Assistant Director, Budgets and Financial Planning and Analysis (20339156)

Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) 
San Francisco, CA

Assistant Director, Budgets and Financial Planning and Analysis
$157,838.10 - $210,297.57 Annually
Remote Employment:  Flexible/Hybrid

THIS POSITION IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY
First round interviews tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, February 15, 2023
A resume and cover letter are not required with your application, but highly encouraged 

Be ready to rethink your assumptions about the public sector. Flexible hours? Flexible work location? A beautiful, well-located, high amenity building for on-site work? Yes, yes, and yes!

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.  For more information about MTC, visit www.mtc.ca.gov.         

MTC provides planning, funding, coordination and technical assistance to cities, counties, transit agencies and other partners to bring the region together and to make the Bay Area’s transportation system more resilient to future challenges. The MTC directly distributes more than $1 billion annually to local public transit agencies and other recipients and prioritizes requests from local agencies for millions more in state and federal funds.

The Assistant Director of Budgets and Financial Planning and Analysis position provides a unique career opportunity to be a part of a dynamic and diverse work culture that promotes equity and inclusion, strategic financial planning that aligns with business objectives, and lead a team of highly-talented professionals that are dedicated to providing tactical leadership and technical expertise in the areas of budgetary and fiscal analysis, financial planning, forecasting, grant compliance, and are an integral part of the organization.

The Assistant Director of Budgets and Financial Planning and Analysis, under the direct supervision of the Section Director, will have management and oversight of capital and operating budgets for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and its affiliated entities, contracts management, grant compliance and reporting operations, the Overall Work Program, manage and account for budget to actual financial operating activities, develop and maintain financial forecasting models, maintain existing and ongoing internal controls, develop and implement internal controls, staff management and training, and career development and succession planning.  In coordination with internal stakeholders, this position will assist in developing an internal budget and grant management committee and collaborate with staff in maintaining grant management and reporting compliance requirements.

Directly and through management delegation to budget staff, this work includes organizing, managing, coordinating, and monitoring capital and operating budgets, leading and providing oversight in the preparation of MTC’s Overall Work Program (OWP) per Federal and State government funding requirements, provide grant oversight, and financial reporting analysis for all agency entities. This position will perform a variety of complex analytical, compliance, and administrative work in support of reporting functions; management of the budget team and  overall relationship with agency Sections and program staff; coordinate with various outside agencies; analyze financial statements and communicate important financial information clearly to staff, the Executives, internal and external stakeholders, committee, commission, and board members.

The Assistant Director of Budgets and Financial Planning and Analysis in coordination and collaboration with staff, grant award subrecipients, and other agencies, will support and manage all administrative responsibilities and compliance requirements for grant awards and funding sources. This position will lead efforts in cross-departmental coordination with MTC business units (Contracts, Finance, Legal, project managers, etc.) to ensure funding is effectively and efficiently managed from pre-award to project closeout. Prior experience with grant and contract administration and knowledge of federal and state grant compliance is required.

The incumbent will be a professional with exceptional analytical and management skills, who can organize, prioritize, and process large volumes of financial and grant information timely and accurately, on budget and with intense attention to detail. The successful candidate will also bring excellent communication skills and the ability to engage with a diverse set of stakeholders across the Bay Area region and disseminate financial information to which facilitates the decision-making process.

All employees at MTC are classified as Disaster Services Workers

SKILLS AND ABILITIES
The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards (GAS), and Uniform Guidance;
• Federal, State and Local grants and grant reporting procedures;
• Principles and practices of grant administration and compliance;  
• Operating and capital budgeting procedures;
• Automated financial accounting systems, in particular, budgets, General Ledger, Contracts and Purchasing modules; 
• Methods and techniques for record keeping, as well as report preparation and writing; and 
• Advanced knowledge of principles of budget practices and procedures for fund accounting and budgeting including encumbrance budgeting.

Skills and Abilities

• Critical and analytical thinking;
• Solid public presentation skills;
• Collaborative style focused on team work;
• Ability to work with Grantors, Project Managers, and other internal and external departments;
• Make involved and accurate computations; 
• Ability to research, identify, analyze and apply grant requirements; interpret and apply federal, state, regional, and local policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Ability to administer complex, high-volume grant programs; experience providing technical guidance and assistance regarding terms, conditions, and expectations of grant program.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to coordinate several concurrent projects at various stages of completion; ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines.
• Collect, analyze, and organize data into accessible narratives, distilling complex data and analyses into meaningful presentations that clearly articulate findings and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain financial tracking and reporting systems using spreadsheets, databases, and other software.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, to a broad range of audiences.
• Work both collaboratively and independently, as part of a mission-driven team of public servants with a solutions-oriented culture.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
An appropriate combination of education and experience that has provided the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way of obtaining the required qualifications is:

Education: A Master's degree from an accredited college or university in an appropriate field related to the area of assignment such accounting, finance, public or business administration, or a related field, including a minimum of 24 semester-hours in accounting.  (Applicants with a degree issued from an institution outside the United States must have their transcripts evaluated by an academic accrediting service and provide proof of equivalency along with their application.)      

Experience: Five years of increasingly complex and diverse professional accounting work experience, two years of which having full supervisory responsibility for two or more major accounting functions, including the equivalent of two years as an Accounting Supervisor or Senior Financial Analyst for MTC.  Prior experience with grant and contract administration and knowledge of federal and state grant compliance is required.

Preferred Qualifications & Specialized Skills

• Public sector accounting experience highly preferred.
• CPA certificate or Master’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration or related field.
• Specific experience with general ledger, accounting principles and procedures, budgeting administration and forecasting practices.

License/Certificate: Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license and a safe driving record, or the ability to provide alternate transportation which is approved by the appointing authority.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the general direction of the Section Director of Budgets and Financial Planning and Analysis, and in coordination with staff across the organization, the Assistant Director will be responsible for management and oversight of the following:

Operating and Capital Budget Management for all Entities and Funds

• Plan, organize, analyze, monitor and compile the preparation and development of complex capital and operating budget schedules
• Assist with budget projections and tracking revenue and expense trends
• Manage the posting, balancing and reconciliation of the general ledger and subsidiary accounts; ensure all transactions comply with accepted accounting practices
• Manage, direct, develop and review work completed by budget staff
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with MTC staff and external agencies
• Oversee the preparation of financial reports for all boards and associated committees, attend committee/board meetings, and present reports and make presentations as required and requested
• Develop, analyze and interpret budget policy and procedure, directives, regulations; maintain budgetary records in compliance federal, state and local regulations and requirements
• Develops, recommends, and implements policies and procedures related to operating and capital budget management, including providing primary leadership on developing, maintaining and updating the budget policy and procedures manual.  
• Train relevant stakeholders on the budget process including monitoring and budget amendments
• Recommend budgetary adjustments and develop narrative justification to support unanticipated changes in operations and/or funding to include preparation, analysis and administration of budget transfers and appropriations to/from fund balance; advise on the propriety and legality of using funds for specific purposes
• Determine the propriety and cost effectiveness of funding requests and expenditures through review of budget and accounting transactions and analysis of productivity, workload and program accomplishments, and funding availability 
• Execute and oversee weekly, monthly and/or quarterly reviews such as budget variance analysis, short and long-range forecasting; review and investigation of financial entries, documents, and reports for errors and inconsistencies
• Develop complex financial models utilizing Excel, Business Analytics, trend analysis, proformas, the collaborative process, etc.
• Assist and advise in the preparation and monitoring of the Capital Improvement Program

Grant Management and Reporting Compliance

• Monitor grant programs for required reporting and program compliance
• Coordinates with staff to ensure adherence to grant management workflow processes and that programmatic, fiscal, and regulatory requirements are consistently met 
• Develops, recommends, and implements policies and procedures related to grants management, including providing primary leadership on developing, maintaining, and updating the organization’s Grants Management and Administration Manual
• Develops the organization's annual grants project plan; and assigns and monitors the work of staff engaged in grants management activities, including grant application review and approval, grant award acceptance, budget-to-actual performance, and compliance reviews
• Oversees the development of the Cost Allocation Plan and departmental indirect cost rate proposals; and assists in interpreting the methodology behind the development of indirect cost rates for all departments
• Analyzes and interprets guidelines and funding requirements for grants and other funding sources 
• Performs highly complex analysis, evaluation, and review of grant revenues and expenditures 
• Provides technical assistance to staff and departments in application procedures, post-award approvals, and use of the grants management database(s)
• Acts as a liaison to federal, state, and local grantors/funding agencies
• Coordinate with staff and departments in the preparation, reporting and compliance requirements, and monitoring of the Overall Work Program (OWP) and subsequent amendments and provide to Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for review, comments, and approval

Staff Management and Career Development

• Lead, direct, and develop workplans for budget staff, ensure adherence to the organizations policies and procedures
• Manage and career develop staff, monitor performance, and provide immediate, frequent as well as annual performance feedback, training, and ongoing succession planning
• Manage deliverables and deadline adherence

The Assistant Director will perform other job-related duties as needed or assigned by the section.

HYBRID WORK - Employees may need to be in the office for some assignments/tasks that can only be done onsite or at a designated MTC work assignment location. For this position, onsite presence as required based on in-person meetings or work assignments.