Principal Financial Analyst

Job Description:

Principal Financial Analyst

Description

Job Summary

TITLE: Principal Financial Analyst

SRN U14: $10,041 - $13,710 Monthly, Exempt

Bargaining Unit: Non-Represented/At-Will/Confidential

Department: Finance

Division: Budget and Finance

Reporting Relationship:

Reports to: Receives direction from the Finance Manager.

Supervises the following positions: Exercises direct supervision over technical and administrative staff.

Promotional opportunity procedures will include the following: Review of minimum qualifications Review of personnel file, including but not limited: attendance history, disciplinary history, and performance evaluations Testing/ Assessments Oral Interview(s)

DEFINITION Under general direction, performs a variety of highly confidential, complex and sensitive professional financial, budgetary, grant, and debt-related analytical activities in support of the District’s Finance programs. Work may include long-term financial planning, utility rate development, financial reporting, budget preparation, statistical analysis, grant administration, grant/loan applications, and management of State Revolving Fund and other low-interest loan programs. Duties require a high degree of independent judgment, specialized technical knowledge, and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information. May also provide technical or administrative supervision to finance staff. Performs related work as assigned.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS This confidential advanced-level classification provides professional support relative to highly technical and/or sensitive projects and programs. Incumbents’ functions as deep subject matter experts and manages a large program and/or multiple projects having significant impact on the District and other entities; Employee is responsible for planning, organizing, and providing high level technical support to management, and development of policies and procedures. Individuals are expected to exercise considerable initiative and independent judgement in the day-to-day performance of their work and must demonstrate highly refined interpersonal skills to address sensitive and/or confidential financial issues in areas of expertise; perform related work as required.

Essential Functions

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Manage and coordinate moderately to highly complex programs, services, and special projects; contribute to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Represent the District in professional meetings; maintain awareness of new trends and developments in finance, business administration, and public administration, incorporating new practices as appropriate.
• Participates in short and long range financial planning and rate setting; develops long-range financial forecasts, cash flow analysis and analysis of capital development and financing alternatives; conducts appropriate research; prepares forecasts of changes; participates in the District’s strategic planning effort.
• Supervises the work of assigned staff for specific assignments; provides complex technical assistance, training, and staff support to District staff including answering questions on the use of or problems with the financial reporting and customer billing software or report writers; coordinates with internal staff and software support company to resolve problems with financial software; works on interaction between the financial and customer billing software; creates reports for Finance Department and other departments using financial reporting software or report writers.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings with other agencies and community stakeholders.
• Establishes and maintains contact and working relationships with all District departments, local, state, and federal agencies, and other work-related entities for acquisition of necessary information, and/or for the implementation of cooperative programs and activities.
• Observes and complies with District and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Performs related duties as required.

When Assigned to Budget and Debt:

• Assumes full responsibility for the preparation of the District-wide budget, capital improvement program and related documents; performs analyses of requests and proposals and meets with department directors to evaluate justifications; creates and maintains computer files to combine all information into presentable format; ensures all components balance and reviews entries by department for accuracy and reasonableness; reviews and approves Board Agenda items for fiscal impact; meets with each department manager to justify budget requests; prepares draft budget for management team review; incorporates changes and issues subsequent drafts to the management team, Finance Committee, and Board; incorporates final changes and prepares final budget for publishing.
• Prepares projections of revenues, budget estimates and supporting schedules; monitors and reports variances on budget and revenue account status; conducts expenditure analysis; analyzes cost accounting data and prepares reports; compiles special reports for budget tracking and reporting.
• Assumes full responsibility for debt service payments, disclosure reporting requirements for external agencies and audits, and debt administration compliance.
• Assists with structuring debt transactions, evaluating debt issuances, and reviewing official statements in conjunction with bond counsel.
• Conduct complex research on District operations; evaluate practices and procedures; prepare staff/Board reports; perform ROI and cost-benefit analyses; and develop SOPs to implement approved changes.
• Assists in preparing water, wastewater, irrigation and groundwater replenishment utility rates; applies knowledge of ratemaking, budgeting, and accounting concepts, practices, and procedures to conduct research and analysis to support sound decision making and ensure appropriate public disclosure and accountability; participates in modeling alternative rate designs to meet revenue requirements; assesses impacts of alternative designs on consumers, consumption, and conservation patterns.
• Prepare/assess monthly and quarterly financial reports; support year-end close and annual reporting; produce key indicators and variance reports; complete monthly reconciliations for cost-share agreements; and analyze the District’s financial position.
• Assists with labor negotiations as needed; prepares statistical analysis and varying costing scenarios during negotiations.
• Participates in the State Water Project Finance Committee conference calls and is responsible for monitoring financial impacts and communicating long-term financial obligations to management.

When Assigned to Grants and Loans:

• Oversees and coordinates the legal and administrative review of grant agreements, amendments, and compliance-related documentation, ensuring alignment with federal, state, and local regulations as well as agency policies.
• Directs and signs off on the annual Single Audit of federal awards, including oversight of the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA).
• Develop training, SOPs, and internal control documentation to ensure consistent, compliant grant administration.
• Review and approve grant reimbursement requests, financial reports, and support documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance prior to executive authorization.
• Evaluate and recommend grant-related policy and procedural improvements that strengthen internal controls and reporting accuracy and improve efficiency.
• Lead grant identification; research funding opportunities; coordinate multi-department/agency grant and loan applications.
• Supervise day-to-day administration of federal/state grants, external loans, and low-interest loans; chair the Grant Committee; track/update status and provide regular updates.
• Oversee tracking, reporting, payment, reimbursement, and compliance requirements for awards; coordinate with subrecipients to obtain documentation.
• Review project costs for allowability to support reimbursement requests.

Please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cvwd/classspecs for the full job description.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education : Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in finance, accounting, or a closely related field.

Experience : Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience performing complex financial, statistical and budgetary analysis/rate setting, or grant related accounting duties including experience with a full grant cycle in a governmental agency or public utility.

Licenses and Certifications:
Possession of a valid California Driver’s License, to be maintained throughout employment.

Knowledge of:

• Services and activities of the District including utility operations, services, activities and their funding strategies.
• Advanced principles and techniques utilized in cost/benefit analysis.
• Principles and practices of grant, loan, and contract administration.
• Advanced financial forecasting principles and practices including those used in the development of short- and long-range financial plans.
• Principles and practices of public administration, municipal finance, grants, loans, accounting and budget.
• Advanced methods and techniques of effective technical administrative and complex financial data collection, research and report preparation and presentation.
• Methods and techniques of researching and sourcing grant funding opportunities.
• Principles and practices of public administration, municipal finance accounting and budget.
• Principles of providing functional direction and training.
• Organizational and management practices as applied to the development, analysis and evaluation of programs, policies and operational needs related to area of assignment.
• Principles and practices of contract negotiation, preparation, and monitoring.
• Principles and applications of critical thinking and analysis.
• Recent and on-going developments, current literature, and sources of information related to the operations of the assigned programs.
• Record-keeping principles and procedures.
• District and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and District staff.
• Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Ability to:

• Oversee and participate in the management of the assigned projects and operations of the District.
• Develop knowledge and skills to facilitate assuming responsibility and accountability for managing and coordinating projects of an increasingly complex and difficult nature.
• Exercise considerable latitude in various situations including when selecting project approach and analytical techniques.
• Exercise initiative and independent judgment in sensitive situations.
• Demonstrate a high level of independent problem solving.
• Investigate problems and recommend and negotiate solutions.
• Plan, direct, and review the work of staff on a project basis.
• Understand the organization and operation of the District and of outside agencies as necessary to perform assigned responsibilities.
• Understand, interpret, and apply administrative and office policies and procedures as well as pertinent laws, regulations, and ordinances.
• Perform responsible professional duties in support of the District’s financial services program involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
• Participate in and perform various studies and analyses.
• Manage assigned projects.
• Collect, analyze, evaluate, and interpret complex information and data including complex financial data.
• Understand complex accounting and auditing principles and concepts.
• Forecast revenues for the preparation of long and short range financial plans and budget documents.
• Research, source and apply for grant funding including narrative related to fiscal management of grant funding.
• Effectively administer a variety of grant funds in conjunction with department management.
• Collaborate with internal departments and external organizations to apply and administer grants.
• Read, analyze, and interpret complex financial reports.
• Prepare a variety of clear and concise administrative and financial reports.
• Perform cost/benefit financial analysis.
• Interpret computer-generated data and reports.
• Prepare large and complex budgets.
• Interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, and project consequences of proposed actions.
• Assist in the development of department goals and objectives.
• Review and analyze technical documents and proposals.

The Coachella Valley Water District provides a comprehensive, balanced, and competitive benefits package ensuring employees have many options to meet their healthcare, wellness and/or retirement savings goals. Providing employees with flexibility and support for all the different stages of life. Employees may pay some portion of their benefit premium costs based on the provisions of their labor-negotiated Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's) and the level of coverage they select. Additional information regarding CVWD employee benefits is available at https://www.cvwd.org/176/Benefits .

Closing Date/Time: 5/10/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$10,041.00 - $13,710.00 Monthly