Public Sector Budget & Finance Leader

Job Overview

You will play a key role in building and leading a newly consolidated financial operations team, strengthening processes, expanding team capacity, and shaping how the department manages its financial operations going forward.

You will lead the department’s budget development, enterprise cost allocation and internal service rate modeling, and financial monitoring and management. You will also help staff understand the operational impact behind financial trends and decisions. You will analyze complex rate and cost-of-service fee models, recommend appropriate adjustments, and implement changes.

You will also manage contract planning and contract coordination for the department, partnering with managers and operational teams to align contract strategy, procurement timelines, and business needs. From shaping cost recovery models to ensuring critical services move forward effectively, your work will directly influence how we invest resources, deliver services, and support Pierce County.

We are looking for candidates who bring strong government experience with public financial expertise, budgeting experience, leadership ability, and the ability to connect financial analysis to operational decisions.

Someone who can confidently manage detailed financial work while also stepping back to see the broader financial picture for the department. Not just what the numbers say, but what’s driving them and what operational actions they require. Our next Budget and Financial Manager will be comfortable working with complex budgets and cost allocation models, ensuring services are appropriately funded, leading conversations and analysis of business needs, analyzing financial needs, plans, and structures, and ensuring that financial reporting and management processes are effective, efficient and meet governmental standards.

Equally important is the ability to lead people and build a strong, collaborative team. Success will require thoughtful leadership, clear communication, and the ability to guide staff through change while establishing clarity around roles, expectations, and priorities.

A career with Pierce County means joining an organization invested in your growth. Through leadership development, robust online learning, and a variety of training opportunities, we provide continuous professional development at every stage. This commitment empowers you to contribute meaningfully while advancing your skills and supporting resilient communities, reliable infrastructure, and equitable outcomes for all.

• Lead department-wide business and accounting processes, financial management, budget development, financial planning, and controls.
• Ensure all accounting actions, contracts and grants are sound, comply with generally accepted accounting principles, and conform to Finance & Enterprise Services Department policies and procedures. Exercise proper financial control over budgetary expenditures and the appropriateness of expenditures. Identify major variances and report them to senior management and ultimately to the Finance & Enterprise Services Department Director.
• Take a central role along with senior management in development, presentation, and implementation of the department’s budget. Serve as an integral member in the preparation of long- and short-term financial plans for the department and ensure alignment with key stakeholders.
• Manage and direct work of managers, supervisors and team leads in all financial matters.
• Deploy appropriate financial management training, sound budgetary practices, and prudent fiscal management.
• Provide oversight of required financial audits.
• Provide effective leadership to staff.
• Support development, measurement and execution of the mission, goals, and objectives of the department, its divisions, and individual work groups.

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field AND
• Six years of progressively responsible work experience in monitoring and developing large complex budgets with multiple funds, accounting,…