Director Jobs in Ladera Ranch, CA (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $208,916.45 - $253,939.50 Annually
Location : Fountain Valley, CA, CA
Job Type: Exempt FLSA
Job Number: 2026-35
Department: Finance
Opening Date: 08/11/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Description
Lead with Integrity.
Drive Financial Excellence.
Shape the Future of Fountain Valley.
Click Here to Learn About the City of Fountain Valley
First Application Review Date: September 3, 2026
Great communities don't happen by chance - they're built on thoughtful leadership, sound financial stewardship, and a commitment to public service. The City of Fountain Valley is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and forward-thinking Finance Director to join our Executive Management Team. Reporting directly to the City Manager, this is a unique opportunity to help guide the strategic direction of an award-winning organization while overseeing the financial operations that keep our City strong, stable, and prepared for the future.
This is more than a finance position. It is an opportunity to influence policy, partner with executive leadership, advise elected officials, and lead an exceptional team dedicated to serving a community of nearly 60,000 residents.
WHY FOUNTAIN VALLEY?
Known as "A Nice Place to Live," Fountain Valley is a financially sound, full-service city nestled in the heart of Orange County, California. The City of Fountain Valley is only a few miles from the beach with a variety of premier restaurants, entertainment venues, shopping centers, and Disneyland within a 15-mile radius of the City. The City is recognized for its outstanding quality of life, beautiful parks, excellent public safety services, and strong sense of community. Our organization values innovation, transparency, and customer service. We empower leaders who are willing to think strategically, build relationships, solve complex challenges, and continuously improve how we serve our residents and businesses.
THE OPPORTUNITY
As Finance Director, you will serve as one of the City's key executive leaders, providing strategic financial leadership across the organization and helping position Fountain Valley for continued fiscal strength and long-term sustainability. This is an especially exciting time to join the City. Fountain Valley is investing in its future through significant capital improvement projects, including the development of a new fire station. The Finance Director will play a critical leadership role in evaluating financing strategies, developing long-term financial plans, and helping the City successfully navigate the complexities of funding major capital investments.
The ideal candidate will bring demonstrated experience with municipal debt financing and the issuance of bonds to support capital improvement projects. The ability to evaluate financing alternatives, work effectively with financial advisors and bond professionals, communicate complex financial concepts to decision-makers, and ensure that debt strategies align with the City's long-term financial objectives will be highly valued.
You'll oversee a talented department of twelve professionals, including an Accounting Manager and Finance Manager, while guiding every aspect of the City's financial operations, including:

• Financial planning and financial strategy
• Budget development and administration
• Accounting and financial reporting
• Payroll administration
• Purchasing and procurement
• Revenue collection and utility billing
• Annual audits and internal controls
• Business licensing
• Investment and cash management
• Financial policy development and implementation

Beyond technical expertise, the Finance Director will serve as a trusted advisor to the City Manager, City Council, executive leadership team, finance committees, advisory bodies, and community stakeholders. Success in this role will depend not only on financial acumen, but on the ability to build trust, foster transparency, and develop strong working relationships with people who have diverse perspectives and interests.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:
We're seeking a leader who combines financial expertise with exceptional interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate is:

• A strategic thinker who sees the big picture while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
• An approachable and collaborative leader who builds trust throughout the organization.
• An innovative problem solver who embraces continuous improvement and modern business practices.
• A confident communicator who can translate complex financial information into meaningful guidance for diverse audiences.
• A mentor who develops employees, builds high-performing teams, and promotes accountability through positive leadership.
• A professional with unquestioned integrity, sound judgment, and a commitment to ethical public service

The successful candidate understands that finance is more than balancing budgets - it's about enabling great government. If you're an experienced municipal finance professional who enjoys strategic leadership, values collaboration, and is excited by the opportunity to make a lasting difference, we encourage you to apply.
EXCELLENT BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• 4/10 schedule (off Fridays)
• CalPERS retirement (2%@60 for Classic or 2%@62 for PEPRA)
• Choice of CalPERS medical HMO and PPO plans. Choice of DHMO or DPPO dental plans. Medical and dental premiums for employee and eligible dependents are paid by the City.
• Other benefits include $100,000 life insurance policy (mandatory), vision and optional AFLAC insurance.
• Matching deferred compensation 457(b) or 401(a) contribution up to $500 per month.
• City-paid long-term disability insurance
• Generous leave accruals, including 108 hours for administrative leave (prorated upon hire)
• Annual wellness/fitness reimbursement of $500 per fiscal year
• Retiree Health Savings Account: Mandatory 2% employee contribution
• 11 paid holidays, including one floating holiday
• Tuition reimbursement

Job Overview
Please click on the following link to access the full classification specification, including required knowledge, skills and abilities, physical tasks and environmental conditions: Finance Director
Qualification Guidelines
EDUCATION:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in finance, accounting, business, public administration, or a related field. A master's degree in a related field is highly desirable.
EXPERIENCE:
At least seven (7) years of increasingly responsible professional experience in governmental finance including at least four (4) years in a management/supervisory capacity. Previous experience developing and administering a City-wide budget is highly desirable.
CERTIFICATION:
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure is highly desirable.
Recruitment Information
To be considered for this excellent opportunity, please complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Please also attach a cover letter addressed to the City Manager. The cover letter should provide an opportunity for candidates to introduce themselves beyond the application and highlight the experience, leadership qualities, and perspective they would bring to the role. Candidates are encouraged to address their experience with municipal finance, strategic financial planning, capital improvement projects and bond financing, collaboration with finance or advisory committees, and building trust with elected officials, executive leadership, employees, and community stakeholders. Applications submitted without a cover letter addressed to the City Manager may not be considered.
Please ensure that all required documents are attached to the application. After documents are scanned and saved as a file on your computer, click on the "Add Attachments" link in the Job Application step of the employment application in order to upload the files. Documents must be entirely legible. Faxes, postmarks and hand delivery will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application and/or supplemental questionnaire. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete your application and consider having your profile created and/or updated before applying for the position. Once your application has been successfully submitted, you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. If you require technical assistance, please review the Government Jobs or contact their toll-free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by the internet connection, computer, or browser used to submit the application.
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RECRUITMENT SHOULD BE SENT TO HR MANAGER TAMARYN ROBERTS at
SELECTION PROCESS:
The selection process will include an application and cover letter review, as well as a panel interview. The employment application and supplemental questions will be evaluated based on the employment standards and minimum qualifications listed above.
IMPORTANT RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:
All employment offers made by the City are contingent upon establishing proof of a prospective candidate's legal authorization to work in the United States and successfully completing all components of the pre-employment process which may include but is not limited to: reference checks, background investigation, credit check, California Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal history check (Live Scan fingerprinting), and pre-employment medical examination.
The City of Fountain Valley is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. Candidates with a disability who may need accommodations during the selection process must notify the Human Resources Department at least 72 hours in advance of the test date.
Administrative Officers: The classification, compensation, and terms and conditions of employment for this classification are established in City
Flexible Work Schedules: Administrative Officers are offered a flexible work schedule (4/10).
Compensation:

• Base Salary Adjustments

None scheduled.

• Pay for Performance Plan

The salary range for Administrative Officers consists of five (5) steps (5% between each step). Employees are eligible for merit (step) increases annually on the first day of the pay period following their anniversary date until they reach the fifth step.

• Deferred Compensation 457(b) or 401(a) Matching Contribution

Employees may voluntarily participate in the City's deferred compensation 457(b) or 401(a) plans. For non-safety Administrative Officers, the City will match up to a total amount of $500 per month ($6,000/year) into each employee's deferred compensation account for each employee who contributes to the City's deferred compensation plan. For safety Administrative Officers, the City will match up to a total amount of $416.67 per month ($5,000/year).

• Bilingual Pay
  Employees who are routinely and consistently assigned to a position requiring communication skills in languages other than English, the employee shall receive a bilingual premium of $75 per month.

Retirement: All full-time employees are members of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) - a defined benefit program. Employees are enrolled in one of the following retirement formulas based on date of hire.

• New Members / PEPRA: As defined by the California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), "New Members" have never been a member of any California public retirement system, were hired by a CalPERS agency after January 1, 2013, moved between public retirement systems lacking reciprocity, or moved between employers in the same public retirement system with a break in service of more than six months.
  • Non-Safety New Members are enrolled in the 2% at age 62 retirement formula and pay a contribution rate of 50% of the total normal cost of the PEPRA member benefits for their retirement pension. This rate is determined annually based on the actuarial valuation of the retirement benefits provided to active PEPRA employees. For Fiscal Year 26/27, Non-Safetyemployees pay a mandatory 7.75% pre-tax contribution for this retirement benefit.
  • Safety New Members are enrolled in the 2.7% at age 57 retirement formula and pay a contribution rate of 50% of the total normal cost of the PEPRA member benefits for their retirement pension. This rate is determined annually based on the actuarial valuation of the retirement benefits provided to active PEPRA employees. Safety employees pay a mandatory 13.75% pre-tax contribution for this retirement benefit.

Note: In 2026, the pensionable compensation limit for PEPRA is $191,679 (pursuant to GC § 7522.10). This limit is adjusted on an annual basis.

• Classic Members: New employees who joined CalPERS or a reciprocal public retirement system before January 1, 2013, without a break in service longer than six months, are considered "Classic" members.
  • Non-Safety Classic members and will be enrolled in the 2% at age 60 retirement formula, and pay a mandatory 7% pre-tax contribution for this retirement benefit.
  • Police Safety Classic members will be enrolled in the 3% at age 55 retirement formula and pay a mandatory 9% pre-tax contribution for this ret