PRIMARY FUNCTION: The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will provide strategic leadership and oversight of the financial operations of Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. Acting as a forward-thinking partner who aligns financial resources with the district's educational goals, the CFO will be responsible for managing the district's financial resources, ensuring fiscal accountability, and supporting the educational mission through sound financial planning and management. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in finance, accounting, and policy development, along with a commitment to educational excellence. This position is responsible for the administrative and supervisory work in the planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, and controlling of the accounting, financial management, and investment functions of the school system. The Chief Financial Officer approves all financial statements.
REPORTS TO: Superintendent of Schools
SALARY SCHEDULE: A-1
WORK DAYS: 250
REQUIREMENTS:
Educational Level: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
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A minimum five (5) years of responsible leadership experience in financial operations and management.
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Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Preferred:
Master’s degree in finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
Experience in a comparable school district or charter organization
Experience in both public and private sectors.
Experience overseeing implementation and/or improvement of information systems.
LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Eligible for educational support license.
Eligible for Georgia Professional Standards Support Certificate.
Preferred:
Certified Public Accountant
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
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Demonstrates exceptional leadership skills in the following competencies: Monitoring and Directiveness, Impact and Influence, Problem-Solving, and Analytical Thinking.
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Extensive knowledge of state and federal guidelines for all functional areas of responsibility with the capacity to gain and internalize local context and guidelines quickly.
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Extensive knowledge of public sector budgeting and long-range planning.
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Understanding of financial management information systems, including budgeting systems and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
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In-depth knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Governmental GAAP.
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Excellent computer technology skills, to include Microsoft Office products and district financial management and planning tools.
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Ability to communicate clearly to a variety of stakeholders, including internal audiences, the school board, the media, and the public with clarity, tact, courtesy, and confidence.
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Ability to understand and follow oral and written communications.
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Ability to work with principals, administrators, and other school personnel.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out but may be considered incidental in the performance of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties herein described.
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Assists the Superintendent in providing direction and leadership of the school system, advising on questions relating to financial affairs.
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Leads the development and implementation of financial policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all regulations and standards in alignment with financial management best practices.
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Understands the evolving nature of the district’s funding environment, including changes to local, state, and federal policies, and advises the Superintendent on strategies to adjust operations to changes in revenue sources
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Leads the annual budget process, ensuring alignment with the district’s strategic goals and objectives, providing recommendations to the Superintendent on new needs and cost reduction opportunities to support fiscal sustainability.
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Oversees the successful and accurate administration of the board-approved budget by school and department leaders through supervision of the Budgeting Department
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Leads efforts to improve the financial management capabilities of the district, including enhancements to systems, processes, and controls
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Manages analysis of financial data to inform strategic decisions and improve resource allocation and support investment strategies that demonstrate Academic Return on Investment (ROI)
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Collaborates with district leadership to ensure efficient use of financial resources.
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Leads and develops the finance team, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
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Identify training and support needs of staff on financial processes and best practices.
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Serves as an active member of the Superintendent's Cabinet advising on financial matters impacting all District departments
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Serves as the Assistant Treasurer of the Board of Education.
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Ensures preparation of all financial analysis reports through supervision of the Accounting Department.
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Supervises procurement activities of the Purchasing Department for all goods and services of the school system. Reviews and signs contracts on behalf of the school system.
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Supervises the Disbursements Department to maintain internal controls in payments to employees and vendors to safeguard financial assets of the organization.
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Identifies need for debt financing and works with outside advisors to issue short- or long-term debt in the best interest of the school system.
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Supervises the investment of school system funds.
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Performs other duties as necessary for the effectiveness of the organization.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
Savannah-Chatham County Public School System has the right to revise this job description at any time and it does not in any way represent a contract of employment. Incumbents will be considered “at will” and appropriate pay will be determined based on the assigned pay grade and allowable experience. The work calendar will be 250 days. Exempt revised 12/2025
NON-ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
A responsibility is considered to be “non-essential” (for the purposes of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) if:
- it is shared between multiple incumbents in the job; or
- it could be performed by an employee in another job within the workgroup.
Note the responsibility number from the list in the “Duties and Responsibilities” section for those responsibilities that could be considered “non-essential” based on this definition.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Employees in this classification are normally exposed to a typical office environment. The employee has some control over the length of time sitting, standing, or ambulating. There are occasions that require the lifting or pulling of equipment or supplies, as well as bending, stooping, or stretching. There is frequent use of computers, telephones, and other standard office equipment, which includes reading, listening, writing, or speaking. There are few exceptional physical or sensory demands.
EXCEPTIONAL PHYSICAL OR SENSORY DEMANDS
Sitting or standing for extended periods with limited control over rest periods.
