Chief Financial Officer

Closing Date: March 29, 2026
$65.89 to $86.76 DOQ.

Position Objective

Responsible for directing the fiscal functions of the County. This leadership position has the responsibility for financial management and planning through the establishment and enforcement of sound financial policies and controls, insightful fiscal analysis, and effective accounting practices. The CFO leads and administers the County’s annual operating budget, the capital improvement plan, the investment, banking and treasury functions, and all accounting systems. Additionally, the CFO oversees the preparation of the County’s annual audit and financial report and performs analysis and reporting for the County Board of Commissioners.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Develop finance and accounting practices, applications, and projects to support the achievement of County strategies, initiatives, and projects, ensuring the achievement of short-term and long-term goals.
• Develop structure and staffing model; hire, train, mentor, assign accountabilities and manage department staff and workflow to accomplish department and organizational goals.
• Develop and administer all financial policies, procedures, and internal controls ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements and alignment with policymaker interests. Direct implementation of Governmental Account Standards Board (GASB) statements.
• Direct and oversee the preparation and execution of the County's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) in conformity with the Generally Accepted Account Principles (GAAP). Recommending improvements to ensure the integrity of the County's financial information.
• Manage relationships with an independent auditor from the Office of the State Auditor, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Manage investments through the selection and oversight of investment managers, investment institutions, and internal finance staff to ensure alignment with policy maker's interests and compliance with investment policies and regulations.
• Structure and manage debt arrangements and ensure debt covenant compliance and alignment with policy maker's interests regarding long-term and short-term debt management objectives.
• Analyze State and Federal legislation to determine the fiscal impact on the County, develop and communicate recommendations to minimize financial impacts and ensure the accomplishment of the County's financial objectives.
• Manage the annual budget and capital improvement plan (CIP) process, recommending fiscally responsible strategies, ensuring timely budget delivery and execution as well as the achievement of financial performance objectives.
• Provide ongoing analysis and reporting of County financial performance against budget, ensuring administrator, department heads and the board of commissioners have timely and accurate information including the identification of variances and recommended corrective actions to ensure achievement of budgeted financial performance.
• Direct and perform financial modeling and analysis as a service to departments and to regularly assess financial performance and actions needed to ensure compliance with budgetary objectives.
• Ensure compliance with all local, State and Federal laws governing financial reporting, accounting, and payroll processing through effective processes, postings, education, and audits, to minimize risk and to ensure full compliance with all regulations.
• Participate in the development and execution of decisions impacting the organization, maintaining knowledge, and understanding of organizational performance, key initiatives, and developments to successfully contribute to team decisions and ensure the achievement of short and long-term goals.
• Serve as a liaison to other County departments, government agencies, external auditors and vendors by responding to inquiries and working to resolve accounting issues.
• Special Projects and Other: Perform all other related assignments as required, including special project assignments, in a professional manner.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office products, with an emphasis on Microsoft Excel.
• Effective leadership skills including leading a team, coaching and development skills.
• Ability to provide leadership in assigned areas of responsibility.
• Strategic planning skills including project management and decision-making skills.
• Ability to maintain consistently high levels of productivity, accuracy, and organization.
• Knowledge of current County Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (COFARS).
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and other Federal, State and County policies.
• Knowledge of Chisago County Resolutions and MN State Statutes and how to apply those to the fiscal operations of the County.
• Ability to prepare and give effective presentations.
• Extensive knowledge of fieldwork techniques in auditing; as well as the theories, principles, and techniques of accounting practices.
• Ability to research complex accounting and finance issues.

Desired Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business Management, or related field; or equivalent knowledge gained through experience.
• Five or more years of experience of progressively responsible management experience in the financial field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Qualifications

• CPFO preferred but not required.

Tools and Equipment Used

• Calculator, copy machine, computer, telephone, postage machine, standard office equipment, facsimile machine, vehicle operation.

Working Conditions

The characteristics listed below are representative of the physical demands, physical agility, sensory requirements, and environmental exposures required by an individual to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

• This classification occasionally involves physical agility requirements such as climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, pushing, pulling, repetitive motions and manual dexterity.
• Sensory requirements include standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing ideas by means of the spoken word; and hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office setting. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet in the office.

Applicants for appointment to this position will be required to submit a formal application and may be subject to rating of education and experience, oral interview and/or reference check, background investigation, criminal history check, drug testing. Job related tests may be required of any applicant.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee as is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.