Assistant Director, Financial Transparency

Do you want to support GFOA members and the public finance profession by strengthening transparency, accountability, and excellence in government financial reporting?

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) is recruiting an Assistant Director, Financial Transparency to lead and modernize GFOA’s award programs for excellence in financial reporting. This position plays a pivotal role in advancing GFOA’s mission by promoting high-quality financial reporting practices, aligning programs with evolving member needs and professional standards, and ensuring that GFOA’s awards continue to reflect innovation, integrity, and impact across state and local governments.

The Assistant Director, Financial Transparency will be primarily remote but must be available for quarterly in-person meetings in GFOA’s Chicago office, the annual conference, and other organizational gatherings as needed.

GFOA offers a generous benefits package, including a retirement match program, health insurance, dental, and vision. Our organization is committed to fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and trust. GFOA values the strength that diversity of all kinds brings to the workplace. GFOA is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Duties Will Include but Are Not Limited To:

Program Modernization and Strategic Alignment  

• Drive continuous improvement of awards program by understanding member needs, the evolving reporting landscape, and current changes to accounting principles.  
• Act as a change agent by leveraging technology and identifying and implementing innovative practices that elevate program relevance and effectiveness and streamline workflows

Workload Management  and Technical Support

• Ensure  tasks are allocated strategically among reviewer team members to optimize efficiency and productivity and to meet deadlines and deliver high-quality program services.  
• Facilitate effective communication and problem resolution between GFOA and vendors supporting award program systems.

Budget Management  

• Develop and oversee operating budgets for award programs, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.  
• Monitor expenditures and maintain fiscal responsibility to achieve program objectives within budget constraints.  

Program Evaluation and Improvement  

• Monitor trends in financial reporting and use GFOA programs to promote high quality and timely financial reporting. 
• Establish and track measurable goals for award programs, regularly evaluating their effectiveness. 
• Identify opportunities for enhancement and implement improvements to sustain program excellence.  

Process Efficiency  

• Introduce innovative solutions to improve processes and elevate member satisfaction.  

Member and Volunteer Engagement  

• Create clear and engaging materials to guide members through award program requirements and application processes.  
• Strengthen member understanding and participation through effective communication strategies.  
• Assess and oversee the engagement of volunteers to ensure their involvement aligns with organizational goals and represents an effective use of resources. 

Team Supervision and Development  

• Design and implement a staff development program to ensure a strong talent pipeline, succession planning, and professional growth and development.
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement and support team members in achieving their potential.  

Requirements:

The Assistant Director, Financial Transparency will be a strategic, member-focused leader who brings a passion for innovation, program excellence, and government transparency.

Qualifications

• Leadership: Proven success managing professional and administrative teams, with a focus on strategic change and innovation.  
• Project Management: Effective coordination of complex processes involving multiple stakeholders.  
• Communication: Strong written and oral communication skills; teaching and presentation experience is a plus.  
• Technical Proficiency: Ability to manage and leverage software platforms used by the award programs.  
• Public Finance Knowledge: Familiarity with accounting, auditing, and financial reporting for state and local governments or equivalent transferable experience.  
• Collaboration: Exceptional team-building skills to work effectively across departments and with external partners.  

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to occasionally move about the office or workspace and operate a computer and other office equipment. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

 Starting Salary Range

The starting salary range for this role is $165,000 to $185,000. This range applies only at the time of hire. The role offers future salary growth potential beyond the starting range. 

About GFOA

Established in 1906, GFOA is dedicated to advancing excellence in state and local government financial management to help build thriving communities. Our 27,000+ members across the United States and Canada rely on GFOA to provide timely information, practical educational opportunities, high-quality publications, and current best practices.