Job Description
Project Manager, Financial Management Resource Bureau
About DLS:
The Massachusetts Division of Local Services (DLS) works with cities and towns to promote sound municipal finance management practices by providing guidance, training, and oversight. DLS is responsible for interpreting state laws related to municipal finance and local governance; ensuring fairness and equity in local property taxation; overseeing local accounting and treasury management; distributing local aid; and maintaining a comprehensive municipal finance database.
Position:
The DLS Financial Management Resource Bureau seeks an experienced, innovative professional to advise cities and towns on financial management and governance. Working in conjunction with other team and division staff, the project manager analyzes complex financial and operational conditions and writes in-depth reports that provide guidance on municipal financial management best practices. The incumbent also creates and delivers trainings and tools as a subject matter expert. The successful candidate for the position will have a working knowledge of municipal finance operations, strong interpersonal skills and excellent writing ability, and be detail-oriented, well-organized, and comfortable presenting information in public forums.
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Responsibilities:
- Conduct in-depth interviews with municipal personnel to understand local financial practices and managerial structure
- Analyze collected information, including annually required reports to DLS, financial statements, audit reports, budget documents, policies, procedures, contracts, charters, and bylaws/ordinances
- Write comprehensive, narrative reports summarizing financial conditions, operational and structural observations, analyses, and recommendations
- Create high-quality spreadsheets, charts, graphs, and visualizations using Excel, Infogram, and PowerBI
- Prepare detailed financial analyses and guidance on municipal financial policies, long-range forecasts, capital improvement plans, governing structures, budgets, and other deliverable documents as required
- Conduct enterprise fund/utility costing analyses
- Provide instruction and training to local officials, employees, and professional municipal associations
- Review and understand existing, proposed, and newly enacted legislation and regulations pertaining to municipal governments or finance
- Gather and examine town meeting/council minutes
- Travel periodically throughout the state for assignments
Minimum knowledge, skills & abilities:
- Strong interest in local government and the desire to improve municipal operations for cities and towns across Massachusetts
- Ability to work simultaneously on multiple, complex projects while maintaining acute attention to detail
- Ability to work independently, in collaboration with others, and in a telework environment
- Strong time-management and organizational skills
- Writing, analysis, and presentation skills
- Ability to troubleshoot and find resolutions to issues for internal and external stakeholders
- Proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience working in municipal government
- Knowledge of municipal budgeting, accounting, treasury, collections and/or assessing practices
- Familiar with MGL on municipal finance and governmental structures
As part of the Future of Work initiative, the agency has adopted a hybrid work model. Hybrid work is a mix of in-office work and telework. This position will work remotely some days and in-person on other days
Qualifications
First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.
Minimum Entrance Requirements:
Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in accounting or auditing, of which at least (B) one year must have been in a supervisory, administrative or managerial capacity, or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
Substitutions:
I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in accounting, business administration or business management may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required (A) experience.
II. A Graduate degree with a major in accounting, business administration or business management may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required (A) experience.
*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.
NOTE: Educational substitutions will only be permitted for a maximum of two years of the required (A) experience. No substitutions will be allowed for the required (B) experience.
Special Requirements: None.
Comprehensive Benefits
When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.
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An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.