Salary Range: $148,767 - $223,150
This is an exempt position. Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity.
The County is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as its next Deputy Chief Financial Officer (Deputy CFO). This is a strategic, high-impact role for a motivated, collaborative, and forward-thinking professional who thrives in a complex environment and can lead with confidence and limited direction.
Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Deputy CFO plays a central role in shaping countywide financial strategy, strengthening financial operations, and ensuring the highest standards of fiscal stewardship. The ideal candidate is an outstanding people leader-someone who inspires teams, drives clarity, builds trust, and brings strong communication and relationship‑building skills to every interaction.
This is an opportunity to join a Finance team of more than 130 talented professionals supporting a dynamic organization of approximately 6500 employees with an annual budget exceeding $2.5 billion. The Deputy CFO will influence major financial decisions, guide long-term sustainability efforts, and serve as CFO in their absence.
WHY JOIN US
- Make a measurable impact. Your leadership directly supports critical services that touch every resident-public safety, health, infrastructure, education, and more. You will see the effects of your decisions throughout the community.
- Lead at scale. Few public-sector roles offer the opportunity to work within a $2.5B organization with 6,500 employees while still maintaining direct influence and visibility.
- Shape the future of Finance. You'll help drive modernization, strengthen service delivery, and embed data-driven decision making across the County.
- Autonomy to lead. This role is designed for a self-directed leader who thrives with broad responsibility and minimal micromanagement.
- Collaborative culture. Work with engaged leaders across departments who value partnership, transparency, and good governance.
- Professional growth. As the second‑ranking financial leader in the County, you'll gain exposure to executive decision-making, major capital planning, and strategic initiatives-excellent preparation for future CFO roles.
- Mission-driven work. Public service provides meaning that goes beyond profit-your expertise helps strengthen financial sustainability for the community at large.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Financial Insight
- Provide oversight and direction for both strategic and tactical financial activities.
- Partner with the CFO to develop and implement long-term financial strategies and best‑practice initiatives.
- Deliver clear, timely, and transparent financial analysis across areas including taxation, debt, investments, cash flow, insurance, and budget forecasting.
- Lead efforts to improve processes, enhance service delivery, and support innovation across the Finance Department.
- Build dashboards and decision-support tools to drive data‑driven leadership decisions.
Operational & Service Excellence
- Ensure Finance operations meet internal and external service expectations.
- Strengthen collaboration across Finance and with County departments.
- Communicate effectively with stakeholders to simplify processes, highlight trends, and support strategic initiatives.
- Provide expertise, training, and guidance to improve financial literacy, internal controls, and understanding of key policies.
Compliance & Stewardship
- Develop and maintain strong internal controls and ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and professional standards.
- Oversee Treasury functions, ensuring accurate and efficient transactions.
- Provide proactive guidance on the financial impact of regulatory or legislative changes.
- Ensure timely submission of all required tax returns, filings, and reporting.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
We are seeking a strong leader first and a technical expert second-someone who:
- Excels at building relationships, navigating organizational dynamics, and influencing at all levels.
- Communicates with clarity and confidence, simplifying complex concepts for diverse audiences.
- Is strategic, resourceful, and able to run operations with limited direction.
- Thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and brings a mindset of continuous improvement.
- Is comfortable balancing big-picture planning with hands-on operational leadership.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Experience: Eight years of progressively responsible experience in public financial management, auditing or business management; two years of management experience leading complex projects and assessing organizational issues; three years of supervisory experience.
Education: Master's degree in Finance, Economics, Business, Accounting, Public Administration, or related field.
Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted: Yes
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of
- Business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Principles and processes for providing customer services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction
- The structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
- Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, and agency rules, and the political climate
- Expertise in area of assignment
Skills
- Superior verbal and written communication and presentation skills
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems
- Talking to others to convey information effectively
- Adjusting actions in relation to others'' actions
Abilities
- Lead cross-organizational change management efforts, incorporating feedback from internal and external stakeholders
- Embrace change and sees the value of improvements in the Finance organization
- Foster an environment of creativity and innovation, focusing on the empowerment and support of staff through tools and continuous process improvement
- Develop, coach, and mentor staff, providing constant feedback and clear direction
- Promoting Collaboration: Unifying teams, setting common goals building trust and rewarding/encouraging collaborative behavior
- Navigate and respond to multiple competing priorities, delivering quality outcomes under strict deadlines
- Building Strategic Work Relationships: by Developing and using collaborative relationships to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals
- Aligning Performance for Success: Focusing and guiding others in accomplishing work objectives
- Strategic Decision Making: Obtaining information and identifying key issues and relationships relevant to achieving a long-range goal or vision; committing to a course of action to accomplish a long-range goal or vision after developing alternatives based on logical assumptions, facts, available resources, constraints, and organizational values
- Formal Presentations: Presenting ideas effectively to individuals or groups; delivering presentations suited to the characteristics and needs of the audience
- Leading through Vision and Values: Keeping the organization's vision and values at the forefront of associate decision making and action
Computer Skills
- Advanced proficiency in various computer application including Microsoft Office Suite
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT
To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
DISCLAIMER STATEMENT
This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements or working conditions. Other duties may be assigned based on business need and the supervisor's request. Mecklenburg County reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. Designated positions may be required to assist in emergency and/or disaster situations.