Finance Director

Department: Finance
Supervisor: Town Manager
Union Status: Non-Union
Grade: 19,
Steps: 1-13

Salary Range: Anticipated hiring range $113,859 – $145,000 annually (paid weekly);
Full range to $162,337

Position: Full-time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Appointed by: Town Manager

Under the direction of the Town Manager, the Finance Director performs complex administrative, supervisory, and technical work directing and monitoring municipal finance operations. As the Town’s Director of Finance and Budget, the position oversees Accounting, Assessing, Revenue and Tax Collection, Treasury, Procurement, Investments, and Debt Service. The Finance Director is responsible for developing, implementing, and improving municipal financial systems, safeguarding town assets, coordinating the annual budget process, and all other related work as required, ensuring compliance with applicable Massachusetts General Laws, professional standards, and municipal policies.

Works under the general policy direction of the Town Manager and operates with a high degree of independent judgment and discretion in managing the Town’s financial operations. Responsibilities must be carried out in compliance with Massachusetts General Laws, municipal finance regulations, and professional standards, following policy and bylaw guidelines established by the Board of Selectmen and applicable State and Federal laws.

Duties require considerable initiative and interpretation of municipal finance statutes, GAAP standards, UMAS principles, and Town financial policies to ensure that all actions are ethical, legally sound, and aligned with Town objectives.

Directly supervises Division Managers in the offices of Accounting, Tax Collection, Treasury, Assessing, and Procurement. Participates in hiring and training, assigns and oversees work, provides daily direction, prepares evaluations, and disciplines staff as necessary in accordance with Town policies and applicable law.

The Finance Director has regular access to confidential and sensitive information, including personnel records, collective bargaining information, financial data, investment strategies, and legally protected fiscal documents. Strict confidentiality must be maintained at all times. The position requires discretion, sound judgment, and adherence to established professional and municipal standards in handling and safeguarding privileged information.

The position requires a high level of independent judgment in analyzing fiscal conditions, evaluating financial risks, interpreting municipal finance laws, and making recommendations that affect town-wide operations. Decisions must balance efficiency, financial integrity, regulatory obligations, and prudent long-term planning. The Finance Director must determine appropriate courses of action in areas where guidelines, laws, or precedent may not be explicit, ensuring that all decisions are made ethically and in the best interest of the Town.

Work involves managing and coordinating a broad range of financial functions, including accounting, treasury operations, revenue collection, assessment data, procurement, investments, and debt service. The Finance Director must synthesize complex information from multiple sources, interpret state and federal regulations, oversee sophisticated accounting systems, and recommend improvements to financial processes. Responsibilities require the ability to resolve multifaceted problems, develop policies, and implement financial strategies that have significant municipal impact.

The Finance Director interacts frequently with Town officials, department heads, boards and committees, external auditors, financial institutions, state agencies, vendors, and professional consultants. Contacts require professionalism, diplomacy, and clarity in communicating financial policies, explaining regulations, presenting data, and resolving issues. Interactions often involve sensitive or complex financial matters that require careful explanation and collaborative problem-solving.

Errors in judgment,…