Description:
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
DEPARTMENT OF WATER MANAGEMENT (DWM)
Administrative Support - Finance
Number of Positions: 1 Full Time
(Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)
Grade: X43: Starting Salary: $133,836
Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59 pm CST on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLASS
Under direction, in a managerial nature, functions as the chief financial officer directing and managing the financial, accounting, budgetary, and grant administration operations for a City department, and performs related duties as required
This class title has been designated as a multi-tiered title. Positions allocated to this title code are assigned to large City departments and have been designated as such on the Senior Manager Salary Plan.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Capital Planning
· Oversee the development and updating of the Department's multi-year capital plan.
· Coordinate with project managers and operations teams to prioritize projects based on strategic goals and available funding.
· Ensure alignment of capital planning with long-term financial forecasts and operational needs.
Capital Fund Management
· Monitor and manage the allocation, disbursement, and reconciliation of capital funds.
· Track cash flows and funding sources, including internal funds, loans, and bond proceeds.
· Ensure timely availability of funds for ongoing and upcoming capital projects.
Cost-of-Service Implementation
· Manage financial processes related to the cost-of-service studies for wholesale and suburban customers.
· Support implementation and monitoring of rate structures, ensuring accurate billing and cost recovery.
· Provide financial analysis and recommendations for adjustments to rates or service charges.
Grant Applications and Administration
· Lead preparation and submission of grant applications for capital projects.
· Ensure compliance with grant requirements and reporting obligations.
· Track grant-funded project budgets, expenditures, and performance metrics.
Financial Reporting & Analysis
· Prepare regular reports on capital project expenditures, fund balances, and financial performance.
· Conduct variance analysis comparing actual spending to budgets and forecasts.
Additional duties may be required for this position
Location: Department of Water Management
1000 East Ohio Street
Hours: Monday - Friday; 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
THIS POSITION IS EXEMPT FROM CAREER SERVICE.
Qualifications:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or a directly related field, plus five (5) years of professional financial management work experience, of which four (4) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position,
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree or higher in Accounting, Finance or a directly related field, plus four (4) years of professional financial management work experience, of which four (4) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position
Disclaimer - "Accredited" means any nationally or regionally accredited college, university, or law school where the applicant is enrolled in or has completed an Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or Juris Doctorate degree program.
NOTE: You must provide your transcripts/diploma, licenses or certifications at the time of processing.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND OTHER WORK REQUIREMENTS
KNOWLEDGE
Advanced knowledge of:
· generally accepted accounting and auditing principles, methods, practices, and procedures
· financial analysis and management principles, methods, practices, and procedures
· generally accepted fiscal policy principles, methods, practices, and procedures
· grant administration policies, methods, practices, and procedures
· budget preparation and management methods, practices, and procedures Considerable
knowledge of:
· *management and supervisory methods, practices, and procedures
· contract administration and management practices
· applicable computer software packages (e.g., accounting software, data management software) and applications (e.g., Oracle)
Moderate knowledge of:
· applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines
Knowledge of applicable City and department policies, procedures, rules, and regulations
Other knowledge as required for successful performance in the Assistant Director of Finance class
SKILLS
· *ACTIVE LEARNING - Understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making
· *ACTIVE LISTENING - Give full attention to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times
· *CRITICAL THINKING - Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
· *MATHEMATICS - Use mathematics to solve problems
· *MONITORING - Monitor and assess performance of oneself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action
· *COMPLEX PROBLEM SOLVING - Identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions
· *MANAGEMENT OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES - Determine how money will be spent to get the work done and account for these expenditures
· *MANAGEMENT OF PERSONNEL RESOURCES - Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work and identify the best people for the job
· *COORDINATION WITH OTHERS - Adjust actions in relation to others' actions
· *JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING - Consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
Other skills as required for successful performance in the Assistant Director of Finance class
ABILITIES
· COMPREHEND ORAL INFORMATION - Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences
· SPEAK - Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand
· COMPREHEND WRITTEN INFORMATION - Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing
· WRITE - Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand
· REASON TO SOLVE PROBLEMS - Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense
· REASON MATHEMATICALLY - Choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem
· MAKE SENSE OF INFORMATION - Quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns
· REACH CONCLUSIONS - Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events)
Other abilities as required for successful performance in the Assistant Director of Finance class
Other Work Requirements
· INITIATIVE - Demonstrate willingness to take on job challenges
· LEADERSHIP - Demonstrate willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction
· DEPENDABILITY - Demonstrate reliability, responsibility, and dependability and fulfill obligations
· ATTENTION TO DETAIL - Pay careful attention to detail and thoroughness in completing work tasks
· INDEPENDENCE - Develop own ways of doing things, guide oneself with little or no supervision, and depend mainly on oneself to get things done
· INNOVATION - Think creatively about alternatives to come up with new ideas for and answers to work-related problems
Other characteristics as required for successful performance in the Assistant Director of Finance class
SELECTION REQUIREMENTS
This position requires an applicant to successfully complete an interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected.
APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. The Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practices click here. (https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dhr/provdrs/emp.html)
For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html
For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:
https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp\info/JobClassification/2025\Classification\and\Pay_Plan.pdf
ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.
The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer **.
City of Chicago
Brandon Johnson, Mayor**
