Job Summary:

The purpose of this position is to oversee the professional accounting staff while assisting the Clerk of Court in achieving the organizational objectives.  Additionally, this position provides leadership and vision to ensure proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and adequate resources are in place resulting in financial strength and operating efficiency.  Finance Managers participate in strategic planning, administer and implement directives and policy decisions of the Clerk and report directly to the Finance Director.  This is a highly technical sound professional who is responsible for leveraging technology and developing staff, while assisting the Finance Director achieve the both the department and Clerk goals.

Essential Job Functions:

The position assists the Finance Director in the management, direction, and control of the Clerk’s Financial Administration. The Finance Manager manages specific accounting functions, debt management, financial analysis activities, budgetary management, and financial reporting. The position is responsible for the supervision of assigned staff. The Finance Manager is responsible for administering the budget preparation, monitoring and continuous analysis process including evaluation and reporting.

The Finance Manager administers multiple financial systems including software designed for document management, financial and budgetary management, time management, transparency and other systems as required.

This position’s primary duty is the performance of work requiring advanced knowledge in Accounting or Business Administration and consistently utilizes discretion and judgment.   The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

Leadership

• Demonstrates organizational culture, and requires adherence to the Clerk’s Policies, Procedures, Mission, Vision and Beliefs.  Aligns actions with organization values.
• In cooperation with the leadership team, reviews legislative changes, analyzes, develops plans of implementation, ensures compliance with existing laws, rules, and regulations, and enforces the same.
• Supervises the employees within the area of responsibility to ensure adherence to exceptional customer service standards, deadlines, proper procedures.
• Provide employees with guidance in handling difficult or complex problems and in resolving escalated complaints or disputes.
• In cooperation with leadership team, implements corrective action plans to solve departmental problems and performance deficiencies.

Coaching, Training, and Development

• Facilitates professional development of employees through one-on-one coaching sessions, group meetings, and cross-training of employees to ensure appropriate coverage for all areas.
• Recommends and sends employees to professional training courses.
• Conducts semi-annual performance evaluations for employees.
• Provides frequent and continuous feedback to employees on performance and individual’s professional development.
• Ensures an efficient training program is in place for current and future employees.
• Provides counseling and discipline in a timely manner and submits documentation to the Human Resources Department in accordance with the Clerk’s Policies and Procedures.
• Proactively engaged with building the bench strength of the department through cross-training, coaching, and succession planning.
• Actively involved with the applicant selection, interviewing, and hiring of potential employees.

Policies & Procedures

• Writes, updates, and revises policies, procedures, and best practices to be published in PowerDMS in a timely manner.
• In cooperation with the leadership team, suggests, plans, and implements policies, procedures, and objectives to ensure continuing operations and to increase productivity.
• Responsible for the measurement of effectiveness of all processes (internal and external) within their area of responsibility.
• Communicates timely, accurate and complete information to the Finance Director regarding operational issues within their assigned area of responsibility.
• Interprets and explain policies, rules, regulations, or laws to organizations, government or corporate officials, or individuals.

Planning & Analysis

• Review and analyze statistics pertaining to work activity within the department, including quality and quantity of production to verify details and evaluate performance of the department.
• Works with Business System Department to identify common error trends within department and takes necessary steps to rectify and prevent recognized errors.
• Provides inter-departmental support through team-oriented approach to satisfy organizational needs.
• Leads and/or participates in management meetings, conferences, workshops, professional meetings, and other events.
• Actively working towards developing more effective and efficient processes and strategies.
• Participates in the preparation of the annual budget by compiling and analyzing statistical data and gathering information for functional operational requirements.
• Collaborates with management team to plan and prepare content for annual employee training day.
• Consistent and predictable attendance required.

Administrative

• Ensure employee timesheets are submitted accurately for payroll processing prior to the assigned cutoff time.
• Approves employee bi-weekly timesheets in accordance with the Clerk’s policies.
• Updates Clerk’s website in areas of assigned responsibility.
• Notifies Human Resources department of potential employee FMLA needs.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.  Five years’ of recent and relevant experience in accounting, preferably with a local governmental entity.  Three years’ experience in a management or supervisory position.  A comparable amount of training, experience and/or education may be substituted for the minimum qualification.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• Graduate of the Certified Public Manager (CPM) program or the ability to successfully complete the program as soon as practicable.
• A valid driver’s license. (Some travel is required)
• Working knowledge of spreadsheet, work processing, and financial applications for personal computer systems.
• Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills required.

Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) pronouncements.

• Ability to plan, organize and supervise the implementation of accounting systems, procedures, and internal control mechanisms.
• Ability to supervise the work of others.
• Ability to interpret and explain laws, statutes, regulations, and other directives.
• Skill in the application of supervisory techniques.
• Ability to proof own work and the work of others.
• Ability to prioritize work of the team.
• Ability to prepare and maintain records and reports.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships in a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities.

Disclaimers:

This list is not exhaustive of all functions that an employee may be required to perform.  The Okaloosa County Clerk of Court reserves the right to revise the job description at any time.  The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and if requested reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential function of their jobs as long as the accommodation does not cause an undue hardship on the organization.  

ADA Compliance:

The Okaloosa County Clerk of Courts is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  ADA requires the Clerk of the Court to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.  Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.