Finance Manager III

Under direction of the Department Head plans organizes directs and implements all aspects of a departments financial activities including the preparation of complex budgets accounting functions fiscal management financial reporting and internal auditing functions; assures the fiscal year-end closures of budgets; provides coordination and follow-up to outside audits; develops coordinates and maintains fiscal cost accounting contract administration billing and grant accounting systems and procedures to assure the quality and technical accuracy of all fiscal activities; is responsible for the departmental management information system; and performs other related work as required.

This class is assigned to departments having large budgets with complex funding including grants pass-through revenues and billable fee-for-service revenues. Incumbents are responsible and accountable to the Department Head for the quality and technical accuracy of the department fiscal programs including financial planning budgeting cost management maximizing revenues fiscal compliance reporting and auditing.

Incumbents are responsible for the departmental management information system ensuring that appropriate software is identified and available for all fiscal and management operations.

This classification is distinguished from the next lower classification of Finance Manager II in that the latter has responsibility for the fiscal management of a medium-size department or a division in the Auditor-Controllers office.

• Plans develops coordinates implements and evaluates fiscal management policies goals objectives procedures and standards.
• Exercises overall responsibility for budget preparation monitoring and control to ensure that programs are conducted within allocated funds; develops timely management reports which insure that departmental managers are aware of budgets expenditures and revenues and program fiscal performance; prepares periodic financial reports.
• Develops implements monitors and continually evaluates departmental fiscal systems financial controls and accounting operations including cost accounting budgeting program billings contractor payments financial reporting and internal auditing to insure proper controls compliance with generally accepted accounting principles local state and federal policies guidelines and requirements; assures the timely and accurate fiscal year end closure of department budgets and accounting activities.
• Analyzes develops and implements systems to assure maximum reimbursement for services; ensures department divisions are efficiently maximizing revenues; recommends cost shift or accounting strategies to maximize reimbursement.
• Provides advice assistance and training to management professional technical and clerical staff on all financial and budgetary matters.
• Researches legislation to ensure departments fiscal compliance with laws rules and regulations; analyzes and reports on potential fiscal impact of legislative proposals and recommends policy position for use in legislative lobbying.
• Assures that the Departments fiscal program adheres to standards to meet State and Federal Audit requirements; prepares complex responses to disputed State and federal audit requirements and prepares materials for appeals as appropriate; provides coordination and follow-up to external auditors engaged by the County to perform fiscal and compliance audits.
• Identifies computerized accounting budgeting billing program management and other management information systems requirements and works with management team to design and implement the requirements.
• Designs and participates in quantitative analysis of systems and programs analyzes data and projected trends and prepares complex technical and financial reports rate studies and major project plans.
• Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with department management and staff other county departments outside agencies vendors and external auditors.
• Selects trains assigns and evaluates the work performance of subordinate staff.

• Principles and methods of public finance administration particularly in the areas of accounting operations budgeting preparation and management; fiscal control auditing cost accounting financial reporting forecasting financial analysis internal financial and operations auditing.
• Principles and methods of supervision and management including analysis and organization; selection and evaluation of employees and their training and development.
• Principles and practices of reimbursement grant management monitoring and control.
• Integration of data processing applications to meet financial reporting including accounting budgeting billing monitoring and reporting.
• Accounting and auditing principles and practices used in public finance including third-party reimbursement principles policies and procedures.

Working knowledge of:

• State and federal law affecting fiscal operations reporting and resource management including regulations specific to public finance.
• Principles and practices of internal auditing and operations auditing
• Computerized data processing as it relates to accounting operations and management information systems.
• Quantitative analysis and statistical reporting
• Operating principles and capabilities of personal computers and mainframe computer systems
• Word Excel Access and other common PC office applications

• Plan organize direct and coordinate the fiscal and accounting operations of a large Department with a complex budget.
• Properly interpret and make complex financial decisions in accordance with appropriate laws regulations and policies.
• Develop implement and administer programs that maximize revenue and reimbursement from all sources and administer automated data gathering processing and reporting systems.
• Analyze complex financial problems and develop effective policies procedures and fiscal controls.
• Prepare review and interpret complex financial reports summaries and data.
• Read interpret and apply complex laws rules and regulations.
• Develop and achieve department and program goals.
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Plan organize direct and evaluate the work of others.
• Present financial and technical information before a group.
• Use a PC telephone and calculators.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships and provide excellent and courteous customer service.

The knowledge and abilities listed above may be acquired through various types of experience education or training. Typical ways to acquire the required knowledge and abilities are listed below:

Education:

Equivalent to completion of a Bachelors degree in Public or Business Administration Economics Accounting Finance or a related field with course work in accounting finance and business administration

Experience:

Five years of increasingly responsible experience performing a wide variety of duties related to fiscal resource management including at least two years of significant administrative experience in public finance and accounting.

• The ability to speak read and write Spanish in addition to English would be an asset in this position is optional.
• Employees who drive on County business to carry out job related duties must possess a valid CA Driver License for the class vehicle driven.
• The Department of Social Services will conduct a thorough background and reference check process which includes a Department of Justice fingerprint check.
• Employees must have and show their original Social Security Card and a valid CA Driver License or CA State ID on the first day of work.
• Government agencies accessing US government information which include federal tax information must ensure that background investigation requirements for all agency employees and contractors that have access to federal tax information are consistent to the IRS background investigation requirements for access to federal tax information. A background check may be required if the position requires access to these types of records. Background requirements consist of three components which include fingerprinting citizenship verification and local law enforcement checks. Applicable agencies must conduct an investigation during the time of hire and ensure a reinvestigation is conducted 5 years from the date of the previous background investigation for each employee that has access to federal tax information.