Chief Financial Officer

About the role

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP also leads critical investments in environmental infrastructure, climate resilience, and the long-term sustainability of New York City's water and wastewater systems.

DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with more than 5,500 employees and a multi-billion dollar operating and capital program. DEP plays a central role in protecting public health, supporting economic growth, and advancing environmental stewardship.

DEP seeks an experienced leader to serve as agency Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Reporting directly to the Commissioner, the CFO will be responsible for providing executive policy direction and oversight of a $1.74 billion annual expense budget and ten-year capital plan of over $33 billion. These resources fund almost 5,500 employees as well as a vast array of maintenance equipment, supplies and service contracts and a wide range of capital construction projects within the Agency requiring significant financial management and oversight.

The CFO works closely with the DEP Commissioner, the Chief Operating Officer, and the General Counsel to ensure policy and financial alignment and deliver cross-agency initiatives. The CFO also will work closely with other members of senior leadership. The CFO will coordinate financial and other matters with oversight entities such as the Office of Management and Budget, the Mayor's Office, the Comptroller's Office, and the City Council.

The CFO will have authority for all DEP financial matters including budgeting, accounting, and auditing as required by the City and other oversight bodies, and related functions including, but not limited to:

• Serve as a senior advisor to the Commissioner on topics related to budget, procurement, technology, revenue, and collections.
• Lead change management efforts and foster a culture of innovation, using data-driven decision-making to drive performance improvements across DEP's financial and metering operations to ensure efficient service to New Yorkers.
• Build collaborative relationships and liaise with Office of Management and Budget, Department of Finance, the Comptroller's Office, and other agencies to advance DEP and cross-agency priorities.
• Develop, implement, and manage agency-wide programs, policies and procedures related to the agency's expense and capital budgets, procurement, and contract management.
• Provide operations, maintenance and capital data necessary for the NYC Water Board to establish annual water and sewer rates.
• Ensure agency compliance with all applicable rules, regulations and reporting requirements and deadlines including the City Charter, local laws, Mayoral Executive Orders, Comptroller's Directives, Procurement Policy Board Rules.
• Coordinate rate setting and other related revenue assessments, capital, and expense matters with Water Board members, the NYC Municipal Water Finance Authority, the NYC Law Department and with auditors, outside counsels and other consultants retained by the Board and the Authority.
• Develop and implement strategic policy priorities related to water rates, such as water rate affordability programs, rate structural changes, and customer service provisions.

The CFO will be responsible for managing all activities related to several DEP Bureaus/Offices, including:

• Customer Services: Manages the collection of revenue; reach revenue targets set by the NYC Water Board. The bureau is responsible for issuing and tracking accurate and timely bills for water and sewer use and ensuring compliance with the rules and regulations governing access to the NYC Water Supply and Wastewater Collection Systems.
• Water Board: A public benefits corporation established under NYS law. The New York City Water Board is responsible for setting water and sewer rates and must ensure that the revenues generated are sufficient to fund the entirety water and sewer system's operating and capital needs. The Water Board also supports the Water Finance Authority in all necessary activities for the issuance of water and sewer bonds to support the financing of the DEP capital improvement plan.
• Budget Office: Responsible for managing the Agency's capital, expense, grant and miscellaneous revenue budgets; preparing budget and financial analyses and reports; and coordinating the Agency's budget and financial matters with OMB and other oversight agencies.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college and 7 years of satisfactory experience of a nature to qualify for the duties and responsibilities of the position, at least 18 months of which must have been in a managerial, consultative, or executive capacity or supervising personnel performing activities related to the duties of the position; or
• A combination of education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. However, all candidates must have the 18 months of administrative, managerial, executive, consultative or supervisory experience described in "1" above.