Controller

Compensation: $134,959/Yr. (Min)  -   $202,438/Yr. (Max)

The position manages and directs all aspects of the agency's finance division, including budget and special projects, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and asset management teams and processes. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer and working closely with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and executive team, oversees, analyzes, and interprets the agency's financial position, and directs the development and administration of the agency’s annual budget to align with the agency’s long-term financial strategies and transit development plan.

Responsible for high-level interactions with the State Auditor's Office. Manages the accuracy and timely completion of the agency’s quarterly and annual financial reporting requirements, ensuring state and federal regulatory compliance. Develops agency accounting policies and internal controls; interprets and ensures compliance with applicable regulations; oversees automated accounting, budgeting and payroll systems and all financial systems upgrades and testing; and researches new finance/accounting initiatives including public debt issuance.

Prepares and presents the agency’s financial information to internal and external audiences, including agency-wide employee meetings, senior executive team meetings, and the Board of Directors meetings and workshops, and represents the agency to regional public financial officers and peer agencies.

Other information:

Community Transit has an annual operating budget of $175 million, a Net position of $664 million, and 720 full time equivalents (FTEs) covered by three different labor contracts and some non-represented employees.

The finance division team has earned 27 consecutive years of zero audit findings, earned 32 consecutive Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, and 3 consecutive GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards. 

1. Manages all financial functions for the agency. Independently develops, recommends, and implements policies, systems, and procedures to ensure the integrity of the agency’s financial data; researches, analyzes, interprets, and advises the CEO, department leadership, and the board of directors on the agency's financial position; recommends courses of action that impact financial management; interprets, advises and implements related regulations; prepares and delivers oral and written presentations to internal and external audiences.
2. Plans, organizes, staffs, directs, coordinates, oversees, evaluates and trains assigned staff.  Leads finance division work teams and processes, setting goals and objectives; assigns tasks and projects; monitors work products; assists staff in setting priorities and time management. Hires, develops, trains, manages, coaches, mentors, evaluates, disciplines and terminates division staff. Advises and interprets board policy, corporate objectives, and senior management direction to all division staff.
3.  Leads the development and administration of the agency’s annual budget. Develops revenue estimates and budget forecasts in alignment with short- and long term transit development plans and with consistency across all departments; oversees all aspects of developing, implementing, and managing the agency’s budget, including monitoring all grant and capital projects funding.
4. Directs the annual audit process; provides high-level interaction with state auditor’s office; researches and resolves issues that arise during the audit; provides analysis to areas auditor selects; researches, determines and responds to audit exit items; develops and ensures implementation of procedures to address auditor's concerns.
5. Leverages the use of financial systems technology to achieve maximum benefit from the systems for the agency. Integrates systems technology into all aspects of the Finance Division with technical support from the Information Technology Department to ensure quality, integrity, accuracy, and security of financial and payroll data.
6. Provides direction and oversight to ensure timely preparation of required reports, including the audited Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and National Transit Database (NTD) Report,  monthly revenue and expenditure reports reviews and verifies accuracy and adequate disclosure to ensure that all financial work products comply with grant, state, and federal regulations; reviews final reports prior to submission to appropriate agencies; assists managers and staff in interpreting and acting on the information.
7. Organizes and manages the activities of the Finance Performance and Oversight Board Committee to address specific issues of concern or opportunity.  Determines the appropriate size, skill set, and organizational structure of the Finance division, necessary to inform, obtain input, build consensus and represent key stakeholders.  Develops and fosters important relationships in all aspects of agency.  Manages and sets priorities.
8. Manages and facilitates ongoing communication throughout the agency on Financial and Budgeting projects and potential impacts.  Establishes strong communication paths – from CEO and Executive Leadership to team level.  Provides regular presentations to department leadership, executive team and board members to obtain input and direction.  Communicates division’s challenges and successes. 
9. Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Five years of people leadership experience.
2. Bachelor’s Degree in accounting, or closely related field.
3. Licensing as a Certified Public Accountant.
4. Seven years of recent work experience developing public accounting policies, internal controls, overseeing enterprise financial systems; researching/implementing new finance/accounting initiatives; implementing best practices.
5. Five years of recent work experience in public sector accounting.
6. Three years of recent work experience in agency financial reporting and budget development and management.
7. Five years of experience of working closely with auditors.

An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.

Preferred

1. Experience in Lean accounting or continuous improvement.
2. Experience in the transit industry or other public sector.
3. Experience using PeopleSoft and Prophix. Community Transit currently uses PeopleSoft Financials version 9.1, Human Capital Management version 9.1, and Prophix for budgeting
4. Experience in leading a team preparing for Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
5. Applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations impacting public transit agencies, such as financial and National Transit Database (NTD) reporting and audit procedures and grant reporting.

Entry Requirements for: Knowledge and Skills

Qualification to enter this position requires knowledge of the following:

1. Leadership best practices and procedures.
2. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and auditing principles.
3. Governmental accounting practices and internal controls.
4. Experience of leveraging enterprise resource system for Finance and Payroll.
5. Applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations impacting financial management.
6. IRS tax laws.

Qualification to enter this position requires skill in:

1. Demonstrated people leadership skills.
2. Financial analysis, reporting, and monitoring regulatory compliance.
3. Excellent oral and written communications.
4. Use of internal controls.
5. Use of complex accounting, payroll and budgeting systems.
6. Interpreting and applying applicable Federal, State and/or local laws, rules and regulations.
7. Analyzing complex financial policy issues.
8. Maintaining confidentiality and communicating with tack and diplomacy.
9. Supervising, leading and delegating tasks.
10. Conflict resolution skills.
11. Use of personal computer software programs, such as Excel and Word.
12. Personnel selection, management, evaluation, coaching and mentoring employees.
13. Building interpersonal relations with coworkers, employees, supervisors, the general public, etc.
14. Meeting strict deadlines.

Physical Requirements

Lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing, repetitive motions, carrying.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Application and Selection Process:

• Only on-line applications accepted.  
• To be considered, applicants must submit a cover letter highlighting their skills and experience as they relate to this position. 
• Applicants for this job may be considered for other openings up to six months after the date this position is filled.
  
• Applicants who meet the minimum requirements may be scheduled for an interview as well as a variety of tests to demonstrate knowledge, and skills for the position.  The evaluation process may include interviews, background check, reference checks and various performance tests.
• This position is being sourced by Arch Staffing, please apply at: https://www.indeed.com/job/controller-d027adf62692433a

Employee Benefits:

Employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance. Employees participate in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and have the option to enroll in the agency’s deferred compensation plan. In addition to WA Paid Sick Leave, employees in this position, accrue 24 days of Paid Time off (192 hours) in their first year and nine (9) paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Full list of all benefits and details can be found here.

Effective January 1, 2022, all new employees must provide proof of fully vaccinated status on or before their first workday. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine. 

If you have a family member, or share the same living quarters of a current Community Transit employee, please let your Human Resources Recruiter know as your eligibility for this position will be affected.

Community Transit provides a tobacco-free and drug-free work environment.  As a recipient of federal funds, Community Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on an basis prohibited by Federal, State or Local law.  We value and encourage diversity in our workforce.  EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, protected veteran status or disability.