FINANCEDIRECTORCityofSpringfield,Missouri

THECOMMUNITYLocated in scenic southwest Missouri, the City of Springfield is known as the “Queen City of the Ozarks.” Springfield spans approximately 82 square miles in Greene counties and is the third largest city in the state. The Springfield Metro Area has a population of 456,456, with 166,810 within the City limits. The population doubles during the day. Springfield is a progressive community offering a desirable location and a great quality of life with a low cost of living. The City is characterized by a growing job market, excellent schools, world-class healthcare, and all the entertainment and cultural amenities of a big city but with a welcoming, small-town charm.

The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Springfield continuously meets high standards for livability and economic health. The City has been named one of the “Top 5 Best Cities to Start a Business” by WalletHub, one of the “Top 30 Best Cities for Job Growth” by New Geography, and one of the “Top 40 For Business and Careers” by Forbes Magazine. It has also been designated one of the “Top 100 Places to Live” by Livability.com and one of the “Top 20 Magnets for Young Adults” by USA Today.

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce has been chosen as the National Chamber of the Year, and its combined efforts with the City, counties, and business members have helped the community to become a national leader in job growth, with an unemployment rate far below the national average. Springfield is a center for regional medical, retail, and education and has a post-secondary student population of approximately 50,000. The largest employers in the area are Mercy Health Systems, CoxHealth Systems, Walmart Stores, Inc., Springfield Public Schools, and Bass Pro Shops.

In recent years, the City has experienced a resurgence in its downtown area. Many of the older buildings have been renovated into mixed-use buildings such as lofts, office space, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, boutiques, and music venues. The downtown area is also home to historic theaters that have been restored to their original state, including the Gillioz Theatre and the Landers Theatre.

THECOMMUNITY.continuedSpringfield has a thriving creative arts scene and is home to many visual artists, writers, musicians, dancers, and filmmakers who work in and around the City. The Missouri Arts Council has awarded the City the Creative Community Award in recognition of its support of the arts. Springfield has a symphony, ballet, and opera, as well as a variety of historic and state-of-the-art live performance venues. An array of unique arts and cultural festivals are hosted in the area annually and nearby universities continually enrich the community through their outstanding fine arts programs.

Known for its abundant recreation offerings, the City has 92 parks, including the Botanical Center at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, three municipal golf courses, a zoo, and a variety of facilities and family-friendly programs. The City’s parks and trails system has been named a National Gold Medal Award winner in recognition of the City’s commitment to providing top-notch leisure opportunities, offering programs for relaxation as well as stimulation, and encouraging personal and community enrichment.

Springfield Public Schools (SPS) is Missouri’s largest school district. The district consists of 36 elementary schools, ten middle schools, and five high schools, as well as the Phelps Center for Gifted Education and an Early Childhood Center. SPS has an enrollment of over 25,000 students and offers programs and facilities that cater to the diverse needs of all students, including the International Baccalaureate program, Wonders of the Ozarks Learning Facility (WOLF), Academy of Exploration at Discovery Center, Health Sciences Academy at Mercy, and the Middle College Program. There are also several private schools in the City serving pre-K through 12 students.

For those seeking higher education, there are many colleges and universities throughout the region, including Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College, Drury University, Evangel University, and Southwest Baptist University.

The median income in Springfield is $32,473 and the median home value is $106,900.

GOVERNANCE&ORGANIZATIONSpringfield operates under the council-manager system of governance. The City has eight Council members, each elected for four-year terms on a non-partisan basis, and a Mayor elected for a two-year term. A professional City Manager, appointed by the Council to be the City's chief executive and administrative officer, enforces the laws as required by the City’s charter. The presiding officer at Council meetings is the Mayor. The City has an annual operating budget of $334 million and 1,840 Full-Time employees.

ABOUTTHEDEPARTMENTThe Finance Department includes six divisions: Administration, Budget and Evaluation, Accounting, Print Shop, Licensing, and Purchasing.

The Administration, Budget and Evaluation, and Accounting divisions prepare the City budget, financial audit, and a variety of other reports. The Accounting division is also responsible for payroll and accounts payable. The Print Shop does all in-house printing and mailing. The Licensing division issues a variety of licenses and permits that are required to do business, sell to the public, or solicit funds in the City of Springfield. The Purchasing division contracts for goods and services for all departments, boards, and agencies in the City. Many of these divisions serve as a resource to other departments.

The Department has an Operating Budget of $6.5 million and approximately 40 employees.

ABOUTTHEDEPARTMENT,continuedDepartment goals and objectives:• Promote sound financial management of the City of Springfield and

provide complete and informative financial information to the citizens of Springfield and elected officials.

• Develop an annual operating budget and annual financial report that meets the standards established by the GFOA for the award program for Financial Reporting and the Budget Award Program.

• Partner with City departments to achieve the efficient use of City resources. • Improve processing time for contracts by implementing a standard

contract review template, and provide training on the attachment elements and requirements for all contracts.

• Decrease the processing time for the issuance of a new business license by providing more information on the City’s website and improving communication within City departments that must sign off on various aspects of business license.

ABOUTTHEPOSITIONUnder the direction of the City Manager, the Director of Finance plans, coordinates, and manages the Finance Department of the City, which includes program responsibility for accounting, payroll, accounts payable, printing services, budget and evaluation, administration, licensing, and purchasing. The Director serves as the principal advisor to the City Manager, Deputy City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and other City officials, as well as other departments, on financial matters of the City.

The Director also supervises staff in the Workforce Development Division and serves as the City Treasurer. The Accounting Manager, Contract Administrator, Purchasing Agent, Budget and Evaluation Financial Analysts, Licensing Supervisors, Workforce Development-Finance WIB, Print Shop Supervisor, and Executive Secretary report directly to the Director of Finance. The City’s previous Director of Finance recently retired after serving the City for 16 years.

LEADERSHIP&INNOVATIONThere are several issues and challenges the next Director of Finance will need to address within the first three years of employee with the City:

Personnel management: It will be important to maintain a qualified and motivated staff to address emerging issues. The Finance Department has approximately 40 employees spread across four different locations. The next Director of the department must coordinate the operations of each area of the department to ensure employee and financial resources are being utilized efficiently.

Budget management and planning: The Director will need to closely examine where and how resources are being used and will develop a sustainable plan for capital equipment replacement. The Director will need to work diligently to ensure the budget is developed and approved in a timely manner, including presentations to City Council.

Integration of systems: The City’s primary financial system is Oracle but other systems are still being used, requiring the daily transfer of information to the main system. The new Director of Finance will help with the integration of these systems, managing internal controls and reducing staff time spent on these processes to ensure the department is operating efficiently.

Support growth and development: The Director of Finance will support the City’s efforts to attract more stable, high-paying jobs to the community.

DEPARTMENTMISSIONThe mission of the Finance Department is to effectively and efficiently provide the highest quality of fiscal services to the citizens of Springfield, elected officials and all City employees.

We are committed to integrity, accountability and customer service to accomplish our mission and to serve our customers.

IDEALCANDIDATEThe City of Springfield seeks an energetic, self-motivated finance professional to be its next Director of Finance. The Director will set sound and sustainable fiscal policies for the organization and effectively guide the City in the budget process. The City desires a candidate who will maintain stability within the department and make Springfield home.

As budgeting is a strong component of the position, the Director of Finance should have superior accounting skills and should be confident in managing and issuing debt, with knowledge of continuing disclosures and the ability to handle rate agency calls essential. Some of the City’s financial operations are decentralized, so it will be important for the candidate to be highly skilled in developing internal controls and policies.

The chosen candidate should have thorough knowledge of best practices in the field and make informed, evidence-based decisions that make the best use of the City’s resources. The new Director will set policies for the department, but should not be bound solely by policy as situations change or better options are identified. The ideal candidate will be able to easily adapt to change and should be willing to make changes as needed for the benefit of the organization.

The City desires a strong leader with a collaborative spirit who will build relationships and closely monitor the department’s progress without micromanaging. The chosen candidate must have exceptional communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate goals and delegate with authority. The Director will foster an environment of transparency and accountability and unite staff with a shared sense of purpose. EDUCATION&EXPERIENCEThe selected candidate must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, finance, or a closely related discipline and must have seven or more years of increasingly responsible professional accounting, finance, and budget experience, including a minimum of two years supervisory and management level experience. Experience in government or public sector accounting is required. A master’s degree in a related field and/or CPA certification is highly desired. Experience in municipal finance is strongly desired.

COMPENSATION&BENEFITSThe City offers a highly competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience. A pension is provided through the Local Government Employee Retirement System (LAGERS). Employees are fully vested after five years, and the City makes the full contribution for this benefit. The City also provides a 457(b) plan through ICMA. Health insurance is provided at no cost for employee-only coverage. Family coverage, dental, term life, and other insurance options are available for purchase. The City provides a generous leave package, including holiday, vacation, exempt, and sick leave. Additional information on City benefits can be found at www.springfieldmo.gov/hr.

APPLICATIONPROCESSPlease apply online at: http://bit.ly/SGRCurrentSearches

For more information on this position contact:

Kristin Navarro, Recruitment ManagerStrategic Government ResourcesKristinNavarro@GovernmentResource.com817-382-0087

This position is open until filled. To view the status of this position, please visit: http://bit.ly/SGRCurrentSearches

The City of Springfield values diversity in its workforce and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants selected as finalists for this position will be subject to a comprehensive background check, drug testing, etc.

RESOURCESCity of Springfieldwww.springfieldmo.gov

Springfield Area Chamber of Commercewww.springfieldchamber.com

Springfield Missouri Regional Economic Partnershipwww.springfieldregion.com

Springfield Missouri Convention & Visitors Bureauwww.springfieldmo.org

City of Springfield on Facebookwww.facebook.com/CityofSGF

City of Springfield on Twitterwww.twitter.com/CityofSgf

Springfield Public Schoolshttp://www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org

City of Springfield LinkedInwww.linkedin.com/company/city-of-springfield-missouri

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability & Vet