Chief Financial Officer
Tri Star Gov Solutions Culver City, CA, USA
- Location: Culver City, CA, USA
- Categories: Accounting and Finance
- Job Type: Full Time
- Posted: Mar 04, 2026
Job Description:
Chief Financial Officer
Description
A CONNECTED, CREATIVE, AND EVOLVING COMMUNITY
The City of Culver City (City) is a dynamic urban community in the heart of Los Angeles County, home to approximately 40k residents who enjoy a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city amenities. Walkable neighborhoods, historic architecture, and a vibrant downtown make it a sought-after place to live, work, and visit.
The city’s lively center features popular destinations like Culver Steps, Ivy Station, and the historic Culver Hotel, offering dining, shopping, and gathering spaces. As the “Heart of Screenland,” Culver City hosts major employers such as Sony Pictures Studios, Apple Studios, TikTok, Pinterest, and Amazon Studios, supporting a thriving creative economy and small business scene.
Residents enjoy abundant parks, bike paths, and the Culver City Arts District, showcasing public art, galleries, and cultural events. With excellent transit connections via the Metro E Line and major freeways, Culver City offers easy access to the region while maintaining its own distinctive identity.
Guided by its 2045 General Plan, the City is preparing for sustainable growth that anticipates welcoming 10K–15K new residents over the next decade, with expanded housing options and modern infrastructure. Culver City looks to remain a welcoming, inclusive, and livable community for generations to come.
COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT
The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government. Its five-member elected City Council provides policy direction, sets priorities, approves the budget, and appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, Police Chief, and Fire Chief.
The City Manager serves as the City’s Chief Executive Officer, overseeing day-to-day operations and leading approximately 800 dedicated employees across five (5) strategic portfolios and 12 departments with a Fiscal Year 25/26 (FY25/26) annual budget of approximately $370M. This talented and committed workforce delivers a wide range of high-quality services that support the City's vision of an inclusive, sustainable, and thriving community.
The Strategic Portfolios and City Departments reporting to the City Manager include: (1) City Manager’s Office: Communications & Public Information; (2) Infrastructure & Innovation: Information Technology, Transportation, Public Works, and Planning & Development; (3) Fiscal, Sustainability & Transparency: Finance and City Clerk; (4) Talent Development, Labor & Inclusion: Human Resources; (5) Economic, Vitality & Equity: Housing & Human Services, Economic Development, Parks, Recreation & Community Services, and Cultural Affairs.
Click Below to Learn More:
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES:
The City Council has set a clear vision for proactive, strategic leadership that ensures Culver City’s continued success and livability:
- Strengthen Long-Term Financial Sustainability
- Invest in Public Infrastructure and Community Spaces
- Deliver High-Quality Public Services
- Enhance Housing and Homelessness Services
- Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Deepen Community Engagement
THE DEPARTMENT & ORGANIZATION FISCAL FOCUS
The Finance Department (Department) serves as the steward of the City's fiscal integrity and long-term financial sustainability with the mission to provide sound fiscal advice and ensure a financially strong and effective city government. Overseeing the Fiscal Year 25/26 (FY25/26) budget of approximately $370M, the Department plays a central role in every financial transaction of the City, from revenue collection and payroll to debt administration and long-range financial forecasting.
Organized across five (5) divisions: Administration; Accounting & Investments; Budget & Financial Operations; Payroll; and Purchasing, the Department is comprised of 39 professionals, which includes the CFO. The team supports the full-service operations of a complex charter city while ensuring adherence to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), California Government Code requirements, and municipal finance best practices.
The City operates within California's uniquely complex revenue environment. Monitoring state legislation, regulatory mandates, and evolving fiscal policies in Sacramento is an ongoing necessity, as shifts at the state and federal level can materially impact local revenue streams.
The City is currently transitioning to priority-based budgeting and has made a clear commitment to combat its operating deficit and achieve a structurally balanced General Fund budget by June 2026. This ambitious effort requires disciplined financial analysis, creative problem-solving, careful expenditure management, and transparent communication with elected officials and the community.
In addition to advancing structural balance, the Department is currently leading several high-impact initiatives, including:
- Implementation of a new citywide timekeeping system
- Modernization of purchasing policies and procedures
- Key fee studies to strengthen long-term revenue sustainability
- Strengthening the accounting function, enhancing internal controls, improving year-end close processes, and fostering greater cross-divisional integration within Finance.
The next Chief Financial Officer will play a central role in advancing fiscal stabilization while reinforcing technical rigor and organizational cohesion.
To see the Department organizational chart click here.
THE POSITION & EXECUTIVE PROFILE
The CFO reports to the Assistant City Manager of Fiscal Sustainability & Transparency and serves as a key member of the City’s executive leadership team, maintaining a strong working relationship with and strategic advisory role to the City Manager. This is a highly visible position requiring both strategic fiscal leadership and deep technical expertise in municipal finance.
With six (6) direct and 32 indirect reports, the CFO oversees all core financial functions, including budgeting, accounting, revenue administration, treasury and investments, purchasing, payroll, and debt management. A central responsibility of this role is the comprehensive review of all City Council staff reports to ensure fiscal analysis and procurement components are accurate, compliant, and clearly articulated. Given the volume of Council items, this represents a significant and ongoing executive responsibility requiring precision, sound judgment, and strong collaboration across departments.
With the City’s aggressive commitment to eliminating its fiscal deficit and achieving a structurally balanced General Fund budget by June 2026, the CFO will play a critical role in refining multi-year forecasts, identifying sustainable revenue strategies, and presenting clear policy options and trade-offs to executive leadership and the City Council.
The ideal candidate will bring extensive California local government experience and demonstrated strength in:
- Municipal bond financing and debt compliance
- Governmental accounting and internal controls
- California revenue structures and legislative impacts
- Priority-based budgeting and long-term financial planning
Beyond technical expertise, the City Manager seeks a leader who can navigate fiscal challenges with composure and creativity, develop thoughtful options during difficult budget conversations, and operate independently within broad executive autonomy. The successful candidate will be confident in offering candid fiscal advice, including the ability to respectfully challenge ideas when they are not financially sound, while remaining politically astute and aligned with a unified public message. This individual must be comfortable responding to difficult Council questions, articulating complex financial realities with clarity and professionalism, and maintaining credibility in high-visibility and occasionally sensitive situations.