Financial Specialist

Ehlers is currently seeking a dynamic, highly-motivated professional to join our Wisconsin Team as a Financial Specialist. Ehlers’ Financial Specialists support our Municipal Advisors with project management across the full spectrum of public finance including municipal debt transactions, economic development and redevelopment, and long-term financial planning and fiscal studies. 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 Series 50 licensed Municipal Advisor role and manage client relationships independently. The primary client focus for the position includes Wisconsin cities, villages, counties, towns, and related governmental agencies.

Ehlers delivers an outstanding compensation package! We offer a 100% employer contributed ESOP, competitive wages, discretionary and goal-based performance bonuses, and an excellent health-care coverage plan. We also provide employer-paid life insurance, life insurance options for spouses and children, dental insurance, and generous vacation and sick-time allowances.

Ehlers is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.

Job Details

  • Level: Mid-career
  • Job Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin
  • Position Type: Exempt
  • Education Level: 4-year college degree
  • Salary Range: N/A
  • Travel Percentage: 25%
  • Job Shift: Day
  • Job Category: Municipal 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
    • Work with clients and team members to prepare multi-year utility cash flow analyses and utility rate studies, including base line models and long range forecasts, analyzing historical customer usage data, budget and capital data entry and computing updated utility user rates
    • Assist clients and team members with operational and capital budget impact analyses

  • Economic Development

    • Gain a strong understanding of statutory and administrative requirements for the creation and modification of Tax Increment Districts
    • Prepare reports, cash flow statements and projections for proposed and existing Tax Increment Districts
    • Review and analyze development proposals and requests for public assistance

  • General

    • 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

Requirements

Education

  • 4-year college degree in Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Math or related, required

Experience

  • 3+ years’ experience or exposure to the municipal bond industry, 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

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
  • Travel approximately 25% throughout Wisconsin to attend meetings with staff and elected officials, both during and after regular business hours

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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