Controller (RPU)

Position Description

The City of Rochester invites applications for:

Controller

Rochester Public Utilities

www.rpu.org

RPU, a division of the City of Rochester, MN, is the largest municipal utility in the State of Minnesota.

RPU serves over 5 7 ,000 electric customers and 42,000 water customers in a 60 square mile service area and has revenues nearing $161 million annually.

Vision- "We Will Set the Standard for Service"

Our vision is based on six core values which are Safety, Integrity, Service, Stewardship, Accountability, and Skill.

Limited Term Appointment:

This position anticipated to last 18 - 24 months to support the City of Rochester's implementation of a new Enterprise Recourse Planning software. This role is contingent upon the availability of allocated funds, as well as favorable performance by the incumbent.

Nature of Work

Reporting to the Director of Corporate Services, the Controller will lead all day-to-day operations of the Finance Department, including budget development and analysis, accounting for investments, accounts payable and receivable, billing and collections, general ledger accounting and reporting, relationship management with banks and other vendors, regulatory accounting and reporting, rate analysis and implementation and audit preparation. This position is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of accounting internal control practices, financial policies and metrics, and assists in the development of utility strategy and objectives, and the plans to achieve those objectives.

The Controller is charged with identifying new opportunities to improve efficiencies, eliminate backlogs, and respond proactively to other division's needs. S/he will need to analyze the existing processes and systems and work closely with the Director of Corporate Services and other administrators to streamline current systems, leverage new information technology, and establish standard operating procedures that provide maximum benefit to all parties involved.

2026 Starting salary is $124,372 to $146,318, depending on qualifications with advancement to $182,902.

To have your application considered in the first round of application review, apply before December 29th, 2025.

The City of Rochester will not sponsor or transfer visas for this position including F1 OPT STEM.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Staff Leadership
• Provide overall direction and supervision for the Finance and Accounting Division including delegation of tasks and work assignments.
• Establish procedures and guidelines and monitor workloads.
• Provide training and identify training requirements.
• Evaluate job performance. Provide coaching and recommending staff actions when necessary.
• Business Services Leadership
• Deliver business leadership that includes developing, promoting and implementing effective solutions to provide support to the changing demands and expectations facing the business units and functional areas of the organization.
• Monitor the effectiveness of the business unit to ensure that Finance and Accounting is trusted and perceived to be an approachable organization resource.
• Actively support and promote RPU's mission, vision and values.
• Align business unit goals with the goals, objectives and strategies of the utility.
• Annual Budgeting Process
• Be responsible for coordinating the annual budgeting and planning process.
• Administer and review all financial plans and compare to actual results with a view to identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
• Develops the budget process and makes process improvements.
• Accounting Practices
• Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) standards and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain internal control and safeguards for receipt of revenue, costs, and program budgets and actual expenditures.
• Monitor transactions for compliance with established internal control practices and accounting standards
• Coordinate all audit activity, which consists of both a financial audit and regulatory Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) audit.
• Consistently analyze financial data and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner. Clearly communicate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Monitor progress and changes and keep senior leadership abreast of RPU's financial status.
• Support the Director Corporate Services in engaging the board's audit and finance committees around issues and trends in financial operating models and delivery.
  
  

Other Finance Accountabilities

• Manage organizational cash flow forecasting. Continuously collaborate with senior leadership to assess the financial reserves targets.
• Manage and track the performance of invested assets in keeping with policies and investment guidelines.
• Provide for the day to day management of RPU's debt program. Assist the Director Corporate Services in debt issuance and refunding issues, which includes managing the relationships with financial advisors, underwriters and rating agencies.
• Provide oversight to consultants preparing the cost of service studies and rate development.
• Supports the Director Corporate Services in engaging the board's finance committee around rate setting issues and trends to appropriately set rate methodology.
• Manage the utility billing and collections functions to ensure timely and accurate billing occurs and provide customers with multiple secured methods of making payments. Ensure that collections practices comply with applicable statutes and regulations. Confirm amounts are collected when due or appropriate follow-up action occurs when balances become overdue.
  
  

Perform Other Duties As Assigned Or Necessary.

• ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

A Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance or closely related field from an accredited four-year college or university AND seven (7) years of full-time employment experience in general and/or governmental accounting, cost/project accounting, auditing and internal controls, financial cost analysis, financial reporting, and budgeting; with at least three (3) years of supervisory/management/leadership experience directing professional and support accounting staff.

Licenses and Certifications

Valid driver's license

Desirable Qualifications

• Masters in Accounting (MA), Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other related degree.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO), or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designations.
  
  

Additional Information

PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the following represents the physical and environmental demands for this position. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions with or without accommodation.

In consideration of the overall amount of physical effort required to perform this position, the work is best described as Sedentary Work : Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Physical demands that may be required continuously (2/3 or more of the time), frequently (1/3 to 2/3 of the time), and occasionally (up to 1/3 of the time) are noted below:

Continuous demands: sitting; fine dexterity

Frequent demands: walking, standing

Occasional demands: reaching, handling, kneeling, bending

Sensory requirements necessary in the performance of the essential functions of this position include sight.

Environmental conditions that may exist in the performance of the essential functions of this job include: NONE (not substantially exposed to environmental conditions)