Position Description

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) lives out its mission, as one of the largest contributors to Seattle's safety net. HSD is responsible for investing hundreds of millions of dollars to more than 150 community-based human service providers that support the city's most vulnerable populations each year. The department maintains close partnerships with community partners, the public, and non-profit service providers to understand and address current and emerging human service needs, and to invest in the creation of a comprehensive and integrated regional human service system.

The Seattle Human Services Department’s (HSD) is seeking an experienced and transformative leader to serve as the department’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). HSD’s CFO administers the department’s finance, budget, accounting, payroll, and federal grant activities. If you successfully managed the financial health of an organization and have an inherent desire to dismantle systemic barriers so that communities can thrive, then this job may be right for you.

The CFO reports to the department’s Director and serves on the executive leadership team.

A first review of candidates will occur on March 3, 2023 4PM (PST). If position was not filled after first review, this candidate pool will be reviewed.

Job Responsibilities

Financial Expertise

Provide oversight of HSD's $319+ million budget with assistance from the Budget Manager.
Develop and execute guidelines on meeting accounting objectives and best practices.
Implement, administer and monitor financial programs, controls and policies to strengthen the department’s financial status, improve service delivery and meet compliance requirements.
Provide oversight on all guidelines for HSD as applicable on GAAP, GASB, FASB, GAGAS, and the Uniform Guidance, as well as various grant regulations by ensuring appropriate staff are well trained.
Accountable for financial outcomes and compliance activities, including departmental audit reviews and findings, formal responses, legal matters, service delivery, ensuring equitable practices, streamlining reporting, and engaging staff and stakeholders to generate meaningful results.
Ensure an effective and efficient financial coding structure.
Ensure the Department's complex federal, state, and local grant revenue sources are accurately tracked and billed, and the biennial budget is accurately prepared, monitored, and balanced.
Represent HSD as the lead authority on HSD’s financial matters in various spaces; provide strategic advice, financial status reports and presentations to varied audiences – executives, employees, community partners, City Council, Mayors Office and other business partners.
Oversee the biennial budget development process, support Department and Division budget requests, and implement budget reductions as appropriate.
Oversee the development of the six-year financial plan and revenue submittal for HSD during the City's Budget process.
Provide oversight on City Budget Office and City Council budget questions and responses.

Leadership And Supervision

Promote a strength-based and solution-focused workforce; inspire teams to generate innovative ideas through collaborative teamwork; holds regular meetings with staff, managers, and community partners for planning and results-based outcomes.
Foster a learning environment where staff are engaging, flourishing and contributing to the work of the division, HSD and the needs of customers and our community. Cultivate leadership and talent through systematic professional growth and development for staff and real-time coaching opportunities.
Communicate vision, workplans, expectations and outcomes; effectively lead staff through change and support a continuous and consistent flow of communication, promoting innovation and motivating staff to achieve outcomes with an aligned vision.
Vet and approve all internal and external training on HSD's financial policies, processes, and procedures.
Supervise high level managers with job functions that include Accounting, Payroll, Budget and Finance.
Prioritize requests for significant projects; evaluate staff performance; facilitate staff meetings/trainings.
Provide oversight on cross-training work opportunities to ensure succession planning and backup.
Provide coaching and mentoring with a diverse workforce, recognizing potential biases and ensuring an inclusive, safe, and thriving work environment for all staff. Manage staff and/or unit conflicts when they arise.
Provide oversight of staff assignments ensuring alignment with applicable HR rules and regulations including represented staff.

Relationship Management

Promote HSD’s ongoing efforts to create a culture that embraces accountability and collaborative decision making, dismantles racism, and delivers on desired outcomes.
Champion racial equity by engaging in efforts that advance equity in the delivery of services, City government and the broader community. Speak truth to power with self-awareness of personal bias and the divergent interests and experiences of community.
Represent the Department as the Chief Financial Officer in various City-Wide financial meetings, included but not limited to City Budget Office (CBO) and Finance and Administrative Services (FAS), as well as external meetings with stakeholders, including other local funders, contracted service providers, etc.
Collaborate with Division Directors and their budget leads on program development, goal setting, and financial practices to ensure they are fiscally sound.
Develop and present regularly scheduled financial status reports to the Executive and Senior Leadership Teams in terms that are easy to follow.
Advise, present, and defend budget and policy recommendations to Department leaders in a manner that garners support throughout the Department.
Strategize with, and provide recommendations to, HSD leadership on potential financial constraints and opportunities.
Convene internal and external stakeholders as necessary on HSD financial policy, practice, and issues as they arise, including partnering with provider CFOs to resolve issues related to HSD finance business processes.
Collaborate with HSD Quality Assurance (QA) team on indirect policy and certifications and all HSD's internal and external audits, managing responses on audit findings.
Approve all communications to 150 + contracted providers on HSD invoice deadlines.
Communicate on HSD's Finance perspective on various financial processes.
Oversee financial communication with HSD's management teams as appropriate on audits, policy and procedure changes, vendor processes, staff assignments, invoices, credit card process changes, and other accounting, and payroll related changes.
Provide oversight of partnership with PS 9.2 Business Team regarding HSD Finance issues and execute recommendations of Finance Management Team.
Partner with other City Financial Management Teams that collaborate with internal and external funders.

Innovation And Vision

Drive innovation within the finance team and lead staff through change effectively.
Provide recommendations on possible program development in relation to available funding streams.
Develop strategies and recommendations related to fiscal policies that directly impact the Department's ability to effectively fund and support direct service programs and contracted services to low-income and vulnerable populations in Seattle.
Lead the review, and necessary realignment of HSD's Finance business processes in collaboration with HSD Leadership to align with Department objectives.
Strategize with Seattle IT, CBO, FAS, and other Departments on best practices and opportunities for innovation and efficiencies.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in finance, accounting, business administration, economics, public administration, or a closely related field.

Experience: Eight years of progressively responsible work supervising finance, budget and accounting functions leading up to a senior management or executive leadership role. At least four years of supervisory, management and/or administrative leadership experience. (An equivalent combination of education and/or experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the position duties will also be considered.)

Experience addressing fiscal stresses (reductions in response to a recession or unplanned crisis), updating lines of business and related revenue and cost streams, correcting transactional or analytical shortcomings, and implementing financial best practices.
Developed communication strategies, excellent written communication, facilitated conversations to generate meaningful outcomes, and used various methods to present complex information to diverse audiences.
Mitigated and addressed complex federal, state or local fiscal audits and compliance requirements for a large or municipal organization.
Developed and implemented strategic business plans and led teams to achieve intended outcomes.
Proficient in utilizing spreadsheet programs, financial software and technological tools.

Desired Qualifications

Master’s degree in in finance, accounting, business administration, economics, public administration, or a closely related field.
Additional administrative experience leading finance, accounting and budget functions for a municipal organization.
Additional experience overseeing payroll functions and/or federal grants.
Understands the history of racism and demonstrated a commitment to advancing racial equity.

Seattle Human Services Department

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