Assistant Chief Financial Officer

Job Description:

Assistant Chief Financial Officer

Description

Description

Under administrative direction, assists Chief Financial Officer and Agency Leadership in guiding the Agency's financial strategy, fiscal planning, and operations, including accounting, budgeting, reporting, compliance, audits, procurement, contract and grants management, treasury functions, and financial systems. This role helps ensure sound financial stewardship, supports strategic initiatives, strengthens internal controls, and, depending on organizational needs, either directs one or more of the department's functional areas or serves as chief of staff to the Chief Financial Officer.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Lead the development and implementation of agency-wide budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, expenditure monitoring, coding oversight, and projection processes to support accurate reporting, resource allocation, accountability, and strategic decision-making.
• Provide strategic financial guidance, modeling, forecasting, and analysis on major initiatives, investments, funding opportunities, reimbursement strategies, and resource allocation to support long-term fiscal sustainability.
• Support long-range financial planning, cash flow management, investment oversight, revenue maximization, and financial risk assessment.
• Develop and maintain standardized financial reports, dashboards, forecasts, and decision-support tools that provide timely visibility into expenditures, revenues, projections, and organizational performance.
• Prepare and present financial reports, forecasts, analyses, and recommendations to executive leadership, the Commission, committees, auditors, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Lead fiscal analysis and performance evaluation of Agency operations and ballot measure initiatives to inform fiscal policy, strategic communications, and fund development.

Financial Operations & Compliance

• Oversee day-to-day financial operations to ensure accuracy, integrity, timeliness, and consistency of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and fiscal analysis.
• Direct the development, implementation, and monitoring of financial policies, procedures, internal controls, and compliance activities to ensure adherence to applicable laws, regulations, accounting standards, and funding requirements.
• Oversee annual financial, federal, state, and compliance audits and ensure timely resolution of audit findings and implementation of corrective actions and recommendations.
• Lead the development and implementation of financial systems, processes, controls, and infrastructure necessary to administer complex public funding streams, grant-funded programs, and large strategic initiatives.
• Develop and maintain financial architecture, coding structures, chart-of-accounts design, reporting frameworks, and integration of financial and programmatic data in partnership with Program, Data, Evaluation, and Technology teams.
• Lead continuous improvement of financial and operational systems, processes, controls, and workflows to increase efficiency, transparency, consistency, and organizational effectiveness.

Procurement & Contracting

• Oversee the Agency's procurement and contracting functions, including solicitation, contract development, negotiation, execution, and administration, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, funding requirements, and Agency policies.
• Provide strategic oversight and analysis for complex, high-impact, and politically sensitive contracting and procurement activities involving significant funding, elevated risk, public accountability, and cross-functional coordination.
• Direct the development and continuous improvement of procurement and contract management policies, workflows, templates, and systems to support efficient, transparent, and timely contracting across Agency programs and funding initiatives.

Leadership & Executive Support

• Assist the Chief Financial Officer in directing and managing Finance Department operations, including accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, contracts and grants administration, procurement, compliance, treasury activities, and revenue management.
• Lead cross-functional implementation of major financial, operational, and strategic initiatives, coordinating with Finance, Programs, Contracting and Procurement, Data, Evaluation, Technology, and Executive Leadership.
• When assigned functional responsibility, directly manage one or more of the department's functional areas, including staffing, work planning, performance management, and service delivery.
• When serving as chief of staff, manage the Chief Financial Officer's priorities and department-wide work plan; coordinate preparation of Commission, committee, and executive leadership materials; track key deliverables and deadlines; and resolve cross-functional issues on the Chief Financial Officer's behalf.
• Act on behalf of the Chief Financial Officer in their absence and represent the Finance Department in Agency leadership forums, with external partners, and before governing bodies as assigned.
• Provide leadership, supervision, and professional development to departmental managers, supervisors, and staff; establish priorities and ensure effective departmental performance.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Six (6) years of increasingly responsible experience in public finance, accounting, budgeting, auditing, grants management, or related financial administration, including three (3) years in a supervisory or management capacity and a bachelor's degree with major coursework in finance, accounting, economics, business administration, public administration, or a closely related field may be considered as part of the qualifying background.

Additional relevant work experience may substitute for the college coursework or degree-based expectations.

A master's degree in business administration, public administration, finance, accounting, or a related field may substitute for one (1) year of required experience.

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), or similar professional designation is desirable.

May be required to attend evening meetings, governing body meetings, or other time-sensitive activities related to budget, audit, reporting, or operational deadlines.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of governmental accounting, budgeting, auditing, financial reporting, public finance, treasury management, and fiscal management.
• Public sector budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, scenario analysis, cash and investment management, and long-range financial planning.
• Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, accounting standards, and compliance requirements governing public agency finance, grants, contracts, and procurement.
• Internal controls, risk management, audit practices, and financial accountability.
• Revenue management, reimbursement strategies, contract and grant administration, and management of complex public funding streams.
• Financial systems, enterprise resource planning systems, financial architecture, coding structures, chart-of-accounts design, and business process improvement.
• Integration of financial, operational, and programmatic data to support program budgeting, performance measurement, strategic planning, and data-informed decision-making.
• Public policy implementation, fiscal impact analysis, and alignment of financial resources with organizational, strategic, and policy priorities.
• Principles and practices of management, supervision, employee engagement, coaching, team leadership, change management, and continuous improvement.
• Relationship-building, collaboration, stakeholder engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, culturally responsive practices, and modern workplace technology and productivity tools.

Ability to:

• Assist in directing, managing, and evaluating complex financial operations, programs, and organizational initiatives.
• Analyze complex financial, operational, and programmatic information and translate findings into actionable recommendations for executive, policy, and program decision-makers.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate financial policies, procedures, internal controls, systems, and operational improvements.
• Interpret, apply, and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, accounting standards, and organizational requirements.
• Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate the work of professional, technical, and administrative staff.
• Prepare, present, and clearly communicate complex financial and operational information to executive leadership, governing bodies, staff, and external stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
• Lead organizational change, process improvement, and cross-functional initiatives while building alignment among departments and stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Establish and maintain effective, collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders; facilitate meetings, lead discussions, and support effective group decision-making.
• Exercise sound judgment and independent decision-making while adapting effectively to changing priorities, operational needs, and organizational circumstances.
• Organize and manage multiple concurrent priorities, projects, and deadlines on behalf of executive leadership.
• Effectively use technology, data, financial systems, and other computer applications to support operations, analysis, decision-making, and continuous improvement.

Please note:

• We are currently working a hybrid 2 day per week in-office schedule; employees also come to the office to attend meetings on additional days as requested.
• All First 5 employees must live and work in California.
• The salary range for this position is $175,000 - $251,000and as an independent government agency, the posted salary is the set salary range for this position. We cannot offer salaries above this posted range.
• We conduct reference and background checks for all potential employees.

About First 5 Alameda County

First 5 Alameda County believes every child in Alameda County should have optimal health, development, and well-being to reach their greatest potential. Through innovative programs and policy advocacy, we help provide children and their families access to resources that support their first five years of development.

Join our mission-driven team that in partnership with the community, supports a county-wide continuous prevention and early intervention system that promotes optimal health and development, narrows disparities, and improves peak years of child development.

First 5 Alameda County Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package with health care options to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. These benefits include but are not limited to Medical, Dental, & Vision Coverage, $1,500 credit per year to spend on benefits, Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Employer Paid & Voluntary Life & AD&D Insurance, Long-Term Disability Insurance, Retirement Plans including the ACERA Pension Plan, Commuter Benefits, Employee Assistance Plan and more.

We also offer paid vacation, paid time off and sick time. We have 17 paid holidays including the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day as paid time off.

Salary:

$175,000.00 - $251,000.00 Salary