Manager of Financial Services

: Job Description Primary purpose:Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Manager of Financial Services is responsible for the comprehensive planning, organization, and oversight of all activities within the Financial Services Department. This position ensures effective management of the City's payroll and financial planning and analysis functions, supporting the City’s fiscal integrity and operational efficiency. The Manager serves as the principal liaison between the Financial Services Department and other municipal departments, fostering collaboration and the consistent application of financial policies and procedures. The Manager of Financial Services collaborates extensively with the Executive Office, the Treasurer/Collector’s Office, the Comptroller’s Office, the Human Resources Department, the Department of Information Technology, and all other departments, to ensure alignment of financial strategies and operational goals. Confidentiality is paramount in this role, as the Manager is entrusted with sensitive financial, personnel, and labor negotiation information and is expected to maintain the highest standards of discretion and integrity in all matters. Performs all other related work as required and directed. Supervision:Scope and Judgment: The Manager exercises considerable independent judgment in the administration of complex financial operations, policy interpretation, and the resolution of sensitive payroll and budgetary issues. The role requires a high degree of discretion and analytical skill in managing confidential information, ensuring regulatory compliance, and making recommendations that impact citywide financial strategies. The Manager is expected to represent the Chief Financial Officer at meetings, including those related to the City Council, interdepartmental budget discussions, and collective bargaining ensuring that the financial interests of the City are effectively communicated and protected. The Manager also provides leadership as a key support to the City’s labor/management negotiating team. Supervision Received: The Manager reports directly to the Chief Financial Officer and receives general administrative direction. Performance is reviewed through conferences, reports, performance evaluations or consults, and in the results achieved by meeting established goals and objectives. Supervision Given: The Manager provides direct supervision to division managers within the Financial Services Department, including the Payroll Division and the Financial Planning and Analysis Division. The Manager is responsible for guiding, mentoring, and evaluating staff, ensuring adherence to established policies and fostering professional development. Essential Functions:(The essential functions or duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.) The Manager leads the development and preparation of the City’s annual operating budgets, including detailed revenue, expense, and capital expenditure forecasts. This involves collaborating closely with department heads and their designees to gather budget input and ensure alignment with overall City goals, as well as monitoring budget variances and identifying areas for cost optimization. The Manager is responsible for creating and maintaining sophisticated financial models to project future financial performance, analyzing market trends, economic factors, and federal and state developments to inform forecasts, and performing scenario analysis to assess potential risks and opportunities. In the area of performance analysis and reporting, the Manager prepares comprehensive financial reports and dashboards to track key metrics, identifies trends and anomalies in financial data, conducts root cause analysis, and communicates financial insights to the Mayor and Chief Financial Officer. The Manager provides strategic decision support by offering financial analysis for key decisions, identifying potential areas for improvement, recommending cost-saving initiatives, and collaborating with City leadership to align financial goals with City objectives. The Manager oversees the management of the City’s computerized payroll system, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of all payrolls, administration of payroll-related adjustments, and the preparation and reporting of federal and state withholding taxes. The Manager provides expert guidance to departments and employees on payroll matters and supports the Payroll Manager and Payroll Department in all related functions. The Manager of Financial Services provides critical support and financial analysis throughout the collective bargaining process, which involves preparing detailed financial forecasts, cost analyses, and budget impact assessments related to proposed contract terms. This support includes evaluating the fiscal implications of wage and benefit proposals, modeling various economic scenarios to assess risks and opportunities, and ensuring that all financial data presented to the negotiating team, city council, and other stakeholders is accurate, transparent, and aligned with the City's long-term fiscal goals. The Manager analyzes relevant compensation and contract data from comparable communities, benchmarking local practices against regional and industry standards and by providing comprehensive and understandable reports and analyses of both current and historical compensation data. The Manager of Financial Services is committed to ongoing professional development and staying informed about emerging trends and best practices in municipal financial management. This includes actively seeking out educational opportunities, participating in relevant workshops and conferences, and engaging with professional organizations to ensure the City’s financial strategies remain current and effective. The Manager regularly attends both internal and external meetings as necessary, representing the Financial Services Department and the City’s financial interests, and fostering strong relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and external partners. The Manager may represent the CFO at meetings involving collective bargaining, city council, and with other departments and internal and external vendors, partners and other government agencies, advocating for the City’s financial priorities and ensuring effective communication of fiscal matters. The Manager performs similar or related work as required, directed, or as situations dictate. Qualifications:(To perform successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. We encourage all candidates who feel they are capable of successfully performing the responsibilities as outlined in this position description, regardless of the qualifications listed below to apply.) A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, public administration, or a related field is required. A master’s degree is preferred. Candidates must possess a minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, with five of those years being in a supervisory capacity, preferably within a governmental or public sector environment; or any equivalent combination of education and experience deemed suitable to the City. Special Requirements:Previous financial government experience is highly desirable. Demonstrated proficiency in computer and data analysis skills is required, with the ability to provide evidence of such proficiency. Experience with MUNIS financial software is a plus. Strong management skills and experience working in a unionized, public sector environment are advantageous. Knowledge of the collective bargaining process and municipal finance is essential. A strong commitment to public service is required. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:Knowledge: The Manager of Financial Services must possess comprehensive knowledge of municipal finance, including the principles and practices of public sector budgeting, payroll administration, and financial planning. An in-depth understanding of governmental accounting standards, regulatory compliance requirements, and collective bargaining processes in Massachusetts is essential. The Director should be well-versed in the use of financial management software, particularly MUNIS, and have a strong grasp of data analysis methodologies. Familiarity with compensation benchmarking, labor market trends, and best practices in municipal financial management is also required. Skills: This role requires advanced analytical and data interpretation skills, with the ability to develop complex financial models, conduct scenario analyses, and prepare comprehensive financial reports and dashboards. The Manager must demonstrate exceptional proficiency in computer applications relevant to financial management, including spreadsheet and database software, and be able to provide evidence of these skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills are necessary to explain complex financial concepts clearly to varied audiences, including city leadership, negotiating teams, and other stakeholders. The Manager should be skilled in project management, process improvement, and user training. Effective interpersonal and leadership skills are critical for fostering collaboration across departments and supporting professional development within the Financial Services team. Abilities: The Manager must have the ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion in the administration of sensitive financial and personnel matters, maintaining strict confidentiality at all times. The position requires the capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, adapt to evolving regulatory and organizational demands, and deliver accurate results under tight deadlines. The Manager should be able to collaborate effectively with executive leadership and other financial divisions, as well as represent the City’s financial interests in negotiations and public forums. The ability to interpret and apply complex regulations, lead and motivate a diverse team, and communicate financial insights in an accessible manner is essential for success in this role. Work Environment:Work is performed primarily in an office setting. The position requires frequent interaction with city officials, department heads, employees, and external agencies. The Manager must be able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a high-demand environment and may be required to attend evening meetings or respond to urgent issues outside of regular business hours. The role involves regular collaboration with executive leadership and all City Department Heads, as well as representing the CFO in meetings with collective bargaining groups, city council, and other departments. The Manager must maintain confidentiality in all communications, particularly those involving sensitive financial, personnel, or negotiation information. Errors in judgment in financial management can have far-reaching consequences, including legal and regulatory penalties, financial losses, and significant reputational damage for the City. Such mistakes may undermine stakeholder trust, disrupt operations, and require costly corrective actions, ultimately jeopardizing the City’s fiscal stability and its ability to achieve organizational objectives. Physical requirements(The physical demands described here represent those requirements that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)The duties of this position are primarily sedentary, requiring the ability to operate standard office equipment and to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and electronically. The Director must be able to concentrate for extended periods, manage multiple priorities, and occasionally move or transport materials weighing up to 20 pounds. No unusual physical demands are associated with this position. Performance StandardEmployees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the City through work behaviors demonstrating the City’s values. Employees are also expected to lead by example and demonstrate the highest level of ethics. (This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change, subject to collective bargaining obligations, where applicable.)