Assistant Finance Director

Assistant Finance DirectorJoin our vibrant team at the Town of Wake Forest! Due to an internal staff promotion, we are excited to recruit for one Assistant Finance Director to join our team.Do you have a passion for finance and a desire to make a tangible impact on a thriving and growing town? Are you seeking a workplace that values collaboration, innovation, and a healthy work-life balance? If so, the Town of Wake Forest Finance Department invites you to bring your talents and enthusiasm to our dynamic team!Why choose Wake Forest and their award-winning finance department?Working for the Town of Wake Forest isn't just a job – it's an opportunity to contribute to a special place's unique character and future. Here's what makes us stand out:Our Organizational Culture: The Town's vision is that Wake Forest's vibrant, diverse, and welcoming community fosters its distinct character, thriving economy, and high quality of life. Our core values are caring, commitment, character, innovation, and collaboration. Every quarter, we highlight one of our core values and have peer nominations to recognize exemplary work demonstrated by our employees. As part of employee development, the Town hosts a Toastmasters group, Supervisory Bootcamp, Leadership Academy, Effective Supervisory Practices course, and other professional growth opportunities. The Town also provides at least three annual employee appreciation food truck events.A Collaborative and Supportive Environment: We foster a close-knit team where your ideas are valued, and collaboration is key to our success. You'll work alongside experienced and passionate professionals dedicated to mentorship and professional growth. We regularly have team-building events to celebrate departmental and personal accomplishments.Work-Life Balance Matters: We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and strive to create a supportive environment that respects your time and commitments outside work. The Town offers Wellness Wednesday once a month, which allows employees to take off one hour early to attend to wellness needs. We also offer free access to our recreational facilities and discounted fees for youth athletic programs for employees' families. Our department also offers opportunities for management leave and flex time.Located in a Charming and Growing Town: Wake Forest offers a high quality of life with a historic downtown, beautiful parks and greenways, a growing arts and culture scene, and a strong sense of community. Our Town Hall is in the Downtown area, which allows you to walk to lunch and other amenities.Opportunities for Professional Development: We are committed to investing in our employees' growth through training, workshops, conferences, and other opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills in planning.Competitive Benefits Package: The Town of Wake Forest offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, long-term and short-term disability programs, retirement plan, paid time off, volunteer leave, paid parental leave, paid elder care leave, non-matching required 401k contributions, longevity pay bonuses, Employee Assistance Program, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and more. Upon completing a six-month probationary period, you will also receive a 5% increase in salary. The hiring range for this opportunity is: $100,220 - $110,500. (This recruitment is open until filled - first review of submissions will be August 10, 2027).General statement of duties: Performs advanced professional, technical, and supervisory work in support of financial systems administration, process design, automation, and operational oversight for the Finance Department. This position serves as the department's lead for improving and integrating financial systems and workflows to increase efficiency, accuracy, and internal control and plays a key role in shaping the department's operational strategy.Distinguishing features of the class: An employee in this class serves as a key member of the Finance Department leadership team with primary responsibility for financial systems management, process improvement, and operational coordination. This position is responsible for evaluating, designing, and optimizing financial workflows, leveraging technology to improve efficiency and reduce manual processes, and ensuring systems are effectively supporting departmental operations. The employee provides oversight of select financial functions, including accounts payable, payroll, and purchasing card activity, with a focus on process consistency, system integration, and internal control rather than transactional execution. Work requires a high level of independent judgment, technical proficiency, and the ability to translate operational needs into system-based solutions. Work is performed under the general direction of the Chief Financial Officer and is evaluated through operational outcomes, system effectiveness, and process improvements.Employee values: Employees of the Town of Wake Forest are expected to uphold and exhibit the Town's shared employee values of caring, commitment, character, innovation, and collaboration.Essential FunctionsDuties and Responsibilities - Essential Duties and Tasks:Leads administration and optimization of core financial systems, including the ERP system, financial forms and document management platforms, purchasing card systems, financial reporting software, debt management systems, and merchant services.Evaluates, designs, and improves financial and operational workflows with a focus on automation, efficiency, and scalability.Identifies opportunities to streamline processes, reduce manual effort, and strengthen internal controls through system enhancements and process redesign.Provides oversight and coordination of key financial operations, including accounts payable, payroll, and purchasing card activity, ensuring processes are standardized, efficient, and compliant.Supervises assigned staff, including providing guidance, training, performance feedback, and coordination of work activities across functional areas.Coordinates records retention efforts and manages responses to public records requests in accordance with applicable laws and Town policies.Develops, maintains, and updates departmental procedures, documentation, and internal process guides to support consistency and sustainability of operations.Supports departmental performance initiatives, including workflow tracking, process measurement, and continuous improvement efforts.Maintains and updates Finance Department webpage content to ensure accurate and timely public information.Provides technical support and guidance to staff and departments related to financial systems, automation tools, and process improvements.Assists with system implementations, upgrades, and department wide initiatives as directed.Performs related duties as required.Minimum QualificationsRecruitment and Selection Guidelines: Knowledge Skills and AbilitiesThorough knowledge of governmental accounting principles and practices.Strong knowledge of financial systems, ERP platforms, and related technologies used in municipal finance operations.Strong knowledge of process improvement, workflow design, and automation concepts.Knowledge of internal controls and operational best practices in a governmental environment.Ability to evaluate processes and implement efficient, technology driven solutions.Ability to lead system improvements and manage change across functional areas.Ability to supervise, train, and support staff across multiple functional areas.Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex projects simultaneously.Ability to communicate effectively with staff, management, vendors, and external stakeholders.Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across departments.Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.Desirable Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in accounting, finance, business administration, information systems, or a related field and considerable experience in governmental finance, financial systems administration, or process improvement, including some supervisory experience. Special Requirements: Possession of a Certified North Carolina Local Government Finance Officer designation is preferred but not required.Physical Requirements: Work in this class is generally sedentary, requiring occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects. Work requires standing, walking, fingering, feeling, and repetitive motions. Verbal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas. Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels. Visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, determining the accuracy and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities.Once an offer of employment has been extended, candidates will undergo a thorough background investigation, including NC State Bureau of Investigation fingerprinting.