Financial Manager III (Budget) - Austin Energy

About This Position

The Financial Manager III serves as a strategic leader overseeing two managers and seven budget professionals within the Operating and Capital Budget workgroups. This role is responsible for the development and management of the City’s $2.06 billion annual operating budget and its $3.3 billion five‑year capital budget. The position provides critical guidance to executive management by offering expert financial insights, reviewing current-year estimates and variance reports, and analyzing historical and forecasted budget information to support organizational decision‑making.

In this role, the Financial Manager III evaluates organizational performance measures, goals, and objectives by compiling and analyzing financial, business, service, and operational data. The position identifies emerging trends, assesses their impact, and recommends appropriate corrective actions. The Financial Manager III also directs the development of the capital budget, the long‑range plan, and the five‑year capital improvement plan, ensuring alignment with departmental and citywide priorities.

This position manages the full budget development cycle, including scheduling and coordinating internal planning meetings, producing all required submissions for the City of Austin Budget Office, and preparing monthly internal performance-to-budget reporting.

Job Description

Manager III, Financial

Purpose

Under minimal direction, this position is responsible for management and operations of organization's financial activities and staff for a large enterprise or function, including either a broad span of control, supervision of other financial managers, or highly-complex, specialized work.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities

Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• Properly accounts for and safe-guards the City's cash and other assets for large-sized enterprises or functions within a department.

• Provides general oversight for department’s accounting, budgeting, purchasing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, revenue, CIP, grants, fixed assets, inventory, and payroll functions. May provide oversight for non-financial areas.

• Guides financial decisions of the organization by preparing financial information for presentation and consideration by management.

• Oversees and directs the development of the budget and business plan for the organization, performs budget analysis, provides guidance and recommendations to management, monitors the budget by reviewing current year estimates and budget variance reports, and reviews historical and forecast budget information.

• Provides feedback and analysis of organization performance measures, goals, and objectives by compiling relevant financial, business, service and operational information, identifying and evaluating trends, and recommending corrective actions.

• Reviews financial and budget reports and performs financial analyses by managing compilation of appropriate information.

• Directs the development of organization's mid- and long-range financial forecast; ensuring revenue, expenditure and debt service projections meet applicable financial policies, guidelines and benchmarks, such as requirements for debt service coverage and cash reserves.

• Oversees and directs development of service rates, cost of service studies, and customer class rate proposals for Council.

• Oversees and directs requirements of a regulatory environment including rate proceedings, rate filing documentation, expert testimony development and delivery, litigation support, and settlement negotiations.

• Oversees and directs debt program including revenue bond planning and issuance, development and update of Bond Official Statements, rating agency presentation development, management of commercial paper programs, reconciliations of debt service schedules, and analysis of bond refinancing or defeasance opportunities.

• Oversees and directs the development of the capital budget, long-range plan and five-year plan.

• Prepares, reviews, and evaluates financial and accounting documents, reports, and statements and ensures that financial transactions are recorded promptly and properly.

• Ensures financial staff are appropriately trained on the City’s systems of record and on citywide policies and procedures.

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised

• Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of the processes and theories used for public budgetary and financial policies.

• Knowledge of accounting concepts, principles, and practices.

• Knowledge of financial reporting and internal control systems.

• Knowledge of utility ratemaking and cost of service study methodology.

• Knowledge of debt instruments, cash management and utility financing methods.

• Knowledge of forecasting models; econometric studies, analysis, and forecasting; and estimating methods and techniques.

• Knowledge of cost benefits analysis, feasibility studies and net present value analysis methods.

• Knowledge of enterprise budgeting, financial planning or accounting.

• Knowledge of preferred business practices.

• Knowledge of financial and budget systems and reporting.

• Knowledge of leadership, supervisory, and management best practices.

• Skill in designing and maintaining complex spreadsheet and database models.

• Skill in development of presentations.

• Skill in effective oral and written communications.

• Skill in analyzing and interpreting complex financial records.

• Skill in using computers and related software applications.

• Skill in determining need and compiling, analyzing and presenting financial information and data for management and Council use.

• Ability to resolve problems or situations that require the exercising of good judgement.

• Ability to prepare complex and accurate financial reports.

• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other City employees and the public.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field related to Finance, Accounting, or Economics, plus six (6) years of experience in a finance related field, two (2) years of which include management experience.

• Experience must include one (1) year of accounting. Up to twelve (12) hours of accounting coursework may substitute for accounting experience.

• Graduation with a Master's in Finance, Accounting, or Business-related field or a CPA certification may substitute for two (2) years of experience requirement.

Licenses and Certifications Required

• None .

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of public-sector budgeting principles, financial policies, and related analytical frameworks.

• Proven experience leading and developing a team of professional staff to achieve organizational goals.

• Strong understanding of forecasting methods, econometric trends, analytical modeling techniques, and financial estimation practices.

• Experience preparing legislative or executive approval documents—such as Requests for Council Action—within an electronic workflow or routing system.

• Ability to develop clear, concise, and visually effective presentations for diverse audiences.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information in an accessible manner.

• Skill in identifying information needs and compiling, analyzing, and presenting financial data to support decision‑making for