Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Job Code - A2318

Pay Grade - SE

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) is evolving into a future-focused, forward--thinking, and resilient organization committed to serving Georgians with clarity, precision, and excellence. As the Department undergoes a bold transformation to become a modern, adaptive, and intelligence--driven public institution, financial strategy emerges as a critical circulatory system that ensures resources flow where they are needed most. In a more connected, situationally aware “Octopus Organization,” financial intelligence enables the agency to anticipate emerging needs, respond rapidly to changing conditions, and sustain long---term mission success.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) serves as the executive leader responsible for building and sustaining this financial ecosystem. The CFO oversees enterprise-wide financial strategy, ensuring responsible stewardship of public resources while enabling the agency to invest confidently in modernization, workforce capability, and service excellence. This role requires a leader who is highly adaptive, skilled at navigating complex funding environments, and capable of cultivating a culture of fiscal discipline, strategic investment, and continuous improvement. The CFO must also possess deep AI fluency and the ability to evaluate and deploy AI---enabled financial tools that enhance forecasting, budgeting, audit readiness, and operational efficiency.

As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CFO ensures that financial intelligence moves rapidly and accurately across the agency, enabling real-time situational awareness, data-driven decision making, and coordinated execution of agency priorities. Working closely with the Commissioner, Chief of Staff, and senior leaders, the CFO aligns financial planning with the agency’s technology roadmap, operational strategy, and modernization goals. As part of GDOL’s operational leadership triad, the CFO partners with the CIO and the Director of Strategic Operations to unify the agency’s financial intelligence, digital intelligence, and operational intelligence — the internal machinery that allows GDOL to sense what is happening, understand what it means, and respond with precision, alignment, and coordinated action. The CFO reports to the Commissioner.

Compensation will be determined based on skills, experience and education.

The position is located at 148 Andrew Young International Blvd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30303

Duties and Responsibilities

Enterprise Financial Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute a forward-looking- financial strategy aligned with agency priorities, modernization goals, and statewide fiscal policies.

• Build and maintain the agency’s financial roadmap, ensuring clear sequencing, prioritization, and alignment with mission needs and resource constraints.

• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on financial policy, funding opportunities, and long-term- sustainability.

• Ensure financial decisions support real-time- situational awareness and coordinated execution across the agency.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Resource Allocation

• Lead the development of annual and multi-year budgets that reflect strategic priorities and responsible stewardship.

• Implement modern forecasting models, including AI-enabled tools, to anticipate- financial risks, opportunities, and operational needs.

• Oversee resource allocation processes that balance mission demands, modernization efforts, and fiscal constraints.

• Ensure transparency and clarity in financial planning across all operational units.

Financial Operations, Controls & Compliance

• Oversee all financial operations, including accounting, grants management, procurement, and audit readiness.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local financial regulations while enabling efficient, mission-aligned- operations.

• Strengthen internal controls, risk management practices, and financial reporting accuracy.

• Build a culture of accountability, integrity, and continuous improvement.

Strategic Investment & Modernization Support

• Partner with the CIO to align financial planning with the agency’s technology roadmap and modernization priorities.

• Support modular contracting and incremental modernization by structuring financial plans that enable phased delivery and reduced risk.

• Evaluate return on investment (ROI) for digital initiatives, workforce development, and operational improvements.

• Ensure financial strategies accelerate modernization while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

Data-Driven- Financial Intelligence

• Build a financial analytics ecosystem that provides real-time- insights into spending, performance, and risk.

• Advance financial data governance to ensure accuracy, consistency, and interoperability with operational and technology systems.

• Use AI-enabled tools to enhance reporting, forecasting, and decision---support capabilities.

• Promote transparency through accessible, high-quality- financial dashboards and reporting.

Leadership, Workforce & Culture

• Lead a high-performing financial workforce committed to accuracy, transparency, and public service.

• Foster a culture of agility, collaboration, and continuous learning.

• Invest in staff development, including training in modern financial tools, analytics, and AI literacy.

• Model inclusive leadership, clear communication, and a bias for action.

Success Measures

• Transparent, accurate, and timely financial reporting and forecasting.

• Strong alignment between financial planning, technology investments, and operational priorities.

• Demonstrated progress in modernization supported by responsible budgeting and strategic investment.

• Increased workforce capability, engagement, and AI fluency.

• Improved audit readiness, compliance posture, and financial risk management.

• Enhanced trust through clear, accessible financial communication

Qualifications

• Background in finance, accounting, public administration, economics, or related fields; advanced education or CPA preferred.

• Demonstrated success leading financial strategy in complex organizations, ideally in the public sector.

• Proven experience with budgeting, forecasting, grants management, and financial operations.

• Strong AI fluency and experience evaluating or deploying AI-enabled financial tools- preferred.

• Experience supporting modernization, technology investment, or enterprise transformation.

• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic financial leadership and disciplined execution.

• Expertise in financial analytics, forecasting, and risk management.

• Ability to champion cross-agency- collaboration and integrated planning.

• Commitment to ethical practices including transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision- making.

• Inclusive leadership that builds trust, alignment, and momentum.

• Strong communications skills including the ability to influence and persuade others

WHY YOU SHOULD APPLY

The State of Georgia and Georgia Department of Labor offers a generous benefit program with wide variety of available choices:

• Retirement and Savings Plans

• Health Insurance (multiple plans)

• Flexible / Voluntary Benefits

  • Flexible Spending Accounts (healthcare and dependent care)

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Disability

  • Long Term Care

  • Legal

• Paid Time Off

  • 13 Holidays

  • Annual Leave

  • Sick Leave

  • Other Leave, including Parental Leave

• Employee Assistance Program

• Employee Discounts

• Employee Purchasing Program

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

In addition to a competitive salary, the Georgia Department of Labor offers a generous benefits package, which includes employee retirement plan; paid holidays annually; vacation and sick leave; health, dental, vision, legal, disability, accidental death and dismemberment, health and child care spending account.

The Georgia Department of Labor is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam Era, or citizenship status (except in those circumstances permitted or mandated by law). 

Because of the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information on application status by phone or e-mail. All qualified applicants will be considered, but may not necessarily receive an interview. Selected applicants will be contacted by the hiring agency for next steps in the selection process. Applicants who are not selected will not receive notification. This posting may close at any time prior to the posted close date, once a suitable applicant pool is identified.

Please complete the application in its entirety. Your attached resume does not replace an incomplete work experience submission.