Director of Treasury & Financial Planning

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department

Salary: $145,541.00 - $209,213.74 Commensurate with Experience

Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.

 

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.

 

Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.

 

The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

SUMMARY

The Director of Treasury and Financial Planning provides senior leadership for CATS’ treasury operations, debt management, investment activities, and long-range financial planning. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Financial Officer or Chief Financial Officer, this role is responsible for safeguarding CATS’ financial resources, ensuring adequate liquidity, managing debt and investment programs, and developing long-term financial strategies that support organizational sustainability. Provides expanded oversight of regulatory compliance including GASB standards, SEC disclosure requirements, and Sarbanes Oxley related internal control expectations. The Director plays a critical role in aligning cash management, capital financing, and long-range financial planning with CATS’ service objectives, capital program, and governance requirements as the organization matures as an independent regional transit authority.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Treasury Strategy and Governance

• Establish and oversee CATS’ treasury policies, procedures, and internal controls governing cash management, investments, and debt activities.

• Ensure treasury operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, bond covenants, investment policies, and governance standards.

• Serve as CATS’ primary authority on treasury-related financial risk, liquidity management, and funding structures.

Cash Management and Liquidity Oversight

• Direct cash management activities to ensure sufficient liquidity to meet operating, capital, and debt service obligations.

• Oversee cash flow forecasting and short- and long-term liquidity planning.

• Coordinate banking relationships, account structures, and cash controls to safeguard CATS’ assets.

Debt Management and Capital Financing

• Lead planning and execution of debt issuance, refinancing, and related financing transactions.

• Oversee compliance with bond covenants, continuing disclosure requirements, and post-issuance monitoring.

• Coordinate with Budget, Accounting, Legal, and external advisors to support effective capital financing strategies.

• Prepare rating agency materials incorporating forward looking financial and operating forecasts.

Investment Management Oversight

• Oversee investment strategies and portfolios in accordance with CATS’ investment policies and risk tolerance.

• Monitor investment performance, compliance, and market conditions.

• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties and controls over investment activities.

Long-Range Financial Planning and Sustainability

• Direct development of long-range financial plans that integrate operating forecasts, capital plans, debt service, and funding assumptions.

• Evaluate long-term affordability, financial risks, and sustainability under varying economic and policy scenarios.

• Support executive leadership and governing boards with financial projections and strategic financial insights.

• Includes scenario modeling and sensitivity analysis of revenues, debt service, economic downturns, and policy shifts.

• Integrate fare revenue trends, federal funding forecasts, and tax base projections into long term models.

Leadership and Management of Treasury Functions

• Provide leadership, direction, and performance oversight to managers and professional staff within the Treasury and Financial Planning function.

• Establish expectations for analytical rigor, risk management, documentation, and service standards.

• Support workforce development, succession planning, and consistent management practices.

• Build staff competencies in financial modeling, compliance, investment analytics, and treasury technology.

Cross-Functional Coordination and Executive Support

• Collaborate with Budgets and Financial Management, Accounting and Controls, Procurement, and capital delivery teams to support integrated financial management.

• Serve as a financial advisor to executive leadership on liquidity, debt capacity, and long-term financial risks.

• Prepare and present treasury and financial planning materials for executive leadership and governing boards.

Core Competencies:

The position requires demonstrated competency in the following areas:

Technical and Analytical Skills: Advanced knowledge of treasury management, cash flow analysis, debt structures, investment practices, and long-range financial planning; ability to evaluate complex financial information, assess risk, and support sound financial decision-making in a public-sector environment.

• Interprets financial, market, and operational information to identify significant trends, risks, and implications.
• Evaluates alternatives with attention to liquidity, affordability, compliance, and long-term financial impact.
• Applies sound judgment in translating complex treasury and financial planning issues into practical recommendations.

Treasury Management and Financial Risk: Ability to manage liquidity, cash positioning, debt-related obligations, investment considerations, and other financial risks in a manner that protects organizational resources and supports stable operations.

• Maintains a strong risk-awareness mindset in matters involving cash, debt, investments, and financial obligations.
• Anticipates changing conditions that may affect liquidity, affordability, or financial flexibility.
• Balances prudent control of financial resources with the need to support operational and capital priorities.

Long-Range Financial Planning and Systems Thinking: Ability to connect treasury activities and long-term financial planning to broader organizational strategy, capital delivery, operating needs, and governance expectations.

• Evaluates financial issues in the broader context of service plans, capital needs, funding sources, and organizational priorities.
• Recognizes interdependencies among cash flow, debt capacity, capital commitments, and long-term sustainability.
• Supports forward-looking planning that helps position the organization for resilience and informed decision-making.

Leadership and Management: Ability to lead managers and professional staff, establish clear expectations, and maintain high standards for analytical rigor, accountability, documentation, and service.

• Provides direction, coaching, and follow-through that strengthen team performance and professional judgment.
• Promotes consistency, coordination, and accountability across treasury and financial planning activities.
• Supports organizational capability through staff development, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

Communication and Executive Support: Ability to communicate complex treasury, financing, and long-range financial issues clearly to executive leadership, governing boards, advisors, and other stakeholders and to support decision-making through credible analysis and advice.

• Presents financial risks, options, and implications in a clear, organized, and decision-oriented manner.
• Adapts communication for technical and non-technical audiences without losing substance or accuracy.
• Maintains credibility in high-visibility discussions involving uncertainty, long-term commitments, or competing priorities.

Judgment, Integrity, and Accountability:  Ability to exercise sound judgment in sensitive or high-impact financial matters and demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and accountability in the stewardship of public resources.

• Makes principled decisions in situations involving risk, ambiguity, or significant organizational impact.
• Takes ownership for quality, follow-through, and responsible management of assigned functions.
• Demonstrates reliability, discretion, and ethical consistency in leadership practice.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of

• Public-sector treasury management and cash management practices.
• Debt financing structures, bond covenants, and disclosure requirements.
• Investment management principles and public-sector investment regulations.
• Long-range financial planning and sustainability analysis.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting transit finance.

Skill in

• Leading treasury, debt, and financial planning functions.
• Developing cash flow forecasts and long-term financial models.
• Coordinating complex financing transactions and compliance activities.
• Analyzing financial risk and communicating implications to leadership.
• Preparing executive- and board-level financial materials.

Ability to

• Exercise independent judgment on complex financial and risk matters.
• Balance liquidity, risk, and return objectives within governance constraints.
• Support executive decision-making with clear, forward-looking financial insight.
• Coordinate effectively across Finance and capital program functions.
• Maintain high standards of integrity, accountability, and professionalism.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, public administration, or a related field and seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in treasury, debt management, financial planning, or public-sector finance, including management responsibility, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field.
• Experience in public-sector, transportation, or transit agency treasury or capital finance.
• Experience with debt issuance, investment management, and long-range financial planning.
• Experience with EFP platforms, treasury management systems, and automated financial forecasting tools.
• Professional certifications (i.e.: CTP, CPA, CFA)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.

Our culture is to serve the community honorably.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.

You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.

For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email [email protected]

The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request, please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call 704.336.4120.

BENEFITS

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.

Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.

The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.