Financial Specialist

Ehlers seeks a dynamic, highly motivated professional to join our School Finance Team as a Financial Specialist. Ehlers’ Financial Specialists support Municipal Advisors with structuring and executing financing options for capital projects, developing budget projection and benchmarking models, and analyzing the taxpayer impact of proposed operating and bond referenda for Minnesota and Wisconsin public school clients. The successful candidate will benefit from one-on-one mentorship with our Senior Municipal Advisors to gain the technical expertise, client service skills, and business development aptitude required to progress to a Municipal Advisor role and manage client relationships independently.

Job Details

  • Level: Entry to Mid-Level
  • Job Location: Roseville, Minnesota
  • Position Type: Exempt
  • Education Level: 4-year college degree
  • Salary Range: N/A
  • Travel Percentage: 25%
  • Job Shift: Day
  • Job Category: School Finance

Essential Job Functions

  • Debt Financing
    • Support Municipal Advisor team with client debt engagements from planning and analysis phase through closing and post-issuance
    • Build, update and verify client debt models
    • Prepare debt impact and scenario analysis
    • Review statutory options, regulatory and tax matters, and legal opinions for debt issuance
    • Collaborate with team members to conduct client debt analysis
    • Review client credit profile and engage with rating agencies and other third parties related to credit matters
    • Gain a strong understanding of offering and legal documents that memorialize public debt transactions
    • Manage internal debt issue workflow in consultation with Municipal Advisor team and other work partners
    • Assist with preparation and delivery of informational and transactional documents, reports, and presentations
  • Fiscal Planning & Analysis
    • Work with clients and team members to prepare multi-year financial plans by gathering background data, constructing baseline models, analyzing financial information, and preparing forecasts and fiscal impact analyses
    • Assist clients and team members with operational and capital budget impact analyses
  • General
    • Partner with Municipal Advisors provide schools with revenue referendum planning and support
    • Assist with preparing Truth in Taxation presentations and attend hearings, as requested
    • Monitor, evaluate and communicate the client impact(s) of changes in state and federal laws and regulatory requirements
    • Attend client meetings with Ehlers’ staff and present work product to client staff, administration, and governing bodies
    • Attend and speak at industry events, conferences, and seminars/webinars
    • Identify and seize opportunities for process and technological improvements
    • Recognize and pursue opportunities for on-going training and professional development
    • Actively contribute in a team environment to achieve individual, team, and company goals
    • Perform other duties as required to help fulfill our corporate mission

Requirements

Physical Demands:

  • Perform stationary work 90% of the time using a computer and applicable office equipment
  • Move about inside the office 10% of the time to access files, office equipment and communicate with colleagues
  • 10% travel required throughout MN to client locations to attend evening meetings, as requested

 Licensing:

  • Obtain Series 50 (Municipal Advisor) license within six (6) months of hire

 Education:

  • 4-year college degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Math, Public Policy/Administration or related, required
  • Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Math, Public Policy/Administration or related, preferred

 Experience:

  • 0-3 years’ experience or exposure to the municipal bond industry, government finance, development finance, public administration or Minnesota school finance, preferred.

Knowledge/Skills:

  • Fundamental understanding of governmental accounting concepts and principles
  • Ability to size and structure debt (re)financing under the direction of Municipal Advisors
  • Working knowledge of capital financing solutions
  • Understanding of property and other tax systems and user-fee based enterprise systems, such as public utilities
  • Ability to analyze financial and other data to develop feasible solutions, clearly outlining both quantitative and qualitative considerations to offer recommendation(s) to clients.
  • Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
  • Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to understand relationships between budgets and actual financial performance and the sensitivity analysis required for financial forecasting
  • Excellent PC skills using the Microsoft Office suite and database programs
  • Exceptional project management skills, including attention to detail and accuracy

Ready to Apply?

Ehlers is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
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