Finance Manager

Finance Manager

Do you want to work where you can enrich the lives of the people in your community? The Urbana Free Library is seeking a forward-thinking, self-motivated individual to join the Library's leadership team. Duties include overseeing budget development, financial forecasting, cash management, investments, and long-range financial planning. The ideal candidate should have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, public or business administration, or a related discipline and five (5) years of progressively responsible finance experience, including three (3) in a financial management role, including staff supervision.

The Urbana Free Library has been serving the community for over 150 years. If you would enjoy working in a dynamic, community-centered environment, the Library invites you to apply. Full job description

Position Type: Full-Time/Exempt/Non-Union

Location: The Urbana Free Library

Pay Grade: PG-41: The starting annual salary (hiring range) for the position is $72,274 - $83,115 DOQ/E, with the opportunity to move through the full pay and grade range annually plus excellent benefits

Job Summary: The Finance Manager is an experienced, resourceful, and team-oriented business specialist who is responsible for safeguarding the assets and managing the Library's accounting and financial operations. Responsibilities include oversight and report of all revenue, expenditures, and fund balances for a governmental unit with an annual budget of $5 million. This position is accountable for providing accurate financial reporting, maintaining effective internal controls, managing financial risk, and advising the Executive Director, the Library Board of Trustees, and the Library Leadership Team on sound fiscal policies and strategic financial decisions. The Finance Manager will serve as the financial liaison with the Library Board of Trustees, department leaders, and the City of Urbana. As a member of Library's Leadership Team, the Finance Manager participates in strategic planning and policy development. The ideal candidate will be a continuous learner with a welcoming attitude and a collaborative work ethic. The Finance Manager reports to the Executive Director.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Oversees budget development, financial forecasting, cash management, investments, and long-range financial planning to ensure the Library's financial sustainability.
• Plans, prioritizes, and oversees departmental operations, workflow, staffing, and resource allocation to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.
• Provides Library leadership and the Library Board with timely and accurate financial analyses, reports, forecasts, and recommendations to support strategic decision-making.
• Maintains official accounting, payroll, and financial reports in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), governmental accounting standards, and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Works with the auditor engaged by the City to complete the Library and Library Foundation audits, including preparing work papers and trial balance, and reviewing audited financial statements.
• Evaluates departmental operations, workload, work methods, and procedures; identifies opportunities for continuous improvement; and implements process enhancements to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
• Serves as a strategic advisor to the Leadership Team by contributing to long-range planning, organizational initiatives, and financial sustainability.
• Manages and coordinates annual financial audits, regulatory reviews, and the implementation of corrective actions to address audit findings and strengthen internal controls.
• Prepares and presents monthly/quarterly/annual reports, financial analyses, and supporting documentation for the Executive Director, the Library Board, the Urbana City Council, and other stakeholders as requested.
• Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with City and County officials, government agencies, vendors, auditors, local organizations, and other external partners to support Library operations.
• Maintains the confidentiality and security of sensitive financial information while ensuring appropriate transparency.

Additional Duties:

• Safeguards the Library's financial assets by establishing, implementing, and monitoring effective internal controls, sound financial management practices, risk mitigation strategies, and by encouraging operational excellence.
• Advises the Executive Director and Library Board of Trustees on the financial implications of strategic initiatives and provides recommendations to support sound fiscal decision-making.
• Identifies, evaluates, and mitigates financial, operational, and compliance risks to protect the Library's financial sustainability.
• Promotes a culture of integrity, accountability, transparency, and ethical financial stewardship throughout the organization.
• Participates as a member of the Library's Leadership Team.
• Upholds Library Code of Conduct and other Library policies and procedures.
• Responsible for development and supervision of financial and business operations staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, public or business administration, or related discipline.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible finance experience, including three (3) in a financial management role, including staff supervision; or an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience.
• Knowledge of automated financial, payroll, and management systems.
• Proficiency with Tyler/Munis or similar accounting and payroll software.
• Experience with Humanity or similar timekeeping and scheduling system.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel; proficiency with other Microsoft Office tools and electronic file management.
• Experience with government or nonprofit finance, including fund accounting and audits.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Multilingual skills in English plus another language relevant to the Champaign County community, including, but not limited to, Arabic, French, Mandarin, and Spanish.

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively in writing and orally.
• Communicate with clarity and courteously with Library staff, Board of Trustees, City staff, external vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain strong work relationships with colleagues and provide high-quality internal customer service.
• Anticipate and creatively solve problems with a flexible and growth mindset.
• Work with a high degree of independent judgment, and handle multiple initiatives that require prioritization, organization, and attention to detail while meeting deadlines.
• Positively adjust to and lead through change.

Contacts: Internal/External

• Daily contact with Library employees and City of Urbana staff.
• Frequent contact with Library Board of Trustees, elected officials, and vendors.

Supplemental Information:

Working Environment: The work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The work will occur primarily at The Urbana Free Library.
• Occasionally, attend activities at off-site locations.
• Work is in close association with others.
• Work is subject to deadlines and frequent interruptions.
• Typical work schedule could include any hours that the Library is open in addition to time before and afterwards, with flexibility depending on the needs of the Library.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands described herein are representative of those 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.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, sit, talk, and hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift, push, and/or move up to 40 pounds.
• See in the normal visual range with or without correction.
• Vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents, visually inspect work in progress, and the ability to adjust focus to both print and electronic text.
• Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

The duties listed above 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 Urbana Free Library Finance Manager The 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.

The Urbana Free Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Last updated: August 2026