Finance Director

Job Description:

Finance Director

Description

Finance Director

Application deadline: Apply by Friday, December 4, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

Salary: $206,760 - $251,316annually plus excellent benefits!

THE CITY is focused on enhancing our community members' quality of life through well-designed services and a positive workplace culture. San Rafael is the economic and cultural heart of Marin County, and its high quality of life is centered on its commercial districts, engaged neighborhoods, active lifestyle, and natural environment. San Rafael, with a population of approximately 60,000, is a full-service city with a City Council/City Manager form of government with 12 departments, more than 400 employees, and a fiscal year 2026-2027annual budget of approximately $208million. The City's vision is to be a vibrant economic and cultural center reflective of its diversity. The City Council is engaged and seeks to strengthen the urban and commercial areas as well as sustain the beautiful natural environment.

San Rafael's Organizational culture framework is an initiative called"Together San Rafael."City employees are our greatest asset, and we seek talented individuals with diverse backgrounds who are creative, curious, and excited about a challenge. We are a results-driven team focused on the needs of community members. The Together San Rafael initiative is focused on modernizing City services and increasing the engagement of employees. This initiative recognizes the interconnectedness of the customer and employee experience.

THE DEPARTMENT

The City of San Rafael's Finance Department manages the City's financial resources with transparency and accountability, supports strategic decision-making, and ensures regulatory compliance.

Led by the Finance Director, the department serves as a central advisor to the City Manager, City Council, and department heads on the City's fiscal health and long-term financial strategy. Key areas of focus include financial planning, forecasting, and analysis; financial support for labor negotiations; debt and financing strategies; tax administration; fee studies and cost recovery; development impact fees; and capital project development and financing. The department also oversees budgeting, financial reporting, general accounting, payroll, purchasing, and business licensing.

The Finance Director leads a team that includes a Finance Manager and an Accounting Manager, supported by a Senior Management Analyst, an Accountant, a Payroll Administrator, a Senior Accounting Assistant, and an Accounting Assistant. Together, this team ensures efficient financial operations, rigorous internal controls, and the reliable delivery of financial information and services to the City and its residents.

The Finance Director safeguards the City of San Rafael's fiscal health by providing strategic, transparent, and responsible stewardship of public resources. Through sound financial planning, analysis, and leadership, the Director supports the City Council and City Manager in advancing the City's goals, builds a skilled and collaborative finance team, and helps ensure that the City's financial systems deliver efficient, equitable, high-quality service to the San Rafael community.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The City of San Rafael is seeking a strategic, innovative, solutions-driven leader to serve as its next Finance Director. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned municipal finance professional to strengthen a core civic function and help shape the City's long-term fiscal health. The next Director will have the chance to lead a department that is central to the City's strategic goals related to fiscal stewardship and sustaining a high-quality of services San Rafael residents. The Finance Director will be expected to build on the foundation established through implementation of the City's new Financial ERP system, as well as continue process improvements in financial planning, budgeting and reporting.

A firm grasp of municipal finance is essential, including budget development, tax administration, cost recovery, capital projects, development impact fees, labor costing, and financial planning and forecasting. The ideal candidate is technically astute and detail-oriented, yet able to see the bigger picture: developing creative, practical solutions that advance the City's goals and priorities, and making recommendations to the City Manager and City Council, exercising sound professional and ethical judgment. While the City is generally fiscally sound, significant resource challenges have been identified related to capital infrastructure needs as well as growing public safety demands and risks associated with climate change and sea-level rise.

In addition to technical, subject matter expertise, exceptional communication and interpersonal skills are critical to this position. The Director will build strong working relationships throughout the organization and earn the full confidence of the City Council, City Manager, and Executive Management team. They will translate complex financial information into clear, accessible terms for elected officials, staff, and the community. A commitment to transparency is essential, ensuring that financial systems and practices support fair outcomes and inclusive access to City resources.

The Director will also be a leader and motivator who invests in people. This includes mentoring and developing staff, building an effective team, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and high-quality, customer-focused service.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This list is meant to be representative, not exhaustive.CLICK HEREfor the full job spec.

• Assume full management responsibility for all Finance Department services and activities including financial reporting, general accounting, payroll, budget preparation, debt administration, treasury function, revenue management, business licensing and purchasing.
• Manage the development and implementation of Finance Department goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for each assigned serve area; establish, within City policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; allocate resources accordingly.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures; assess and monitor workload, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identify opportunities for improvement; direct the implementation of changes.
• Oversee the annual fiscal year audit and participate in the review of the results of the annual audit with external auditors.
• Represent the Finance Department to other City departments, elected officials, and outside agencies; explain and interpret Finance Department programs, policies, and activities; negotiate and resolve sensitive, significant, and controversial issues.
• Select, train, motivate, and evaluate Finance Department personnel; provide or coordinate staff training; work with employees to correct deficiencies and motivate staff to excel.
• Plan, direct, and coordinate the Finance Department's work plan; meet with management staff to identify and resolve problems; assign projects and programmatic areas of responsibility; review and evaluate work methods and procedures.
• Manage and participate in the development and administration of the Finance Department and City budgets; direct the forecast of additional funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; direct the monitoring of and approve expenditures; direct the preparation of and implement budgetary adjustments as necessary.
• Coordinate Finance Department activities with those of other departments and outside agencies and organizations.
• Provide staff assistance to the City Manager and City Council prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic and innovative leadership
• Advanced municipal finance and technical expertise
• Collaborative relationship-building and political acumen
• Effective oral and written communication
• Change management and continuous improvement
• Staff leadership, development, and team building
• Analytical problem-solving and sound decision-making
• Ethical judgment and commitment to public service

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

Any combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical background includes a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, finance, accounting, or public administration, and seven years of increasingly responsible accounting experience, including at least two years of management or supervisory experience. A master's degree and CPA certification are desirable.

Job Announcement URL:

https://canva.link/a0f7felcz3app3g

Job Description URL:

https://sanrafael.gov/job-title-finance-director/

Job PDF:

Recruitment Brochure - Finance Director.pdf

Job Video Link URL:

https://canva.link/a0f7felcz3app3g

Benefits

The Finance Directoris a regular positionof theCity's Unrepresented Executive Management group, witha competitive benefits package including:

• MEDICAL | City group health coverage, with the City paying a fixed dollar amount toward the cost of the monthly insurance premium. 2027 City contributions: Employee only: $1,014.10; Employee plus one: $2,027.12; Family: $2,560.58
• DENTAL| Premium fully paid for employee plus eligible dependents
• VISION | Premium fully paid for employee plus eligible dependents
• VACATION LEAVE | 15 days annually, increases after 5 years of service
• SICK LEAVE | 12 days annually
• ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE | 10 days each calendar year, prorated if hired after the first of the year
• HOLIDAYS | 12 paid City holidays plus 1 floating holiday per year
• BEREAVEMENT LEAVE | Up to 5 days paid leave
• END OF LIFE CARE LEAVE | Up to 80 hours paid leave
• PAID PARENTAL LEAVE (if eligible) | Up to 300 hours paid leave. Note: Executive Management employees do not contribute to State Disability Insurance (SDI)
• LIFE INSURANCE & AD&D | $250,000
• LONG TERM DISABILITY | 66.67% of salary, up to $7,500 per month
• RETIREMENT | Enrollment in the Marin County Retirement System (MCERA) pension plan, a defined benefit retirement program
• GYM MEMBERSHIP REIMBURSEMENT | Up to $198 per year
• BILINGUAL PAY (if eligible) | Up to $250 per month
• COMPUTER LOAN PROGRAM (if eligible) | Up to $1,500 for the purchase of computer hardware

Special Instructions

Application deadline: Apply by Friday, December 4, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

Interview schedule:

Thursday, December 10:Panel interview - in person

Tuesday, December 15:Finalist interviews - in person

It is recommended to plan your schedule accordingly.

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Recruitment Contact

Contact email:

[email protected]



Closing Date/Time: 11/9/2026 at 5pm

Salary:

$206,760.00-$251,316.00 Annually