COLORADO is seeking a FINANCE DIRECTOR Arvada, Colorado is a beautiful, first-ring suburb of Denver with 106,433 residents, approximately 15 minutes northwest of downtown Denver and 30 minutes from Denver International Airport, with direct access to two interstates. It is home to three future stops on the Gold Line commuter light rail system, to be completed in 2016. Residents and businesses enjoy treelined streets, award-winning City services, and spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. The City has strong civic leadership that balances quality of life with business and economic development for a strong and stable economy. Arvada was the site of the first gold strike in Colorado in 1850 and was established in 1870. The City is the now the home of a robust mix of businesses which utilizes the community s welleducated workforce. The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, owned and operated by the City of Arvada, is a unique institution offering year-round world class theater, concerts, art galleries, a historical museum, and numerous classes and camps in performing and visual arts. It also features exceptional banquet facilities. The City s trails are extensive within the 35.5 square mile city limits and offer links to the Denver trails to the east and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to the west. With over 163 miles of trails, 87 parks, three golf courses, three skate parks, and 300 annual days of sunshine, there are ample outdoor activities. The Mercer Group, Inc.
The City of Arvada is a home-rule City and operates under a Council-Manager form of government, combining strong political leadership of elected officials with strong managerial experience of an appointed City Manager. The City Council and Mayor all serve four-year, staggered terms. The Mayor and Council appoint the City Manager who is responsible for policy implementation, service delivery and the overall operations of the City. The city s financial position is strong, earning a AAA bond rating by both Standard and Poor s and Fitch s rating agencies and is known for its strategic outlook, sound financial management, and exceptional customer service. The Finance Director reports to the Deputy City Manager and also works very closely with the City Manager. The City was named one of the Top Places to Work in 2012 by the Denver Post. City of Arvada Vision Continuing to Build a Great Community City of Arvada Organizational Values Professionalism. We will provide quality service through commitment and responsiveness. Accountability. We will accept ownership for our actions and decisions. Open Communication. We will openly listen and share whole and complete information. Population 106,433 Median Age 40.5 years Median Household Income $66,125 Incorporated Square Miles 35.5 sq.mi. Total Operating & Capital Budget - 2013 $230,578,141 Median Home Value $236,000 Households 42,701 School Districts Jefferson County School District, Adams County School District #50 Sales Tax: City / County / State / RTD / Lodging / Cultural 3.46% /.5.75% / 2.9% / 1.0%/.1% Top Private Employers Top Public Employers King Soopers, Sundyne City of Arvada Respect. We will value each person for his/her thoughts, opinions, diversity, and personal needs. Innovation. We will be solution oriented with flexibility, creativity, and new ideas. Integrity. We will be truthful, dependable and fair in all actions. Community. We will work together in a shared responsibility of service. Personal and Professional Enrichment. We will acknowledge and encourage individual development and personal well being. 2 city of arvada finance director
Like many municipalities, the city faces an aging infrastructure and financial challenges that accompany that issue. There is a major transit-oriented development associated with the commuter rail line that will present both challenges and opportunities that come with expected growth. The city hopes to develop and expand business and job opportunities in order to attract new residents. Affordable housing is also proving to be a challenge. There are demographic changes occurring with an aging and more ethnically diverse population. Neighborhood renewal and revitalization is also presenting a challenge for the community. Organizational expectations include internal and external teambuilding, improving departmental credibility, and relationship building with other members of the executive management team. The City Council s strategic plan presents some significant projects and goals that need to be funded. The strategic FOCUS initiative (performancebased budgeting) will require departmental support and persistence to effectively implement. 3 city of arvada finance director
The City of Arvada has earned an enviable reputation for its financial soundness and its conservative yet strategic forecasting and budget process. The City s Finance Department has earned consistent recognition for its financial programs, transparency, and budgeting process. The City has received the Government Finance Officers Association s (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the past 21 years and has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the past 27 years. Under the direction of the Deputy City Manager, the Finance Director leads a department of 33 employees in four divisions (Treasury, Revenue, Purchasing, and Risk Management) that provides financial reporting and compliance, fiscal analysis, budgeting, all accounting functions, debt management, investments, purchasing, safety and risk management, grants administration and sales tax collection and auditing. The Department produces a two-year operating and capital budget, a ten-year financial forecast, a ten-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) with associated operating costs, and a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. In addition, the Department has a key role in the implementation of a business transformation plan, named FOCUS, which will emphasize the alignment of resource allocation with the high priorities identified by the City Council and the community through a new performance-based budgeting system. The total operating and capital budget for 2013 is $230,578,141. For 2014, the operating and capital budget is $174,820,824. The City employs 680 regular employees and another 300 temporary and seasonal employees. The Finance Department budget for 2014 is $5,872,542. The Director will support the business transformation process, FOCUS (organization-wide performance-based budgeting initiative); ensure Finance department implementation through new budget software (Team Budget), Oracle financial system, and a new Oracle report writer. The Director will develop a strategic business plan for the Finance Department in alignment with four City Council strategic areas; develop performance measures for the Finance Department in alignment with business plan; and, work with Finance management staff to align staff work plans. 4 city of arvada finance director
Working Style, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics Arvada s ideal candidate is someone who is highly skilled, instills trust within the organization and the community, and works in partnerships throughout the organization to achieve shared goals. The Director must be highly collaborative, a strategic thinker, and focused on results. He/she must work well with staff at all levels, provide advice and guidance to senior executives, demonstrate flexibility yet be able to say no when necessary to safeguard the City s assets. The Director must be politically astute, creative, and an effective communicator. He/she will be a confident leader, with the ability to articulate complex issues and long-term implications in a way that can be understood by various audiences. The Director must be adaptable, customer-focused, be able to provide direction and inspiration to staff, and have the ability to build resiliency and capacity in the department s staff. The ideal candidate must have proven his/ her ability to manage as a director or assistant director in a complex local government organization, and will have working knowledge of all areas of local government finance, including long-term financial forecasting and capital planning, tax collection, strategic planning and performance-based budgeting. The Director will be outcome-oriented, a solid decision-maker, adept at building and maintaining strong and effective working relationships with the City Council, city departments, employees, and the community. The Director is expected to be involved in the community and develop contacts with leadership in the community. The Director will demonstrate sound political judgment and will have a proven track record as a successful facilitator, mediator and consensus builder, who is able to motivate parties toward solutions and resolve conflicts in a constructive and supportive manner. Developing credibility, trust, and a reputation of fairness within the organization will be extremely important. Excellent listening skills are imperative. The ideal candidate must be aware of the respective roles of each division, and be willing to assist the City Manager and leadership team in establishing sound policy objectives, delineating roles and responsibilities, and creating more centralized operating protocols that promote transparency and engender trust. The new Director will embrace diversity, and must possess unquestionable integrity, accountability, ethics, and accept personal responsibility. It is important that the candidate be approachable, genuine, and honest in dealing with all staff. It is expected the Director will develop positive relationships at all levels of the organization and in the community by listening, demonstrating evenhandedness, straightforwardness and candor. The Director must be flexible, possess common sense, have a sense of humor, and not take himself /herself too seriously. The Director will have an ability to deal with a variety of people, relating to them at the personal level, the organizational level and at the City Council level. A strong business acumen is desired. 5 city of arvada finance director
Minimum requirements include a Bachelor s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or related degree. A Master s Degree in a related field or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is preferred. Certified Public Financial Officer designation is also preferred. A minimum of ten years experience in public finance and budgeting with at least five years supervisory experience is required. The Director must have thorough knowledge of municipal finance, purchasing, procurement, and risk management. A working knowledge of performance-based budgeting is desirable. The position requires the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, citizens, and elected officials; and the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Strong systems, interpersonal, analytical and managerial skills are also required. 6 city of arvada finance director
The salary range for the Finance Director position is negotiable and commensurate with the applicant s skills and experience. The City offers a competitive salary and generous benefit package that includes, health, dental, vision, vacation and sick leaves, short and long-term disability, and retirement benefits. To be considered for this position, please submit a cover letter, resume and salary history to: Gary Suiter Senior Vice President The Mercer Group, Inc. 164 Goose Lane Carbondale, CO 81623 (970) 963-0752 Email: garysuiter@comcast.net Electronic applications are preferred. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply. The deadline for résumés is: November 13, 2013. Following the filing date, résumés will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this brochure. Candidates with relevant qualifications will be given preliminary interviews with The Mercer Group. Those deemed better qualified will be referred to the Deputy City Manager and City Manager for further consideration. Final interviews will be offered to those candidates named as finalists, with reference and background checks conducted after receiving candidates permission. The final interview process is expected to be held in early January 2014. Finalists records will be subject to disclosure. The Cty of Arvada is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Mercer Group, Inc. www.mercergroupinc.com 57 city TMVOA of Executive arvada finance director director