Finance Director

Salary: $118,768.00 - $153,816.00 Annually
Location : Owatonna, MN
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: Finance Director 06 2026
Department: Administration
Division: Finance
Opening Date: 06/03/2026
Closing Date: 6/22/2026 3:00 PM Central
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: NA


Description

THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE:

The City of Owatonna is a growing community strategically placed at the crossroads of I-35 and two major US highways, approximately one hour south of the Twin Cities metro area. The community has a commitment to growth, access to services, and quality of life for its 27,000 residents.


Click the link below to learn more about the community this position would have the opportunity to be part of and serve.
ABOUT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT :

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE:
We believe that our financial resources make possible the services that are essential to the safety, livability, and vitality of our community. The Finance Department creates a better tomorrow by partnering with all City departments to steward the citizens' shared financial resources efficiently, effectively, and responsibly.

As an organization, our Purpose is to create a better tomorrow. We are guided in that work by our organization's 3 Core Values: Better Together, Community Stewardship, and Pride in Our Work.

In the Finance department, the City's values look and sound like . . . BETTER TOGETHER:

• Working as a team and supporting other team members
• Providing training/learning across departments
• Building relationships across the city
• Acting as a trusted partner by providing information and assistance to help others succeed
• Being available and responsive
• Being approachable to employees and the community
• Working with compassion for and attention towards the person in front of us

COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP:

• Safeguarding the community's assets
• Operating with integrity at all times
• Spending taxpayers' money wisely, efficiently, and effectively
• Acting as a strategic partner with other departments and stakeholders to develop creative solutions that support both short and long-term fiscal sustainability
• Providing transparency, information, and education to the community about the city's finances
• Listening to and considering input from citizens

PRIDE IN OUR WORK:

• Providing accurate and current financial reports and data
• Operating with a mindset of continuous improvement that supports more efficient and effective solutions
• Striving for perfection while recognizing that we are human-when mistakes happen, we acknowledge them and fix them
• Maintaining a professional reputation as a trusted partner

Duties / Responsibilities

WHAT YOU'LL DO:
The second level of the Management Series is responsible for providing senior level direction and management of the operations of an assigned department that has impact on a wide range of City services. Responsibilities include: overseeing the direction of activities of a department, programs or functions that enables the City to function fiscally, operationally, technologically, safely and administratively; direct the development of goals, policies, and procedures; and acting as a representative of the City to the public, media, agencies, and other external groups.

This position is part of the internal operations team and will report to the Assistant City Administrator. The Finance Director will lead the finance division staffed with 4 FTEs in supporting all City of Owatonna departments and divisions.

Specifically, as the Finance Director you will...

• Directs the work of technical, professional, divisional and management staff of multiple programs, including assigning work, training staff, conducting performance counseling, conducting performance reviews and making disciplinary, hiring and promotion decisions.
• Leads the development of multiple department operations, including development of goals, policies, staffing levels, budget and procedures for all department services; directing management in the development of work plans for the department; and leads strategic planning.
• Acts as a technical resource for the City, management, boards, government representatives, and staff to ensure effective service delivery and address community needs; including analyzing and resolving issues associated with daily work, contracts, and projects; ensuring staff work complies with applicable standards, codes and regulations; attending internal and external meetings to answer questions and provide information; providing advice on division work; and providing information on all department activities;
• Directs the management of City finances; monitors and approves expenditures in accordance with City goals; manages and administers operating, capital improvement and capital equipment budgets;
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Qualifications

ABOUT YOU:

A successful candidate will have some or all of the following ...
A Bachelor's degree in assigned field of expertise; 8 years related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

Licensing in:

• CPA and CPFO licensure preferred.

Knowledge of:

• Managerial and leadership principles and practices;
• Budget principles and practices;
• Financial Management principles;
• Public Administration principles;
• Strategic planning principles;
• Applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, codes, and regulations.

Skill in:

• Leadership and management;
• Preparing reports;
• Managing division operations;
• Analyzing and developing policies and procedures;
• Using a computer and related software applications;
• Public relations and public speaking;
• Interpreting laws and regulations;
• Negotiation and persuasion;
• Preparing budgets;
• Program and project management;
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Hours of Work/Physical and Mental Demands

• This is a full-time exempt position. Flexibility is important to us and our employees, schedule may vary based on need.
• To view the full job description including position specifications and physical demands
• To view the job profile,

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
2026 BENEFITS OVERVIEW
For a Regular Full-Time Employee


The City of Owatonna provides a comprehensive, balanced, and competitive benefits package as part of your total compensation. The City's benefits programs address both the immediate needs that you and your family may have, such as medical coverage or health savings accounts, and your long-term needs, such as retirement savings.


The following outline of City offered benefits serves as an overview and does not provide all provisions, limitations, and exclusions. If there is a contradiction between this and the official plan documents, the plan documents will prevail.


EMPLOYER-PROVIDED BENEFITS

Paid Time Off (PTO): It is the policy of the City of Owatonna to provide employees with necessary time away from work. PTO can be utilized for any purpose, subject only to necessary request/approval procedures consistent with the City Policies and Procedures Manual and labor contracts. PTO accrues at the following rates for full-time employees:

Years of Service Hours/Year
1 144
2 152
3 160
4 168
5 176
6-9 184
10 192
11 200
12 208
13 216
14 224
15 228
16 232
17 236
18 240
19 244
20 248
21 252
22 256
23 260
24+ 264


11 Paid Holidays and 1 Floating Holiday: All regular full-time employees of the City, except those who are governed by a union contract or different holiday policy, receive the following holidays:


Holiday Date
New Year's Day January 1st
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Third Monday in January
Presidents' Day Third Monday in February
Memorial Day Last Monday in May
Juneteenth June 19th
Independence Day July 4th
Labor Day First Monday in September
Veteran's Day November 11th
Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November
Last working day before Christmas December
Christmas Day December 25th
One (1) Floating Holiday Once per year; must be used by December 31st


Retirement:
PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association)

1. Eligible employees Must participate as directed by Minnesota Statutes.
2. PERA Coordinated Plan contributions rates (non-police & fire) are: 7.5% employer and 6.5% employees.
3. PERA Police & Fire Plan contributions & Fire are: 17.7% employer and 11.8% employees.

Health Insurance Coverage Through Medica:

Coverage for eligible employees becomes effective on the first day of employment.
1. Eligible employees can choose between 3 choices of varying deductible plans with single or family option coverage.
2. The City Contributes $ 650.00 towards single coverage/premium or $ 1,816.00 towards family coverage/premium
3. The City contributes $1,425/single or $2,900/family into an HSA account.


The city pays 100% of the premium and coverage costs of HealthiestYou, a virtual healthcare provider service with a $0.00 co-pay.
Term Life Insurance:
The City provides a $25,000 term life insurance policy at no cost to the employee.


Long Term Disability Insurance:
The plan provides long-term disability income with a 90-day consecutive elimination period. An employee must be a regular full-time employee and have completed six (6) months of employment to be eligible for this benefit.


New in 2026 - Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML):
For the 2026 plan year (January 1 - December 31, 2026), the City of Owatonna will cover 100% of the PFML insurance premium through our provider, Madison National Life Insurance Company.


Fitness Center:
Employees also have access to the City's West Hills Fitness Center at no cost as part of the city's wellness program.


Employee Assistant Plan (EAP):
The City of Owatonna provides an Employee Assistance Plan. This service provides free, confidential, professional assistance to help employees and their families resolve problems such as marital difficulties, financial or legal problems, emotional challenges, or problems caused by alcohol or other drug use that affect their personal lives or job performance.


OPTIONAL BENEFITS AVAILABLE :
The following benefits are available on an elective basis at the employee's choice:

1. Deferred Compensation Plans (457 and Roth IRA's): Plans available through Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) and MissionSquare.
2. Dental Insurance: Coverage through Health Partners.
3. Supplemental Coverages: Plans available through AFLAC.
4. Supplemental Life Insurance: Plans through MN Life and PERA.
5. Health Care and Daycare Flexible Spending Accounts
6. Vision Care: Plan available through Eye Med.

Questions regarding benefit information can be directed to Human Resources at View phone number on click.appcast.io.
01


Do you have a Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting; 8 years related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job?

• Yes
• No

02


Which level best describes your highest level of education in Accounting, Finance or related field?

• No degree
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Degree in unrelated field

03


Please state your degree. Type N/A if you have not completed a degree.
04


Do you currently hold Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) licensure?

• Yes
• No

05


In specific terms, why are you interested in the Finance Director position and how does it fit into your career goals?
06


How many years of experience do you have in leading and managing others?

• No Experience
• Less than 3 years of experience
• 3 - 5 years of experience
• 5 - 10 years of experience
• More than 10 years of experience

07


Please describe your experience with leading and managing others. If no experience, type N/A.
08


Please describe your leadership style and how it aligns with Owatonna's core values of Better Together, Community Stewardship and Pride in Our Work.
09


Do you have previous experience with municipal budgets, ACFRs, Reports, GAAP and GASB?

• Yes
• No

10


How many years of experience do you have working in or auditing PUBLIC (City, County or School District) organizations?

• No experience
• Less than 3 years of experience
• 3 - 5 years of experience
• 5 - 10 years of experience
• More than 10 years of experience

11


How many years of related experience do you have working in finance/accounting or auditing PRIVATE organizations?

• No experience
• Less than 3 years of experience
• 3 - 5 years of experience
• 5 - 10 years of experience
• More than 10 years of experience

12


Do you have experience working with and presenting to boards, commissions, or city councils?

• Yes
• No

13


Do you have experience guiding a management team through the budgeting processes?

• Yes
• No

14


Please describe your experience guiding a management team through the budgeting processes. If no experience, type N/A.
15


Do you wish to apply for Veteran's Preference?You must complete the Veteran's Preference points below and submit the required documentation (MEMBER COPY 4 VETERAN's DD214) to the City of Owatonna by the application deadline of the position for which you are applying.

• Not Claiming Veteran's Preference
• Veteran
• Disabled Veteran
• Spouse of Deceased Veteran
• Spouse of Disabled Veteran

Required Question