Director of Finance

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Department of Planning and Development works in collaboration with communities to promote, plan, preserve, and develop successful neighborhoods for all.

Reaching these goals requires city agencies to work together with residents, businesses, developers, advocates, funders, and each other. Planning and Development has a team of agencies that do just that. Our agencies include:

• Philadelphia Art Commission

• Philadelphia City Planning Commission

• Division of Development Services

• Division of Housing and Community Development

• Philadelphia Historical Commission

• Zoning Board of Adjustment

• We also partner with the PHDC.

Together we are charting a vibrant future for our city.

Job Description

Position Summary

This is fiscal management work directing all budgeting, accounting, fiscal monitoring, and procurement activities of DPD through subordinate supervisors and staff. The Deputy Director of Finance is responsible for the planning, development and oversight of DPD’s annual operating budget, including the Housing Trust Fund, federal grants, bond revenue. This position includes the ongoing financial analysis, forecasting, reporting, management of fund balances and authorizing transfers for the various funding streams.

Work includes oversight of all grants, contracts and accounting aspects of DPD and its partners programs including consulting with departmental administrators and agency directors on program funding expenditures and any budgetary modifications. Ongoing monitoring of agency compliance with appropriate federal, state and local funding regulations and guidelines; meeting with division managers, governmental agencies and external partners to report on the annual operating budget; and resolving all departmental fiscal matters are significant aspects of the work.

Work is performed under the supervision of DPD’s Deputy of Strategic Initiatives and Executive Administration.

Essential Functions

The Deputy Director of Finance is responsible for the daily oversight of all Fiscal Unit functions, including but not limited to:

• Formulates and develops DPD’s annual operating budget across all funding streams, which at a minimum include General Funds, Housing Trust Fund, Bond revenue, federal HOME, ESG, HOPWA, CDBG, and State grants.
• Confers with DPD Director and senior staff; and other agencies to determine priorities and needs; adheres to City Finance directives; and provides rationale for any additions/deletions. Process also includes inclusion of program income projections; compliance with federal regulatory caps and City Charter requirements; and any modifications as required. Coordinate with relevant personnel and leadership to establish final funding allocations to subrecipients in City and HUD systems.
• Plans, assigns, and reviews the work of staff for accuracy, completeness, and conformance to funding requirements for budgeting, grants revenue funding, contracting and auditing processes.
• Oversees the invoice review and approval process for the 100+ subrecipient grantees and over 200+ contracts to include: budgetary revision requests; intrafund grants revenue transfers; and monthly reconciliation of revenue receipts and expenditures.
• Directs and reviews budgets for new non-entitlement federal, state or local grants; reviews conditions and terms of grant agreements; arranges reimbursement schedules and monitors expenditures during the life of the grant.
• Participates in HUD and City monitoring visits and audits; provides reporting of fiscal policies, procedures and practices; manages staff to produce and provide additional fiscal/contract documents in response to additional audit requires; and works with staff to implement ongoing improvements to fiscal systems.
• Directs production of and reviews all required financial reports to include but not limited to as follows: periodic income/expense reports internally to departmental leadership; HTF expenditure reports for bi-monthly HTF Advisory Board meetings; and all year-end reconciliation reports required by departmental leadership, City, City Council, HUD and other funders. Directs subordinate staff to complete quarterly performance measures reports to be submitted in coordination with the First Deputy to City Finance.
• Establish accounting controls for the review of expenditures, reports and financial statements to monitor the financial status of the department and ensure that funds are efficiently and effectively spent.
• Oversees and provides support to the administrative unit, including procurement, mail services, and departmental fleet operations.
• Performs related work as required

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge

• Comprehensive understanding of public sector budgeting, financial planning, and governmental accounting principles.
• Familiarity with municipal fund structures including General Fund, Capital Fund, Grant Fund, and revolving loan programs.
• Knowledge of federal and state grant regulations, reporting requirements, and audit standards (e.g., 2 CFR Part 200 – Uniform Guidance).
• Understanding of financial risk analysis, forecasting models, and cost control techniques.
• Knowledge of City of Philadelphia’s financial and procurement systems (e.g., OnePhilly, FAMIS) is preferred.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and problems of preparing and administering operating and capital budgets in a municipal agency.
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of developing and maintaining costs and performance statistics.
• Substantive experience with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
• Ability to learn and work with existing technology systems for processing in the City systems (FAMIS and ACIS) and HUD systems (IDIS and LOCCS) for budgeting, purchasing, accounting, and contracting and adapt to new technology and tools as they go online.
• Demonstrated experience managing, training, and directing staff.
• Preferred, experience managing complex budgets with funding from multiple federal funding sources including (HOME, CDBG, HOPWA, and ESG).

Skills

•  
• Demonstrates advanced proficiency in financial software, Excel modeling, and data analysis tools.
• Effectively prepares and presents complex financial information to leadership, stakeholders, and elected officials.
• Skillfully manages and tracks multi-source funding streams, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Leads cross-functional budgeting processes and supports transparent resource allocation.
• Applies sound judgment in developing financial policies, strategies, and internal controls.
• Communicates clearly, both verbally and in writing, across various audiences and levels of financial literacy.
• Coaches and develops team members, fostering continuous learning and accountability.

Abilities

• Collaborates effectively with internal departments, external partners, and oversight agencies.
• Manages competing deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment.
• Interprets and applies local, state, and federal financial guidelines in real time.
• Solves complex financial and operational problems using strategic thinking and data-informed recommendations.
• Analyzes long-term trends and translates them into actionable plans to ensure fiscal sustainability.
• Builds and maintains trust with program leaders by offering financial insight that supports equitable development outcomes.
• Adapts to shifting policy, funding, and regulatory environments while maintaining compliance and organizational integrity.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, other agencies, and departments and the public.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing critical financial information to department leadership.
• Ability to analyze, evaluate and exercise sound judgement to resolve complex problems and to determine proper courses of actions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance, Auditing, or related field; a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or Public Administration preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of management experience supervising fiscal staff.
• Minimum of 3 years of budgetary and accounting experience for a public institution with a budget over $10 million annually preferred.

Additional Information

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and references.

Salary Range: $140,000-$160,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx