Utilities Fiscal Manager

Bellevue Utilities is a future-focused, agile, and knowledgeable organization providing valued, sustainable services to the community for current and future generations. Our mission is to actively support public health and safety, quality neighborhoods, and a healthy and sustainable environment and economy by effectively managing drinking water, wastewater, storm and surface water, and solid waste.

We have an exciting opportunity for you as Fiscal Manager. This position will be member of the Utilities management team and will lead the Utilities Department’s financial planning, budget development and monitoring, and accounting services. The Utilities Fiscal Manager leads the Utilities Fiscal team of four (4) people and provides oversight over:

• Budget development and monitoring
• Utility rate development
• Long range financial forecasting
• Development and preparation of financial and management reports
• Financial analysis
• Development and maintenance of financial systems
• Development and application of internal controls
• Managing of accounting services – including grant accounting, accounts receivable & accounts payable

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Fiscal Manager will be responsible for the following:

Managing/leading the Utilities Fiscal team consisting of 2 senior budget analysts, and 1 Senior accounting associate and a financial program administrator, position co-managed with the RMCS Business Services Manager.

1. The Fiscal Manager is responsible for directing and leading the Fiscal team’s Budget Development activities including:

• Developing the Utilities capital and operating budgets for four (4) lines of business (water, sewer, stormwater, and solid waste)
• Developing the rates for three (3) lines of business (piped utilities)
• Developing a six-year financial and rates forecast for three (3) lines of business.
• Developing the 75-year long range financial plan to pay for system infrastructure replacements.
• Facilitating the budget development process by building the tools and processes to:
  • Capture the budget requests at the line-item detail level for each workgroup across the department.
  • Rolling up these budgets asks into program level expenditures for budget decision making by the executive team.
  • Developing rate scenarios to finance different budget scenarios.
  • Transmitting the department’s final budget requests at the line-item level into the City’s budgeting system
  • Develop materials to process the proposed budget and rates through a Citizen Advisory Commission (Commission) who review our budget and rates in detail. The culmination of this work results in the Commission developing a recommendation to the City Council on Utilities’ proposed budget and rates.
  • Develop materials for the executive team to present the proposed budget and rates to the City Manager and City Council. The City Council is the ultimate body that adopts the budget and rates.
  • Develop the materials on Utilities budget and rates for presentation to the community.
  • Communicate the adopted budget to the department – for each functional manager to understand the budget for implementation purposes.

2. Budget Monitoring activities including:

• Monitoring the operating and capital budgets for four (4) lines of business
• Working with workgroup managers to monitor their budgets on a monthly basis.
• Reporting of budget status to Utilities leadership and City finance department.

3. Directing the completion of Fiscal Studies/Analysis including, using either internal or consultant resources:

• Cost-of-service studies
• Connection Charge studies
• Ad hoc financial analysis
• Business case analysis

4. Overseeing administration of ongoing Financial Programs including:

• Customer assistance programs for low-income customers
• Connection fees collection

5. Overseeing Utilities accounting functions including

• State & City tax filings.
• Accounts payable / receivable
• Internal controls
• Miscellaneous fees collection

The Fiscal Manager is also a member of the Resource Management and Customer Service Division management team and a member of the Utilities leadership team – manager/supervisors across the department.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:

• Works under the general supervision of the Utilities Assistant Director for Resource Management and Customer Service (RMCS).
• Exercises supervision over program staff of four (4) individuals.

WORK SCHEDULE:
This position is Hybrid / Flex Schedule eligible with 3 days on-site required.

Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge of concepts, laws, principles, practices and techniques of accounting, auditing, and financial programs, including budget preparation and administration; principles and practices of personnel management and supervision; organization and management; and administration and legislation analysis and implementation.
• Knowledge of rate development, internal service funding, and reserves management.
• Knowledge of databases and spreadsheet programs utilized by the City, knowledge of use of City’s central financial information system.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of public sector organization and program operations.
• Experience in developing and monitoring revenue and expense budgets and financial and rates forecasts, preferably for public entity.
• Experience in developing strategies for financial management.
• Ability to successfully manage/lead financial projects from initiation to closing.
• Ability to plan and organize work.
• Ability to conduct complex administrative duties, analyses processes and issues, and develop recommendations for improvement or resolution.
• Ability to analyze and interpret a variety of legal, statistical, narrative data ranging from simple to very complex.
• Ability to exercise good judgment.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships; create collaborative working environment and open communication.
• Ability to supervise professional, paraprofessional, and clerical employees engaged in a wide variety of projects, programs, and systems.
• Ability to follow oral and written directions, policies, procedures.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in Finance, Accounting, Business or Public Administration or related field.
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible related experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, investments, fiscal policy analysis or related field, with experience in the public sector.
• Experience with utility rates and financial planning.
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Supplemental Information

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work involves walking, talking, hearing, using hands to handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee may be required to push, pull, lift, and/or carry objects up to 40 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is moderately quiet.

For questions regarding this position please contact Scott Pickard at spickard@bellevuewa.gov