Finance Manager

Description

An Outstanding Opportunity! The City of San Clemente is seeking a skilled and collaborative leader to serve as its next Finance Manager. With a departmental history of excellence, the new Finance Manager will continue a tradition of high performance, focused on introducing and supporting best practices in the organization and providing technical assistance to the City’s executive leadership team and staff. The new Manager will be an exceptional problem solver, possess good judgment and decision-making skills, and be well versed in all aspects of public sector finance.

The Community

The beautiful southern California community of San Clemente has stunning beaches and great surf that draw visitors on a year-round basis. The city is a family-oriented community of approximately 64,000 residents and encompasses 18.5 square miles. The most southern city in Orange County, San Clemente is located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, just north of the undeveloped lands of Camp Pendleton.

As San Clemente has grown in population, it has held steadfast to its heritage as the Spanish Village by the Sea. What was once a small residential village tied to its historical setting as an outpost along El Camino Real, San Clemente has matured into a diverse, full-service coastal community.

With its natural beauty and outstanding amenities, San Clemente maintains an exceptional quality of life for its vibrant and engaged citizenry. The city offers a unique blend of community events, performing arts, recreational activities, award-winning schools, and excellent business opportunities. Listed in the Top 100 Safest Cities, San Clemente enjoys quality public safety as well as parks and recreation services. San Clemente provides its residents and visitors with a variety of retail shopping experiences and services; including the historic, pedestrian-friendly downtown, Avenida Del Mar, along with the Pier Bowl area that is part of a picturesque city-maintained beach trail.

The city boasts “the world’s best climate” as San Clemente enjoys roughly 300 days of sunshine per year and an average annual temperature of 73°F. The residents and visitors to the city enjoy 23 parks, 25.9 miles of hiking trails, 6.8 miles of ridgeline trails, 2.3 miles of coastal trails, a championship golf course, and over 20 acres of beautiful beaches. While San Clemente reflects a relaxed beach environment and atmosphere, there is also a culture of strong civic awareness. San Clemente residents are bright and highly involved, which leads to an enhanced sense of community, and a higher standard for development, historic preservation, and urban design.

With its world-renowned surf breaks, San Clemente is also a premier surfing destination. This coastal jewel has family-friendly beaches, a network of pedestrian and bicycle trails, rugged hills and canyons, clean air, and a mild Mediterranean climate that enhances the community’s distinctive seaside lifestyle.

City Government

The City of San Clemente is a General Law city that operates under the Council/Manager form of government. The City has established four districts for the purpose of electing City Council representatives for four-year terms and, starting in November 2026, the San Clemente Mayor will be elected at-large (by the entire city) for a two-year term. The City Manager is responsible for overseeing the administration of 7 City departments, staffed by approximately 203 full-time employees. The City provides a range of municipal services with a current General Fund budget of $88.3 million for FY24/25 and $87.4 million for FY 25/26. The City contracts for police services from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and for fire services through the Orange County Fire Authority. Utility services (water, sewer, storm drain and urban runoff) are provided by the City.

Mission Statement

The City of San Clemente, in partnership with the community we serve, will foster a tradition dedicated to:

• Maintaining a safe, healthy atmosphere in which to live, work and play.
• Guiding development to ensure responsible growth while preserving and enhancing our village character, unique environment and natural amenities.
• Providing for the City’s long-term stability through promotion of economic vitality and diversity.
• Resulting in a balanced community committed to protection of what is valued today while meeting tomorrow’s needs.

Finance & Administrative Services Department

The Finance & Administrative Services Department consists of Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, Risk Management, Purchasing, Budget, and City Treasurer functions. The department provides customer service to internal and external clientele, financial accountability to the public, management of City debt and investments, development and monitoring of the budget, labor relations and negotiations, recruitments, administration of risk management and safety programs, administration of the City’s IT Strategic Plan, and financial reporting including development of the Long Term Financial Plan.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate for the position of Finance Manager will have demonstrated the ability to provide collaborative departmental and organizational support. This financial manager will be proactive in anticipating a variety of finance-related challenges and opportunities. The ideal candidate will possess excellent analytical and decision-making abilities and have strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex information in an informative, non-technical manner. Problem solving and critical thinking skills are essential for this role, as is a customer service-oriented mindset. This finance professional must have the highest level of integrity and be able to establish credibility and mutual respect as a decisive, results-oriented professional committed to transparency and fiscal accountability.

The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable regarding all aspects of public finance. Experience working effectively with elected and appointed officials and a history of successfully introducing innovative solutions and strategies will be considered favorably. Previous experience implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is also a plus anticipating a transition from Eden in the next 12 – 18 months. A successful candidate will have overseen a small team of accounting professionals and possess a desire to actively and effectively guide, mentor, and develop their team. An individual with a team-oriented approach will excel in this position. Trust, confidence, professionalism, and diplomacy will be highly valued traits.

Personal traits and characteristics include:

• A leadership style that is characterized by integrity, ethical decision making, and effective problem solving, with a passion and skill for incorporating best practices.
• A finance professional who can operate at a high level yet is comfortable being involved in the day-to-day fiscal operations.
• Ability to effectively delegate and monitor workloads and performance, leading and motivating staff to achieve department goals.
• Strong technical knowledge of governmental accounting principles and practices including Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures (GAAP) and Generally Accepted Government Accounting Auditing Standards (GAGAS).

Typical Qualifications

Qualifying Experience and Education

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

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible experience in performing governmental accounting and auditing with an agency, company, or organization.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, business administration or a related field.

Certifications as a Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO), Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), or an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is highly desirable.

Qualified candidates from other public agencies or special districts, as well as individuals working for a CPA firm with direct experience working with and supporting government agencies are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary range for the Finance Manager is $150,196.80 to $182,561.60. The starting salary will be based upon qualifications and experience.

It should be noted that this position has also been approved for cost of living adjustments (COLA’s) effective as follows:

• 3% effective July 2025 with a new salary range of $154,702.70 to $188,038.45
• 3% effective July 2026 with a new range of $159,343.78 to $193,679.60
• 2.5% effective July 2027 with a new range of $163,327.37 to $198,521.59

The City also offers a competitive benefits program, which includes generous medical, dental, vision, and life insurances, short and long-term disability insurance, paid holidays, vacation, sick leave, administrative leave, retirement (CalPERS 2%@55 classic member; 2%@62 new/PEPRA member), voluntary deferred compensation, and optional Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts.

Supplemental Information

Application and Selection Process

If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please submit a comprehensive résumé and cover letter to apply@ralphandersen.com . Resumes received by January 6, 2025, will receive first consideration. Ralph Andersen & Associates will conduct preliminary interviews as resumes are received and screened. Only the most highly qualified candidates will be invited for a panel interview which is anticipated to take place in late January 2025, with in-person finalist interviews to follow shortly thereafter. Professional reference and background checks will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established and will be conducted in close coordination with the selected candidate.

Recruitment Timeline
January 6, 2025 – Recruitment Closes

Week of January 13, 2025 – Initial Review of Resumes with San Clemente

Mid - January 2025 – Panel Video Interviews

Late January 2025 – Finalist in-person interviews

Ideally, the goal is for the selected candidate to begin work in February 2025 (or a mutually agreed upon date). Most importantly, the Administrative Services Director will work closely with the selected candidate to determine a start date that works best to ensure an effective transition into the organization.

Confidential inquiries should be directed to Ms. Serena Wright-Black, Ralph Andersen & Associates, at (916) 630-4900 or request an appointment to discuss further by contacting scheduling@ralphandersen.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of San Clemente is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or age.

The City of San Clemente provides excellent benefits which include:

FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE -Most positionswork a 9/80 work schedule.

HOLIDAYS - The City presently recognizes 12 regular holidays, plustwo floating holidays.

VACATION - Employees accumulate vacation at the rate of 120 hours per year increasing to a maximum of 180 hours based on years of service.

ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE - Employees in this position are granted 64 hours per year.

SICK LEAVE - Accrual of 8 hours per month.

INSURANCE - The City provides a comprehensive benefit package including employee medical, dental, vision, short-term,and long-term disability insurance.

LIFE INSURANCE - Value equal to two times annual earnings up to a maximum of $200,000.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION - Employees may defer up to a maximum of $23,500 annually.Individuals aged 50 and older can contribute up to $7,500 in catch-up contributions to these plans.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT - Employees may participate in either or both of the Health Care or Dependent Care programs.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM - The City offers full-time employees and their dependents an EAP program which provides a variety of professional services.

RETIREMENT - The City of San Clemente is a member of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), and is subject to the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA).The retirement formula for new employees is based on the category below that the new employee falls under. Employee contribution rates will be determined by the employee's classification and requirements under PEPRA.
NOTE: The City is also a member of the Social Security system. As such, Full Time employees make contributions to Social Security in addition to their CalPERS contributions.

Classic Member:

Retirement Formula: 2% @ 55

Definition:

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the PEPRA definition of a "new member" as "classic members" who are subject to the Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL). PEPRA allows a member after January 1, 2013, to retain his/her classic member retirement benefit status if the member continues his/her membership in all previous California Public Retirement System(s) by leaving his/her service credit and contributions (if any) on deposit, and the member enters into employment that results in CalPERS membership within six months of separating from the most recent California Public Retirement System. Classic member status also requires the membership date to be on or before December 31, 2012, in a California Public Retirement System in which reciprocity is established.

New Member:

Retirement Formula: 2% @ 62

Definition: A new member is defined in PEPRA as any of the following:

• A new hire who is brought into CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.

• A new hire who is brought into CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, who has a break in service of greater than six months with another California Public Retirement System that is subject to Reciprocity.

• A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, who is rehired by a different CalPERS employer after a break in service of greater than six months.

Closing Date/Time: 1/6/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

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• City of San Clemente

• 949.361.8353

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