Assistant Finance Director

The City of Lake Forest seeks a collaborative, experienced, and forward-thinking Assistant Finance Director to join our Finance Department. This is an exceptional opportunity for a finance professional ready to take a step into leadership, contribute to long-term financial planning, and guide the daily operations of a high-performing, service-oriented team.

Lake Forest offers a professional, supportive, and well-established work environment where staff are trusted to do meaningful work, think long-term, and help steward public resources responsibly. Our Finance Department is known for fiscal integrity, transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement, and we are looking for an Assistant Finance Director who will help carry those values forward.

The selected candidate will have the opportunity to work alongside the current Assistant Finance Director who has 35 years of service with Lake Forest. This overlap affords the selected candidate the ability to learn the day-to-day operations; develop an accelerated understanding of the Finance Department’s relationship and role with all departments; and ensure the City has a sound succession plan in place for a key role in the organization.

Under the direction of the Finance Director, the Assistant Finance Director leads the day-to-day operations of the Finance Department, including the direct supervision of six staff members and responsibility for staff development and performance. This position also leads department projects and process improvements, from identifying the opportunity through implementation and adoption. This role manages core financial processes such as audit coordination, ACFR preparation, monthly financial reporting, and annual budget development.

This position regularly collaborates with departments across the organization, prepares presentations for the Finance and Audit Committees, and serves as Acting Finance Director when needed.

Lake Forest prides itself on innovative individuals leading the way to improve the lives of employees and residents. Making data-driven decisions while considering the human-level impacts are the core of what we do. The next Assistant Finance Director will understand the role technology plays in improving daily tasks while maintaining internal controls, improving the quality of life for Lake Forest team members and the public  selected candidate can quickly build strong working relationships across the organization.

• Supervise, develop, and evaluate a team of six, including workload assignment, annual goal setting, coaching, and performance reviews.
• Lead recruitment, selection, and onboarding for department vacancies.
• Build cross-training and documented procedures so every core function has a trained backup.

• Create opportunities for staff to grow within their role, as well as take on new responsibilities for professional development and, when possible, succession planning.

• Lead department projects from scope through implementation, including process improvements in areas such as cash handling, reconciliation, and purchasing.
• Strengthen internal controls while streamlining operations.
• Oversees financial system access and security, maintaining segregation of duties and internal controls.

• Coordinate the annual audit, serve as the main point of contact for auditors, prepare audit schedules, review the ACFR, and submit the final report for GFOA award consideration.
• Review monthly journal entries and monthly financial reports, analyzing trends and identifying areas of concern.

• Support development of the annual…