Finance Director - Health and Human Services

Full Job Description

The Finance Director reports directly to the County Executive for Health and Human Services (HHS) and leads the department’s financial operations supporting HHS programs and operations.

This position requires strong government accounting experience and expertise in financial planning and analysis (FP&A), including public-sector budgeting, fund accounting, forecasting, financial modeling, and compliance.

This position works closely with the County’s Planning and Budget office, who manages the County’s overall budget, and the County’s Auditor who is responsible for approving and making all payments.

HHS is growing and this position will lead the department in modernizing and reorganizing financial operations and integrating new software to manage contracts and payments.The role provides strategic financial planning, analysis, and advisory support specific to HHS initiatives, ensuring financial resources are effectively aligned with the delivery of high-quality social services for Travis County residents.

The Finance Director leads long-range financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis within the HHS department, working closely with executive leadership to support data-informed decision-making and operational priorities in a public-sector environment.Acting in a consultative and collaborative capacity, the position supports the County Executive and HHS leadership team by evaluating departmental financial performance, identifying risks and opportunities, and translating complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for executive leadership.

This role emphasizes partnership with program leadership, operational effectiveness, and responsible stewardship of public funds through government accounting and FP&A practices, in accordance with State, Federal, and Local Laws.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a high-level leadership role within the Management job family. Incumbent performs a wide range of highly complex duties that require the application of standard financial theories, principles and techniques. This classification performs highly complex deliverables, working collaboratively with the County Executive, HHS leadership team, financial staff and operations of the department, and requires appropriate skill levels including advanced management, financial forecasting, computer, analytical, and communication skills. The incumbent in this classification has a broad scope of operational and horizon planning and manages key aspects of the department’s financial reporting, budgeting, financial trend analysis and other financial forecasting and analysis activities. The classification is distinguished from other financial job classification in that incumbents typically have authority for training, developing and evaluating other financial and/or accounting systems and assigned staff. Duties require the highest degree of initiative and independent judgement. This classification performs duties withing the Travis County Health and Human Services & AgriLife department and may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Requirements

In collaboration with key leadership, the Finance Director plans, directs, implements, and evaluates all financial operation reporting and budgeting for HHS. Oversees and directs the preparation and evaluation of financial reports and information.

Along with other key leadership staff; directs, plans, coordinates, organizes, analyzes and reports on audits of financial and internal control systems.

Reviews internal and external audit reports and evaluates degree of compliance, develops financial strategies and controls necessary to strengthen areas and to mitigate risk.

Responsible for staffing needs related to assigned areas of responsibility, including recommending individuals for hire, responsibility for training, developing performance evaluation and disciplinary actions of assigned staff consistent with department process.

Identifies and addresses problems or conflicts. Provides training to departmental staff in financial related functions.

Monitors and confirms activities are consistent with financial and other goals and objectives.

Seeks and creates opportunities for improved performance, learning and development of assigned staff to enhance operational efficiencies and effectiveness to ensure quality services are provided.

Conducts strategic financial planning. Forecasts future budgeting, technology, and other needs and makes recommendations. Researches new financial processes, develops financial policies and procedures in collaboration with the County Executive and HHS leadership team to meet changing needs.

Conducts specialized financial analysis and reports for the department. Analyzes historical revenue and expenditure trends and forecasts future trends. Prepares and presents recommendations to other high-level management and external organizations as applicable.

Along with the County Executive and the HHS Leadership Team, the Finance Director for HHS plays a key leadership role in the development of the annual departmental budget submission.

Monitors expenditures and revenues and makes recommendations pertaining to efficient department operations.

Serves as the primary expert on financial strategic planning and provides expertise through the lens of finance principles and practices to meet and improve upon operational objectives.

May represent the department before elected officials, internal teams, external partners and the public.

Responds to financial inquiries, as applicable. Provides technical information, presents solutions to financial problems and shares information to remain abreast of laws, regulations, trends and developments.

Oversees identification and development of performance measures for department to ensure alignment with short and long-range goals and objectives.

Conducts needs assessments to monitor and improve service delivery of financial operations within HHS. Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations and seamless customer service, including plans for future department services and budgetary requirements.

Collaborative interaction with Travis County officials regarding initiatives related to financial and budgetary needs of the department.

Presents technical information clearly and logically in a manner that is easily understood to department management, staff, and various, diverse audiences.

Collaborates on a regular basis with policy makers to ensure consistency of plans and projections with local standards, legislative mandates and community expectations.

Ensures compliance with Federal, State, and Local codes, county policies, and directives from the department head.

Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Management, Purchasing, Public Administration, Social or Behavioral Sciences, or a directly related field AND seven (7) years of increasingly responsible experience with a broad administrative support activity, such as accounting, purchasing, budgetary, financial analysis, contracting or similar capacity, including three (3) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience;

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

Valid Texas Driver’s License.

Preferred:

Master’s degree in a directly related field.

Certified Public Accountant (CPA); OR Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).

Six (6) years of Finance Planning and Analysis (FP&A), budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling experience preferred.

Demonstrated experience in Government accounting, including public-sector budgeting, fund accounting, financial reporting, and compliance with State, Federal, and Local regulations.

Experience supporting financial operations within a human services, social services, or public-sector environment is strongly preferred.

Knowledge of:

• Management and supervisory principles, practices and techniques.
• Policies, practices, procedures and terminology of assigned function.
• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and standardized financial, accounting and auditing practices.
• Budget planning, development, preparation and monitoring.
• Manual and automated systems relating to assigned function.
• Modern office practices, procedures and methods.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information

Skill in:

• Financial forecasting, allocating resources and evaluating programs.
• Strategic financial planning around social services investments.
• Problem-solving and decision-making.
• Developing financial spreadsheets and financial trend analysis.
• Reviewing and completing professional financial reports.
• Long range planning and evaluating financial processes.
• Developing financial policies and procedures.
• Both verbal and written communication, including presentations with high-ranking officials.

Ability to:

• Set priorities and collaborate effectively with other HHS leadership and program operations.
• Analyze, calculate, forecast and interpret financial data and identify and resolve errors.
• Lead, motivate, train, develop and evaluate employees at all levels within span of control.
• Negotiate conflict and create collaborative solutions.
• Develop short range and long-term plans to meet and facilitate the vision set by the department head; effectively communicate the vision, plans and goals to employees at all levels.
• Maintain professional ethics and personal integrity, representing the department and the County in a professional manner.
• Direct and interpret quantitative, financial and systems analysis of business problems.
• Develop or lead others in developing or changing programs to foster increased efficiency and effectiveness.
• Evaluate impact of a policy, procedure, plan and/or program, by itself and in relationship to other policies, procedures, plans or programs with an emphasis on interpreting financial constraints and obligations and producing high-level cost benefit analyses.
• Work in diverse, multi-faceted organization. Create and successfully manage organizational change.
• Develop and interpret policies, procedures, codes, ordinances, regulations, laws and contracts.
• Write complex reports and business correspondence, including graphs and charts, utilizing Microsoft and other presentation software.
• Effectively present information to the County Executive, the HHS leadership team, and other partners both internal and external to Travis County and interact with all staff utilizing tact and diplomacy.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with department staff, and other County employees and officials.

Additional Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 5-15 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday, with nights and/or weekends as needed
This position is eligible for hybrid in-office/telework based on work needs. MUST LIVE IN or NEAR AUSTIN TX AREA.
Location: 700 Lavaca St; 10th Floor; Austin TX 7876
Department: Health & Human Services
Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.

For updates or questions on this position, contact: Brian.Stacy@traviscountytx.gov

*Classified title is Assistant Director of Administration and Planning, working title is Finance Director.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.