Imagine a city where every student, regardless of language and cultural differences, receives a quality education and feels safe and included.
 
The Seattle Mayor and City Council are striving to bring us to the top of the list of cities known for positive change, innovation, and sound financial management. The Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) supports this effort to improve the lives of Seattle families by helping children enter kindergarten prepared to succeed, providing support for student academic achievement, and making sure students graduate from high school prepared for college or career. The department strives to embed the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative into its education objectives and seeks staff that value the importance of working together as a government and community to eliminate racial disparities and achieve racial equity.
 
To support the mission of this department, we have an opportunity to bring in a Finance & Operations Director to direct and oversee all of DEEL's financial activities. In this role, you will work with the Director, Deputy Director, and the Early Learning and K-12 Division Directors as a member of DEEL's Executive Team. Reporting to the Director, you will provide leadership to the Finance and Operations division, which consists of finance and budget, contracting, accounting, and administrative support for the entire department, particularly in human resources administration. In addition, you will manage 4 direct reports, which include the finance manager, senior finance analyst, contracting manager, and an administrative staff assistant, along with 9 additional full-time employees in the 2018 budget. In 2019, the accounting unit is expected to transfer to your management.
 
DEEL administers the Families and Education Levy (FEL), the Seattle Preschool Program Levy (SPP), and other funding sources to support children and students. Our 2018 adopted budget is $80M and we employ approximately 75 full-time employees. In this position, you will oversee the financial implementation of:

• a 7-year, $235 million Families and Education Levy – now in its 6th school year;
• a 4-year, $58 million Seattle Preschool Program Levy – now in its 3rd school year;
• an annual, $4 million State Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) grant;
• $8 million in General Fund programming; and
• $6 million in Sweetened Beverage Tax funded programming.

Here is more of what you'll be doing:
Directing and managing the Finance and Operations Division:

• Ensuring that DEEL's financial and business operations comply with City and state legal requirements and overseeing financial policies, procedures, and audits conducted by the City or state auditor's offices
• Developing and overseeing the department's annual budget process with the Mayor's Office, the City Budget Office, and City Council
• Serving as the lead engagement officer with the City Budget Office and State Auditor
• Providing oversight, development, management, and monitoring of all fund revenues and expenditures for DEEL
• Sharing, developing, recommending, and presenting department fiscal policies
• Overseeing the development and implementation of financials for levy renewal packages

• Overseeing the HR liaison work performed by the division's Administrative Staff Assistant
• Helping troubleshoot and resolve departmental HR issues with DEEL's Seattle Department of Human Resources (SDHR) Business Liaison
• Developing and/or reviewing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to HR policy
• Ensuring an accurate system for tracking DEEL's temporary, out of class, and regular hiring processes
• Participating on DEEL's Labor-Management Team
• Demonstrating leadership in furthering the racial equity goals of the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI).
• Collaborating with the office's RSJI Change Team to review all policies, initiatives, and trainings to eliminate individual, institutional, and systemic racism.

You will be most successful if you have demonstrated significant technical knowledge in finance and/or budget management providing direct oversight to operating divisions, particularly in a complex public or not-for-profit organization. You'll also possess the ability to communicate at all levels tactfully and effectively. A commitment to listening, creating space for diverse perspectives, and the pursuit of inclusive and just outcomes must be at the center of your professional practice. You will need to be skilled in fostering and developing mutually respectful relationships, achieving consensus among competing interests, and fostering a collaborative approach to problem solving. Specifically, the work requires:
 
The ability to:

• Understand and oversee fiscal systems and controls
• Work in a large or complex financial and budgeting system
• Manage and navigate within a dynamic political environment
• Manage complex and stressful situations with calmness and tact
• Contribute positively to a diverse, equitable work environment
• Develop collaborative, productive, and respectful relationships with internal and external partners

• Strong organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence others
• Good judgment and maintaining confidentiality
• Time management skills
• Knowledge of the City of Seattle's financial systems, budgeting, and contracting processes

• Managing a multimillion dollar budget with multiple funding sources
• Contract Management
• Interpreting complex financial data and providing concise management reports on a variety of topics
• Delivering public presentations to diverse audiences
• Using Windows and Microsoft Office, with a high-level understanding of Excel
• Finance or budget management providing direct oversight in a complex public or not-for-profit organization
• Race or Social Justice work

This position is classified as an Executive 1. DEEL is completing a strategic planning review that may result in a restructuring of this division. DEEL supports the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative to end institutionalized racism by eliminating barriers to access, providing the staff and public with opportunities for growth, and developing equitable access to the programs and services we offer.  If you share those values and meet the qualifications, we invite you to apply for this position. Please visit http://www.seattle.gov/education to learn more about the Department of Education & Early Learning.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
To be considered for this position, you must submit your application, attaching both a cover letter and resume at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle/ no later than 4:00pm Pacific Time on Tuesday, February 20, 2018. This position is open to all candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The Department of Education & Early Learning values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, medical condition, or pregnancy. The Department of Education & Early Learning encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences. If you have questions please contact Lindsey King at Lindsey.King@seattle.gov.