What does a City Manager look for in a Director of Finance?

As the Finance Director, you are expected to have diverse experience in Municipal Finance ranging from accounting, payroll, and budget, to investments, and debt management. In particular, budget experience is a must. The budget is the single most public work done by the Finance Department and therefore, it must be done accurately, thoroughly, and clearly. Take every opportunity in your career to work in as many areas of Finance, even if it’s a lateral move to get a wide range of experience within the department.

The Finance Department is very technical and complex in many ways. That being said, most individuals are not privy to all of the terminology and jargon associated with the work. As the Director, you should possess the ability to take these complex financial issues and put them in language that is easily understood by others, particularly City Councils, Commissioners, and the public.

As a City Manager, I want all department heads to be not only strong leaders, but also problem solvers. Having a solution-oriented Finance Director is vital, especially within inter-departmental relationships. We expect the Director of Finance to act as the “gatekeeper,” meaning not giving everything away or acting improperly, but finding a way to get to “yes” whenever possible, “facilitate not regulate” whenever possible.

Another key characteristic that is vital is attention to detail. Finance is a department where errors simply cannot happen, for the consequences are particularly harsh. When we see errors made in Finance, we often see Finance Directors and/or City Managers fired as a result.

What does a Recruiter look for in a Director of Finance?

As recruiters, we look for all of the same characteristics that are important to City Managers with a few additions. Before applying, candidates need to carefully consider the following questions:

1. Is this an agency that I want to work for long term?
Often times as recruiters, we see candidates jump on jobs without considering all of the aspects and challenges that may be associated with it. A candidate needs to enter an agency with his/her eyes wide open. This means that they understand what condition the agency is in, how that might affect their work, and if it’s truly an environment where they fit in well and will be content working at on a long-term basis.

2. Am I really prepared for the challenges of working at the next level?
This is a question that requires a lot of self-reflection. Everyone likes the idea of being at the top, but candidates need to truly consider their background, experience level, and overall maturity and readiness level before taking a bite out of something that could end up being way more than they can chew. Before applying, really ask yourself, “Am I ready or is this just my ego talking?”

3. How will this step impact my work-life balance?
Often times, there is a huge jump in the amount of work you take on as being the Director of Finance, or any department for that matter. One thing that I encourage all my candidates to remember is that you work for a living, you don’t live to work. Before taking the next jump, think about how it will impact your life outside the office. One example is candidates with young families. We often see these individuals wait to take the next step because they want to be at home with their young children as much as possible.