Utility Rates and Capital Finance Manager

Thisposition is open to all qualified candidates

This is a critical role leading a high-functioning team through a period of unprecedented growth in capital costs under the constraints of affordability concerns in the region. The successful candidate can expect to lead exciting conversations with peers, Department and County leaders, and staff on strategy, best-practice, and innovation in capital financing including rate-setting.

About the Role

You will serve in a key Finance & Administration leadership role that reports to the Chief Financial Officer and collaborates with Finance unit managers and supervisors to ensure the suite of Finance services are provided with unified and coordinated excellence.

As with other managers and leaders across the Division, a strong relationship-building skillset is essential to success in this role. You will be called upon to make recommendations and decisions in a high-stakes environment, requiring sound judgment and exceptional communication skills. You will bring a resilient and mission-driven approach to lead and thrive through challenging seasons.

About the Team

This position is within WTD’s Finance and Administration (F&A) Section, which serves the essential role of ensuring that financial resources are in place to fund the Division’s priorities, and decision-making is well-informed regarding financial risk, optimization trade-offs, financial equity, and compliance. In managing WTD’s large portfolio of financial activities and processes, F&A performs numerous functions including rate-setting, budget development and oversight, capital finance, contracting, technology services, central service administration, accounting, audit and compliance, payroll, utility billing, and more. In F&A we value cultivating a culture where you are encouraged to challenge the status quo and offer new ideas while building and maintaining enduring relationships.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As an Utility Rates and Capital Finance Manager you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment athttp://www.kingcounty.gov/equityWhat you will be doing:

Leads a unit of high performing, strategy and analytics professionals who will look to you to bring both strong technical competencies and the leadership skillset that prioritizes building positive work culture, effective communication and listening, applying both empathy and accountability, supporting professional development through training and coaching, and exhibiting courage to address challenges in a timely and thoughtful way.

Collaborates with a team of finance unit managers covering functions that include budget development and oversight, procurement and contracting, accounting and audit, technology and administrative services, and utility billing. This role will collaborate with managers outside of F&A across the division on various topics, though works closely with the Capital Portfolio Planning and Analysis Manager who leads capital project prioritization in the Division’s Project Planning and Delivery Section.

Leads a Utility Financial Planning & Rates team that:

• Prepares all Division financial modeling and analysis
• Prepares all utility rate analyses including revenue requirements, cost of service analysis, and rate design
• Works with the Division Director’s Office staff to prepare rates and finance proposed legislation
• Prepares presentation materials and presents topics to various committees that represent the 34 agencies that contract for conveyance and treatment with King County
• Prepares ad hoc economic and financial analyses to support initiatives throughout the Division
• Leads various policy initiatives related to financial equity and household affordability in utility rate setting, including assessing household impact, regional impact, and various mitigation approaches, i.e. customer assistance programs
• Acts as project manager to collaborate with consultant resources to supplement expertise and team capacity
• Partners with the Portfolio Planning & Analysis Unit Manager to ensure capital project prioritization is closely coordinated with financial planning and capital finance strategies.

Leads a Debt Management team that:

• Manages a debt portfolio of $3.6 billion, including optimization activities, variable rate debt, and a commercial paper interim financing program.
• Leads financing activities for a capital program projected to fund and finance over $14 billion in the coming decade
• Leads a team to identify capital project candidates and apply for subsidized loan opportunities with the State Revolving Fund, Public Works Board, and EPA Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
• Researches opportunities to expand the utility’s access to new or innovative funding sources or approaches
• Collaborates with the County’s central debt management team, financial advisor, and bond counsel on debt strategy and transactions
• Works with the Division’s accounting team and the County’s financial advisor to prepare the Official Statement for bond transactions
• Prepares rating agency presentations
• Serves on the County debt team

Qualifications you bring:

• Supervisory or people leader experience
• Experience with rate setting and/or utility financial planning
• Experience with infrastructure debt financing
• Experience with large governmental agencies
• Experience presenting to external audiences
  

Competencies you bring:

Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions
Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward
Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives
Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences

It would be great if you also bring:

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in related field including finance, economics, business administration, or public administration. Experience with wastewater utilities.
Working Conditions:

• Work Location: The communications team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs. The primary onsite location is the collaboration space at King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• Work Schedule:This full-time position works a 40-hour work week.This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible
• Union Representation:This position is represented by Local 117 WTD

Application and Selection Process:

We welcome applications from all internal King County employees. We value diversity, diverse perspectives, and life experience, and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness, and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact:For more information regarding this recruitment, please contactDan Sherman atdasherman@kingcounty.gov

Discover More About the Wastewater Treatment Division: Visit our website and check us out at Facebook(formerly Twitter),Instagram,YouTube, and theWTD Blog.

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Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference?Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "TrueNorth", weare making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.