is shaped by a deep respect for history, landscape, and community.

Historically known as “The Friendly City” Ellsworth is framed by the Union River, three substantial lakes and innumerable ponds, and a marina along on of Maine’s dramatic coastlines. Its historic downtown (walkable, intact, and increasingly vibrant) sits alongside trail systems, waterfront access, forests, and nearby mountains. While Ellsworth is widely known as a gateway to Acadia National Park and the Downeast region, it is very much a destination in its own right: a place where people live year-round, and thousands of people from the region come to work every day build careers, raise families, and invest for the long term.

Incorporated in 1800 and named for Oliver Ellsworth, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutional Convention, the city blends early American roots with a forward-looking civic culture. That blend is visible today in restored public spaces, a growing arts and cultural scene, expanding recreational assets, and a downtown that serves both residents and millions of annual visitors.

At the same time, Ellsworth is experiencing some of the fastest growth in Maine. Population has increased more than 37 percent since 2000, that is 26 percent higher than the Maine average, and more in real population gains than Augusta and Bangor combined. The city has experienced around $700 million in new valuation over the past five years alone. Major public and private investments – including a new $55 million courthouse, hotels, mixed-use developments, housing, and large-scale state and federal infrastructure projects – are reshaping the city’s role as the economic and service center of Downeast Maine.

This growth brings opportunity and responsibility. Ellsworth’s City Government is actively modernizing its systems, professionalizing its workforce, and strengthening financial and operational capacity so that growth enhances, rather than erodes, quality of life. The goal is not growth for growth’s sake, but a livable, resilient, and well-managed city that remains grounded in its people and place.

Ellsworth offers a rare combination:

A high quality of life with access to outdoor recreation, culture, and community
A cost of living that remains accessible compared to many coastal markets
A skilled and productive workforce
Competitive tax incentives and shovel-ready, pre-permitted land with existing infrastructure
A municipal organization committed to partnership, professionalism, and public service
A competitive tax environment with the lowest business fees in the region, and one of the lowest general property tax rates of any service center city in Maine both in terms of tax rate (mill rate) and as the amount taxed on median homes.

This is a city where leaders can do consequential work and still kayak after work, walk Main Street, attend a local or national performance at The Grand, or run into neighbors at the harbor. Ellsworth is restoring its civic “frame” with care, modernizing for the future while honoring the character that makes the place matter.

About the Ellsworth Finance Department

The Ellsworth Finance Department is nearing the completion of an extensive business process redesign aimed at strengthening its capacity to support one of Maine’s fastest-growing cities. This work has focused on modernizing systems, improving internal controls, restoring financial transparency, and building a stable, high-performing team.

The Finance Director / Chief Financial Officer will oversee a department that currently includes a Deputy Finance Director and two Deputy Treasurers, with the potential to expand further to include additional procurement and grant management capacity. This planned growth reflects the City’s commitment to establishing a best-in-class municipal finance department in the State of Maine.

The Director will play a pivotal role not only in overseeing day-to-day financial operations and best-practice budgeting, but also as a key member of the City’s Executive Leadership Team, helping inform policy decisions that shape Ellsworth’s long-term future. A major near-term focus will be the continued development of comprehensive 5- and 10-year capital plans, along with the financing and oversight of significant infrastructure investments that position Ellsworth as the central service hub for the Downeast region.

Both the City Manager and City Council are fully committed to ensuring that the Finance Director and Finance Department are equipped with the resources, authority, and organizational support needed to succeed.

In recent years, the Finance Department has undergone a significant turnaround. Core financial processes were rebuilt, reconciliation work across all accounts nearly completed, audits brought back on track, and the annual budget process transformed into a coordinated, disciplined, and transparent system capable of supporting a roughly $60 million municipal operation. Department culture has also stabilized, shifting from high turnover and uncertainty to a cohesive team with an average tenure approaching three years.

Recent accomplishments include:

Restoration of timely, monthly departmental financial reporting
Implementation of digital warrants and digital signature capabilities
Leadership through multiple bond issuances
Completion of two full budget cycles and preparation of a third under modernized processes
Laying the foundation for long-term reconciliation and strengthened internal controls
Revitalization of Finance Committee agendas and reporting practices

As Ellsworth enters its next phase, the department continues to receive targeted support from experienced municipal finance leadership consultants and internal partners as part of a broader digital modernization and cross-departmental planning effort. The Finance team is well-positioned to meet upcoming budget and capital planning deliverables and to sustain and build upon the progress already made.

About Ellsworth City Government

Ellsworth City Government is in the midst of a deliberate and disciplined transformation – from a period defined by instability and reactive decision-making to one grounded in professional civil service, modern systems, and predictable execution.

In 2025, the City focused on rebuilding its ability to deliver and invested in foundational capacity to build strong human systems, financial controls, and operational discipline in order to ensure that plans translate into results.

That work produced meaningful change across the organization:

Financial governance was stabilized, with predictable budget cycles restored, modern tools implemented, and transparency rebuilt to support a roughly $60 million municipal operation.
Infrastructure execution credibility was restored, advancing more than $20 million in state road projects alongside millions more in significant city-funded improvements and data-driven asset management.
Wholesale civil service reform established the City’s first organization-wide performance evaluation system, merit-based pay, standardized hiring practices, and expanded management training – making expectations clear and professionalism non-negotiable.
The Comprehensive Plan moved from vision to action, aligning planning, zoning, capital investment, housing policy, and economic development into an operational framework.
Public safety professionalism was strengthened, with Fire achieving full staffing and advanced life support capability for its ambulance service, and Police completing re-accreditation, modernizing systems, expanding staffing, embedding mental health support, and remaining fiscally disciplined.
Digital transformation began in earnest, shifting the organization away from fragmented, paper-based systems toward tools that improve transparency, productivity, and decision-making.
Parks and Recreation was prioritized, with a dew department created, a new department head onboarded, a citywide needs assessment completed, and long-deferred maintenance and asset stewardship restored across key facilities.
Community institutions expanded, including a growing role for the Library as a civic hub and planning for a major future expansion.

Taken together, 2025 rebuilt the human, financial, and operational backbone of city government – creating the conditions for sustained success.

Because of that foundation, Ellsworth entered 2026 operating from a planned, sequenced portfolio of work, rather than one crisis at a time. Projects are now organized by urgency, readiness, and impact, previewed with the City Council and community through workshops before formal decisions are made, and governed with clear ownership, timelines, and accountability.

This marks a new phase of city management in Ellsworth: best-in-class civil service, disciplined execution, and public accountability, anchored in a deep sense of stewardship for a city experiencing extraordinary growth. With major state and federal investments underway, a revitalizing downtown, expanding housing and commercial development, and an exceptional school system, Ellsworth’s municipal organization is prepared to meet growth head-on – supporting progress while protecting what makes the community special.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $95,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Disability insurance
Employee assistance program
Flexible spending account
Health insurance
Life insurance
Paid time off
Professional development assistance
Retirement plan
Tuition reimbursement

Work Location: In person

City of Ellsworth, Maine

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Finance Director/ Chief Financial Officer

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