Chief Financial Officer, Health Services

Position Information
The County of Sonoma's Department of Health Services seeks a Chief Financial Officer to join their team
Starting salary up to $77.01/hour ($160,729/year) and a competitive total compensation package*
Protecting Health, Promoting Health, Achieving Health

View our recruitment brochure here. (Download PDF reader)
About the County

Sonoma County, located just 45 miles north of San Francisco, offers an enticing blend of scenic beauty, vibrant communities, and a high quality of life. With its Mediterranean climate, the County features picturesque landscapes from coastal areas and forests to rolling vineyards and valleys. Home to over 400 wineries, it's a key part of California's Wine Country, complemented by a thriving agricultural scene with organic farms and artisanal foods. Residents enjoy a rich cultural life with art galleries, music festivals, and theatres, alongside ample outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and kayaking in local parks. Major towns like Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and Healdsburg each bring unique charm and amenities. Excellent schools, including Sonoma State University, robust transportation options and strong environmental initiatives further enhance its appeal. For those seeking a balanced lifestyle with access to nature, culture, and a supportive community, Sonoma County is an ideal choice.

The County of Sonoma Department of Health Services

The County of Sonoma's Department of Health Services is dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of Sonoma County residents. DHS consists of four divisions: Administration, Behavioral Health, Homelessness, and Public Health, and provides a wide range of services including public health programs, behavioral health services, and environmental health initiatives. Key functions include disease prevention, health education, emergency preparedness, and support for mental health and substance use disorders. The department also ensures the safety of food, water, and the environment. Through these comprehensive services, DHS aims to enhance community health, prevent illness, and improve access to healthcare for all residents.

The Position

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of one of Sonoma County's largest departments is a crucial leadership role responsible for comprehensive administrative oversight. Reporting to the Assistant Director of Health Services, this position involves developing long-term financial strategies, managing a complex budget exceeding $345 million, and providing critical internal consultation on fiscal and programmatic issues. The CFO leads a diverse team of approximately 50 staff members, ensuring operational efficiency and regulatory compliance while fostering a culture of accountability and excellence. Key responsibilities include financial strategy development, internal consultation, policy and program development, and operational oversight. The CFO engages with key stakeholders, including the Board of Supervisors and other County departments, to drive organizational success in a region renowned for its natural beauty and exceptional quality of life.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate for the CFO is a strategic and seasoned leader with a strong background in financial management, organizational development, and public sector operations. They will have extensive experience in budgeting, financial planning, and fiscal analysis, with a proven track record of managing large, multifaceted budgets and diverse funding sources. The candidate should possess excellent leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to inspire and develop a diverse team of staff members.

The ideal candidate will have a thorough knowledge of modern budget principles, contract management, program and systems management, and operations and functions of county government. They will be well-versed in laws, regulations, funding sources, and reimbursement mechanisms governing state and federal programs. Expertise in supervision and management, including work planning, employee evaluation, training, and development, as well as, report writing, and basic statistics is essential.

Personal attributes include a strong ethical standard and commitment to transparency and accountability in financial management, along with the ability to establish and maintain trust with team members, senior officials, and the public. The ideal candidate will be a creative problem-solver, open-minded and adaptable, with a passion for public service and a dedication to enhancing service delivery and community outcomes through the effective use of public funds and resources.

Key Attributes

• Financial Acumen: Expertise in government accounting, financial strategy, and complex budget management
• Strategic Leadership: Ability to develop and implement long-term financial plans, present to senior officials, and leverage multiple funding streams
• Operational Management: Proficiency in overseeing operational services such as billing and claiming and internal audits
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (EFS, PeopleSoft, Hyperion, QuickBase) and Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, especially SmartCare
• Inspirational Leadership: Motivates and supports staff, fostering a positive and inclusive work culture
• Communication and Collaboration: Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Chief Financial Officer position in the Department of Health Services. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. The Civil Service Title for this position is Department Administrative Services Director.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Normally, four years of progressively responsible experience in a professional, administrative, fiscal or human resources staff position, including at least one year of experience supervising professional, administrative or technical staff would provide such an opportunity.
Education: Academic coursework which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, coursework in public administration, business administration, management, accounting, statistics, human resources or closely related courses would provide such an opportunity. Possession of a Bachelor's Degree in business or public administration, management, accounting is highly desirable. Possession of a Masters Degree in the above mentioned fields is helpful.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Thorough knowledge of: principles and practices relating to modern budget, contract, program and systems management; the operations and functions of county government, including principles and practices of administration; the laws, regulations, sources of funds, funding formula and reimbursement claims mechanisms governing State and Federal programs; the principles and methods of supervision and management, including work planning, analysis, and organization; selection and evaluation of employees, and their training and development; research methodology, report writing and basic statistics, and their application; management practices and techniques utilized to develop, control and evaluate services; financial planning as relevant to financing capital projects, major fixed assets and public sector services.

Considerable knowledge of: contract preparation, negotiations and administration; the search techniques utilized in securing information about regulations and legislation; the capabilities and standard application of office automation to staff and administrative functions.

Working knowledge of: group dynamics as it relates to public organizations; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.

Ability to: develop alternative solutions to administrative and management problems and situations, including budgets, human resources issues, program systems and procedures; prepare and supervise the preparation of budgets, grant applications, service contracts and complex narrative or statistical reports; determine opportunities for improvement in fiscal and service delivery methods; plan and organize research and statistical work relating to the various aspects of administration, budget and general management issues; understand, interpret and apply rules, regulations, ordinances, and federal, state and local legislation; effectively communicate orally and in writing, and present conclusions before a variety of boards, commissions, groups, other agencies and businesses and the public; effectively plan, organize, supervise, and evaluate the work of professional, technical and office support staff directly or through subordinate supervisors; establish and maintain effective working relationships with county management personnel, employees, and the public in carrying out sound management policies; perform data collection, interpretation and evaluation pertaining to administrative, fiscal and management matters; persuade, rationalize, and project consequences of decisions and/or recommendations; develop and supervise complex record keeping and reporting systems.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.
The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax , email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: BH
HR Technician: RR

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