DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)

About the role

The City of Houston seeks a seasoned financial executive to serve as Deputy Assistant Director, providing strategic oversight of key accounting and reporting functions and leading multiple teams through subordinate managers.

Responsibilities

• Provides executive leadership and direction over multiple financial functions, ensuring alignment with the City’s strategic priorities and regulatory environment.
• Serves as a principal advisor to the Assistant Director on complex financial, compliance, and operational matters.
• Exercises delegated authority in decision-making and acts on behalf of the Assistant Director as needed.
• Leads the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and internal controls that strengthen financial governance and accountability.
• Directs the City’s accounting and financial reporting processes to ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance with applicable standards (e.g., GAAP, GASB).
• Provides executive oversight of external and internal audit activities, including the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and Single Audit.
• Ensures effective coordination with auditors and regulatory agencies, resolving complex findings and driving corrective actions.
• Oversees compliance with federal and state grant requirements, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
• Provides strategic direction and oversight for grants management and disaster recovery financial operations, including cost recovery, compliance, and reporting.
• Ensures proper financial management of large-scale federal and state funding programs.
• Leads efforts to strengthen processes and controls related to disaster-related expenditures and reimbursements.
• Oversees a multi-functional team consisting of approximately 15–20 staff across several groups, including managers/supervisors.
• Leads through subordinate leaders, ensuring effective cascading of priorities, accountability, and performance expectations.
• Oversees accounting financial systems and reporting processes (including ERP platforms such as SAP), ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
• Identifies and implements process improvements that enhance reporting capabilities, internal controls, and operational performance.
• Drives cross-functional coordination to improve data integrity and decision-making across the organization.

Essential Attributes

• Strong Interpersonal Skills: Ability to effectively communicate and manage well at all levels of the organization.
• Problem Solving: Ability to exercise sound judgement and make decisions based on timely and accurate information.
• Motivated: High sense of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Requires a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration or a closely related field.
• Experience: Seven years of progressively more complex/responsible administrative experience are required, with at least three of the years in a supervisory capacity.
• Licenses: None.

PREFERENCES

• The ideal candidate will bring a combination of advanced technical expertise and demonstrated executive leadership experience in complex municipal governmental or large organizational environments.
• Preference will be given to applicants who have the following:
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation strongly preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of governmental accounting, financial reporting, and compliance frameworks (GAAP, GASB, Uniform Guidance/2 CFR 200).
• Experience overseeing external audits, including Single Audit and ACFR preparation.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, complex financial organizations or groups.
• Experience managing managers and supervisors, with responsibility for multi-layered teams.
• Proven ability to influence and advise senior executives.
• Strong track record of leading organizational change, transformation, or process improvement initiatives.
• Ability to think strategically while ensuring disciplined execution across multiple functional areas.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage complex financial and regulatory issues.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience working with auditors, regulators, and senior leadership.

General Information

• Selection/Skills Tests Required: None, however, the Department may administer a skill assessment evaluation.
• Safety Impact: Position No.