Chief Financial Officer

Position Title:    Chief Financial Officer

Classification:    Cabinet-level Position, under contract with the School Board of Directors

Reports To:    Superintendent of Schools

Supervises:    Administrative and support personnel within areas of responsibility, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Employee Benefits & Risk Management, Payroll, Purchasing, and Tax Office 

Position Goal:    To provide executive-level leadership and strategic direction for the District's financial and business operations and to ensure the consistent, ethical, and transparent application of policies, regulations, and procedures in accordance with the mission and objectives of the Reading School District and applicable federal and state regulations, rules, and statutes.

Qualifications:

Education and Licensure

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or related field or licensure as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• PA Certified School Business Administrator (PCSBA) certification preferred.

Experience Minimum five (5) years of progressively-responsible experience in business office administration, private-secutor, or public-sector finance, including three (3) years in a supervisory capacity overseeing the financial affairs of or acting in the role as an auditor of the financial affairs of a public school district or comparable educational institution. 

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities 

• Comprehensive understanding of fund accounting principles, generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP), and federal and state policies, regulations, rules, and statutes pertaining to areas of responsibility, including the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB).
• Proven ability to supervise and work collaboratively with a team responsible for the business and financial affairs of a large educational institution.
• Proficient with financial management systems, ERP platforms, standard office technology, including spreadsheet and word processing software, and database search and retrieval both through query functions and typical Web-based reporting.
• Experience supporting the financial aspects of collective bargaining on behalf of a public employer. 
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal skills evidencing the ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven analytical, organizational, and project management capabilities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:  The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following fundamental duties:

1. Serves as an active, contributing member of the Superintendent's Cabinet and collaborates with the other functional departments on District-wide objectives, program planning, and organizational initiatives. 
2. Provides executive direction and coordination of all business operations and financial affairs across the District. 
3. Develops and implements short- and long-range financial plans that translate the educational priorities of the District into actionable fiscal strategies.
4. Advises the Superintendent and Board of Directors on the overall financial condition, needs, and outlook of the District.
5. Consistently represents the District in a positive and professional manner and maintains  collaborative relationships with the Board of Directors, District staff, community agencies, and other external partners.

Financial Operations & Accounting

1. Leads the preparation, administration, and on-going monitoring of the District's budget as required by the Superintendent and Board of Directors.
2. Ensures all District expenditures remain within approved budget parameters and analyzes, explains, and manages material variances as they arise.
3. Identifies and pursues all available sources of revenue, grants, and funding to which the District may be entitled.
4. Oversees all cash flow management, the investment of District funds, tax collections, accounts payable, and accounts receivable ensuring the application of sound accounting practices and in accordance with applicable regulations, rules, and statutes. 
5. Evaluates and maximizes returns on District investments by assessing interest rates and opportunities offered by local and regional banking institutions.
6. Establishes and maintains accounting and expenditure procedures consistent with state and local auditing standards and authorizes appropriate purchase order expenditures.
7. Directs legal advertising and bid scheduling for all District purchases and expenditures in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local procurement requirements.

Payroll & Tax Functions

1. Oversees all payroll functions, including the accurate disbursement of payroll, maintenance of retirement records, completion of mandatory reports and compliance with all applicable federal and state payroll regulations.
2. Works cooperatively with agencies that collect taxes for the District to expedite the receipt of such revenues and to ensure the accurate and timely accounting of such receipts.

Audit, Compliance & Reporting

1. Cooperates fully with external auditing agencies conducting approved audits or reviews of District fiscal records and implements audit recommendations as appropriate.
2. Prepares and oversees the preparation of financial reports, analyses, and required submissions to the Superintendent, Board of Directors, and applicable governmental agencies, including the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
3. Serves as the District's primary liaison to the Pennsylvania Department of Education on matters within assigned areas of responsibility.

Personnel & Departmental Leadership

1. Provides direct supervision of all personnel within assigned departments, conducts annual performance evaluations, and makes recommendations regarding employment actions, including hiring, discipline, and separation, as appropriate.
2. Monitors and assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of contracted services in the areas of responsibility.
3. Fosters a collaborative, high-performance departmental culture grounded in accountability, continuous improvement, and professional development.
4. Plans and delivers in-service training for Board members, administrators, and support staff on financial procedures, regulatory requirements, and matters affecting the District's fiscal affairs, upon request.

Insurance and Risk Management 

1. Oversees the District's employee benefits and insurance programs, including healthcare and  Workers' Compensation, in collaboration with the Chief Legal Officer and the Departments of Employee Benefits & Risk Management and Human Resources.

Policy, Communication & Professional Development

1. Drafts, interprets, and disseminates policies, regulations, procedures, and operational guidance to staff within assigned areas of responsibility.
2. Maintains current knowledge of developments in school finance, accounting standards, procurement regulations, and relevant legal requirements by attending training sessions, conferences, and professional workshops.
3. Directs the preparation of and presents the monthly financial reports for the purpose of informing the Superintendent and School Board of the fiscal status of the District.
4. Maintains accurate records and prepares all payments for the District's bond fund account and federal program accounts.
5. Maintains accurate records of all banking accounts and ensures the reconciliation of District records with bank statements.

Other Duties 

1. Performs such other duties as requested/assigned by the Superintendent of Schools.  

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Full-time (12-month) exempt position. Salary and benefits as agreed to in an individual contract between position holder and the Board of Directors.   

EVALUATION: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on evaluation of personnel.

The position holder must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. It is the responsibility of the employee to inform the Department of Human Resources of any and all reasonable accommodations that will be required. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended, and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

The Reading School District is an equal opportunity employment, educational, and service organization.