Manager of Financial Planning

About the Role

BART's Financial Planning team is recruiting a Manager of Financial Planning, Interagency Agreements to manage and administer the District's Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and lead financial and management analysis in support of related interagency operating agreements and regional coordination work.

The incumbent will negotiate and manage BART's interagency agreements and regional financial coordination obligations, including engagement with regional bodies on financial policy matters affecting the District. The incumbent will also lead management and financial analyses to support executive decision-making on interagency and regional financial matters and provide strategic and analytical support to executive management on related topics.

This position serves as BART's designated Program Manager under the O&M Agreement and is the primary point of contact for VTA on all matters arising under the agreement. The incumbent will manage the routine and non-routine coordination required by the agreement, oversee timely preparation and delivery of agreement-required deliverables, coordinate the development of Implementation Letters and Administrative Amendments as needed, and represent BART in periodic working-level engagement with VTA counterparts.

The position works with Operations Planning, Maintenance & Engineering, Capital Financial Planning, and other internal departments to ensure coordinated and timely BART responses across the agreement's substantive areas, including cost obligations, right-of-way matters, railcar provisions, regulatory reporting, performance indicators, and capital coordination.

Examples of Duties

• Manages and oversees the District-wide operating financial plan and Capital Improvement Program; forecasts the financial impact of proposed operating plans; manages requests for analysis of proposed capital investment.
• Makes recommendations for action and assists in the development and implementation of policies, procedures, goals and objectives.
• Develops and monitors budgets, financial plans, cash flows, reporting requirements and specification changes; prepares budget and capital labor reports.
• Monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of methods and procedures. Recommends, within departmental policy, appropriate service and staffing levels.
• Plans, directs, coordinates and reviews the work plan for assigned staff. Assigns and evaluates work activities, projects and programs. Meets with staff to identify and resolve problems.
• Manages District ridership forecasting and reporting.
• Manages revenue forecasting; forecasts annual revenues from primary sources such as fares, sales taxes, property taxes, bond issues and grants.
• Monitors developments and legislations related to assigned area of responsibility; evaluates impact upon District operations; recommends and implements equipment, practice and procedural improvements.
• Selects, trains, motivates and evaluates assigned personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline and termination procedures.
• Oversees and participates in the development and administration of budgets; participates in the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials and supplies; monitors and approves expenditures; implements adjustments.
• Conducts a variety of organizational studies, investigations and operational studies; recommends modifications to financial planning programs, policies and procedures as appropriate.
• Manages financial and performance analyses; performs actuarial studies to estimate future impact of Public Employees Retirement System payments; advises senior management on budgetary impact of non-represented employee merit programs and other employee benefit programs and costs.
• Provides staff assistance to the Department Manager, Operating Budgets and Analysis.
• Manages financial aspects of inter-agency operating agreements between BART and other Transportation agencies (such as SamTrans and Valley Transportation Authority); including modeling, forecasting, billing, analysis and service planning.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Possession of a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Planning, Economics or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.

Experience: The equivalent of five (5) years of full-time professional verifiable financial planning or a closely related experience, which must have included at least two (2) years of supervisory experience.

Substitution: Additional professional experience as outlined above may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis. A college degree is preferred.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of:

• Principles of operating costs and revenues
• Principles and practices of financial analysis and planning
• Principles of asset management program
• Principles and practices of program development and administration
• Methods and techniques of statistical and economic analysis
• Methods and techniques of developing and analyzing computerized financial planning models
• Methods and techniques of market research and strategic planning
• Principles and practices of budget preparation and administration
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation
• Related Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations

Skill/Ability in:

• Overseeing and participating in the management of a comprehensive financial analysis program
• Selecting, supervising, training and evaluating staff
• Participating in the development and administration of division goals, objectives and procedures
• Negotiating agreements with transportation agencies
• Analyzing and identifying operational and workflow problems and recommendations
• Preparing and administering large program budgets
• Preparing clear and concise administrative and financial reports
• Analyzing problems, identifying alternative solutions, projecting consequences of proposed actions and implementing recommendations in support of goals
• Establishing and implementing financial agreements
• Prioritizing and balancing competing funding requests
• Researching, analyzing and evaluating new service delivery methods and techniques
• Interpreting and applying Federal, State and local policies, laws and regulations
• Communicating clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work

Success In This Role Requires

• Strong analytical, financial, and management analysis abilities
• Demonstrated ability to manage and administer complex, long-term agreements involving significant financial obligations
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to present complex financial and operational matters clearly to internal staff, executives, partner agencies, and elected boards
• Ability to coordinate effectively across multiple internal departments and external agencies under deadline pressure
• Sound independent judgment in managing competing priorities in a multi-stakeholder environment
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal staff, partner agency personnel, and regional stakeholders at all organizational levels

The most qualified candidate for this position will have highly developed competencies beyond the minimum qualifications in the following areas:

• Familiarity with BART's Operating & Maintenance (O&M) Agreement with VTA or experience with comparable long-term interagency operating agreements in the public transportation or public sector
• Knowledge of public agency financial planning, cost modeling, cost accounting, and audit response
• Experience with regional public transit finance, funding structures, and interagency coordination in California
• Familiarity with transit operations planning concepts and the relationship between service planning and financial cost drivers
• Track record of leading process improvement and methodology refinement in financial or analytical work
• Experience preparing and presenting analyses to executives, governing boards, or oversight bodies

Pay

Non-Rep Pay Band N09: $160,800.00/annually (minimum) - $243,612.00/annually (maximum). The negotiable salary offer will be between $160,800.00/annually - $203,136.67/annually, commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits

BART offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, paid time off, and the CalPERS retirement program.