BUDGET DIRECTOR TOWN OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT - EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDED BY - Strategic ...
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BUDGET DIRECTOR
TOWN OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT
EXECUTIVE SEARCH
PROVIDED BY
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut
THE COMMUNITY
Charming doesn’t begin to describe Fairfield, in its history, striking a perfect balance between
Connecticut, a 31.3 square-mile town with five small-town New England charm and large city
miles of shoreline on the Long Island Sound. culture and sophistication.
Fairfield is a top community in the Northeast,
filled with beautiful beaches and marinas, serene There are five town beaches along the Fairfield
parks and open space, and tons of shopping, shoreline, offering everything from swimming
fine dining, and entertainment — all within 50 and relaxing to grilling and bonfires. For fun in
miles of New York City. This Town has 61,000 the water, head to Lake Mohegan, which has
residents but still manages to preserve a quaint, hiking trails and a sprinkler park for children,
small-town feeling with diverse neighborhoods, and two marinas that provide opportunities for
top-notch schools, and amazing opportunities boating and kayaking. Fairfield residents can
for fun and leisure. also enjoy the outdoors on one of the Town’s
many golf courses. There are three private
Fairfield was founded in 1639 by the English country clubs and two public golf courses, which
Puritan leader Roger Ludlow, who was drawn to vary from a 9-hole course to a course that hosts
the area’s beauty and the “land of fair fields” PGA championship tournaments.
cultivated by Native American farmers. By
the early 19th century, Fairfield had begun its Arts and entertainment options abound in
rich history as a place of business. Black Rock bustling Fairfield, including the Dogwood
and neighboring Southport were important Festival, the Ogden House and Garden, the
harbors and welcome stops for sea captains Fairfield Museum and History Center, and
and merchants, and the locally grown Globe shows at the Quick Center for the Arts and the
Onion later became a major cash crop, carried Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts.
by ship and rail to New York and beyond.
Fairfield’s economy continued to grow as The Town is part of Fairfield County, population
family-owned businesses — such as Pepperidge 943,823, and is located near Interstate I-95,
Farm and Bigelow Tea — flourished, and major Route 8, and the MetroNorth Railroad. Fairfield’s
manufacturers and corporations began to call economy continues to enjoy strong growth with
Fairfield home. Today, Fairfield remains rooted low commercial vacancy rates and continued
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director 2
THE COMMUNITY continued MAJOR EMPLOYERS
building permit activity. Commercial values grew by 27% this past
R.C. Bigelow
year and represent 13.2% of the Town’s $10.7B grand list.
Fairfield was recognized by Money Magazine as one of the best Pepperidge Farm
places to live in the United States. Yankee Institute for Public
Policy identified the Town as Connecticut’s Most Business- Sturm, Ruger & Co.
Friendly Town and Safewise selected Fairfield as One of America’s
Safest College Towns. Fairfield’s public schools have consistently Fairfield University,
ranked among the best school districts in the State, earning an A+ with 5,000 students
rating and a #12 ranking from Niche.com. The Town has a median
household income of $127,746 and an average home value of Sacred Heart University,
$666,210. New England’s second-largest
Roman Catholic university.
RECENT PROJECTS COMPLETED INCLUDE:
• Alto Fairfield, a 202,000 sf mixed-use development with
160 apartments, 22,000 sf of retail, and a 48-vehicle
parking structure
• The Anchorage, a three-story, 90-unit luxury apartment
building near downtown
• A 38,000 sf medical office building occupied by
Yale New Haven Health
• Revitalization of the downtown Historic Community
Theater as a new 500-seat performing arts venue
operated by Sacred Heart University
NEW PROJECTS UNDERWAY INCLUDE:
• A $70 million, 4,000-seat hockey arena on the campus of
Sacred Heart University to be completed 4Q 2022
• A $50+ million, 3,500-seat basketball arena and
convocation center to replace Fairfield University’s Alumni
Hall to be completed 3Q 2022
• Crossings at Fairfield Metro Center, a mixed-use, transit-
oriented development including 357 residential units, a
116-key hotel, and ancillary office and retail space
• A 148-unit, age-restricted, independent living residential
development to be operated by Jewish Senior Services
3 Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director
GOVERNANCE AND ORGANIZATION
The Town of Fairfield operates under a Representative Town Meeting (RTM) form of government. There are 10 voting
districts with four representatives elected per district every two years. The administration of Town affairs is managed
by the three-member Board of Selectman. Elections are held every four years. The First Selectwoman is the Town’s
chief administrative officer and highest elected official, a position held by Brenda Kupchick since 2019. She previously
served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 132nd district from 2011-2019.
There are more than 400 elected and appointed Town officials and board members, the vast majority of which are
volunteers. A variety of elected and appointed boards meet regularly to make rules and decisions that govern Town
departments. Boards also direct responsibilities such as beach, dump, and parking fees; placement of road signs; how
land, water, and facilities can be utilized; and what programs will be enacted.
Fairfield earned statewide recognition for its sustainability initiatives and practices by Sustainable CT. The Town was
also recognized as Exhibiting Best Practices in Economic Development and Land Use Planning by the Connecticut
Economic Development Association, and it received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
from the Government Finance Officers Association.
The Town has 475 full-time employees and 200 part-time/seasonal employees, with an FY 2021 budget of $317
million and a mil rate of 26.79 per $1,000 of assessed value.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Finance Department is to maintain the Town’s overall financial stability
through sound financial planning and management. We are committed to the highest standards
of accountability, accuracy, timeliness, and professionalism in providing financial services that not
only meet but exceed the expectations of those we serve.
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director 4
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The Finance Department is entrusted with financial planning along with continually reviewing present and future
operations and capital improvement programs of Town government in order to provide timely and accurate
information on which decisions can be made and which services provided. The Finance Department also prepares
official statements for bond and note issues.
Other responsibilities of the Finance Department include:
• Budget – Develop a budget for the executive and legislative branches of government
which provides a format that is concise, informative, and adaptable to decision-making.
• Treasury Management – Receive, record, deposit, and report on a timely basis all monies
collected by the Town and achieve the maximum investment of temporarily idle funds.
• Accounting – Ensure that all items recorded in the financial records of the Town are legal,
properly classified, and accurate; and that all financial reports are timely, meaningful, and in
accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
• Internal Auditing – Provide safeguards and information to Town Officers, Department Heads,
Boards, Commissions, and others to properly carry out their responsibilities for Town
property and funds. Ensure adequate records of all financial transactions are maintained,
audit all money received by the Town, and carry out performance audits as needed.
The Town of Fairfield’s fiscal years run from July 1 through June 30. The Department’s FY 22 budget is $991,286.
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director 5
ABOUT THE POSITION
The Budget Director plays a key role in the Finance Department, performing
and developing highly complex financial, budgetary, and reconciliation
analyses, and is responsible for coordination and development of the
Town’s operating budget. The Director also performs bank reconciliation
and other account reconciliation functions, researches and analyzes financial
data for accuracy and integrity, assists with grant administration and the
Town’s debt management program, and prepares and files the annual census
of financial data with the federal government.
This position is responsible for compiling and coordinating financial data
under the general supervision of the Chief Fiscal Officer and/or Controller.
The Budget Director also prepares highly complex and extensive financial,
statistical, and narrative reports for budget and financial reporting
purposes, some of which may be of a confidential nature; develops complex
spreadsheets and various schedules, charts and tables of financial and budget
information; and assists in the annual audit process and the preparation of
the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
The Budget Director evaluates and streamlines processes for efficiencies and
improvements to internal controls.
Essential functions include:
• Assists with the administration and reporting of the Town’s debt
management program, preparation of the Official Statement, and
adherence to Secondary Market disclosure and IRS compliance
requirements
• Assists with grant administration
• Maintains accounting records, reconciles to third party administrator,
as applicable, and prepares financial reports for Internal Service,
Pension and Other Post Employment Benefit (OPEB) Trust Funds
• Analyzes and coordinates reporting for Self-Insurance Reserve fund
with health care providers
• Develops and maintains a comprehensive five-year financial plan for
the Town
• Reports all town expenses for ED 001 reporting
• Attends all required meetings, including evening Board of Finance and
RTM meetings
• Provides back up for the Controller and Accounting activities as needed
• Continues training and professional development to keep current with
trends
6 Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director
IDEAL CANDIDATE
The Town of Fairfield seeks a qualified, innovative candidate with a collaborative
management style who will engage and support employees through teamwork and
motivation. Candidates considered most qualified for this role will have experience
with and knowledge of the technical and legal aspects of municipal budgeting and
financial administrative operations.
The next Budget Director will have sufficient experience to confidently deliver robust
financial data through well-organized presentations, along with the skills to “tell the
story” as it relates to the whole of the organization and its budget. This person will
have experience with MUNIS and relational automated accounting software solutions
and platforms. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and
presentation skills, as well as an approachable and friendly personality with honed
people skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships with officials,
employees, and the public.
Additional qualities of the ideal candidate include:
• Advanced knowledge of governmental accounting principles
and standards (GASB) as well as internal controls
• Skills and experience with budget analysis, data analytics,
performance trending, statistical reporting, and forecasting
• The ability to discern when situations, conversations, and
reports requiring confidentiality
• A tactful, poised, and calm demeanor that thrives under the external
and internal organizational pressures unique to public sector entities
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director 7
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
The minimum qualifications for this position are a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or a closely related
field and two (2) years of experience, OR an Associate Degree in Finance, Accounting or a related field and five (5)
year of experience in Finance, Bookkeeping, Accounting or related field. An equivalent combination of appropriate
education and/or experience will be considered when deemed sufficient to perform the duties of the position. A
background in accounting or finance is highly preferred.
The selected candidate should have experience in creating, preparing, and presenting complex spreadsheets, charts,
and financial reports through strong Microsoft Office skills including advanced Excel, intermediate PowerPoint, and
Word.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The salary range for this position ranges is $85,969-$119,602 in accordance with the CBA. The Town of Fairfield
offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage; generous paid leave; and a
retirement plan with a defined contribution and a 5% employer match.
This position is represented by the Fairfield Professional and Technical Employee Association. The CBA between the
Town of Fairfield and the Association sets forth specific negotiated terms and conditions of employment, including
salary and benefit information. View the Contract.
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director 8
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please apply online: http://bit.ly/SGROpenRecruitments
First Review of Applications: August 31, 2021
For more information on this position contact:
Patti Dwyer, Senior Vice President
PattiDwyer@GovernmentResource.com
914-774-0849
The Town of Fairfield government is committed to creating a diverse and fully inclusive workplace that strengthens
our organization and enhances our ability to adapt to change. We are committed to inclusion through diversity.
The Town of Fairfield is an Equal Opportunity employer. Minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities,
and people of all gender identities are encouraged to apply.
All applicants selected as finalists for this position will be subject to a comprehensive background check, including a
credit report.
RESOURCES FOLLOW US
Town of Fairfield
fairfieldct.org
Fairfield Economic Development
choosefairfieldct.com
Fairfield Office of Community
experiencefairfieldct.org
Fairfield Chamber of Commerce
fairfieldctchamber.com
Fairfield Finance Department
fairfieldct.org/finance
Town of Fairfield, Connecticut - Budget Director 9
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