City Treasurer Job Description Template

In plain language: States the official job title, the department it sits within, the FLSA exemption status, and the civil service pay grade or band.

Common mistake: Omitting the FLSA exemption status. If the treasurer is later found to be non-exempt, the municipality faces back overtime liability that can span years.

In plain language: A 3–5 sentence overview of the role's core purpose — managing municipal revenues, disbursements, investments, and debt obligations in compliance with applicable law.

Common mistake: Writing a summary that mirrors the city charter verbatim without translating statutory language into operational duties. Generic statutory language creates ambiguity about day-to-day expectations.

In plain language: An enumerated list of the treasurer's primary job functions — typically 10–15 specific duties covering collections, disbursements, investments, reporting, and compliance.

Common mistake: Listing duties at too high a level — 'manages city finances' rather than 'reconciles the general ledger by the 5th business day of each month.' Vague duties make performance evaluations and termination-for-cause defenses significantly harder.

In plain language: Identifies the positions the treasurer directly supervises, the indirect reports, and the extent of hiring and performance management authority.

Common mistake: Failing to specify whether supervisory authority is direct or functional. Ambiguity here causes organizational conflict and undermines the treasurer's ability to manage the team.

In plain language: The non-negotiable education, licensure, experience, and certification thresholds applicants must meet to be considered — these become the legal baseline for screening decisions.

Common mistake: Setting degree requirements that screen out qualified candidates in violation of state or local anti-discrimination guidelines. Several jurisdictions require municipalities to document that degree requirements are operationally necessary.

In plain language: Additional credentials, experience, or skills that strengthen a candidate's application but are not disqualifying if absent — used to rank finalists.

Common mistake: Blending preferred qualifications into the minimum qualifications section. This creates legal exposure if a well-qualified candidate who meets minimums is rejected for not meeting a 'preferred' criterion listed as mandatory.

In plain language: States the treasurer's obligation to comply with state financial disclosure laws, conflict-of-interest statutes, records retention requirements, and the requirement to obtain and maintain a fidelity bond.

Common mistake: Omitting the fidelity bond requirement entirely. Many state statutes mandate bonding for treasurers handling public funds — a job description that doesn't reference it may create an unenforceable position if bonding is later contested.

In plain language: Documents the physical demands of the role — sedentary office environment, occasional attendance at evening council meetings, travel to training or conferences — as required by ADA and civil service classification standards.

Common mistake: Skipping this section for office-based roles. ADA compliance documentation requires that physical requirements are listed even for sedentary positions, so the municipality can demonstrate any accommodation requests were evaluated against a documented baseline.

In plain language: States the salary range or pay grade band, benefit eligibility, retirement plan participation (e.g., state pension), and any performance pay or merit increase schedule.

Common mistake: Stating a single fixed salary instead of a band. A fixed salary creates equal-pay and negotiation problems and prevents the city from offering above-midpoint compensation for an exceptionally qualified candidate.

In plain language: Records the signatures of the city manager, HR director, and relevant council authority confirming the description has been reviewed, approved, and placed in the official classification system.

Common mistake: Not including the disclaimer that the job description is not an employment contract. In jurisdictions where courts have found that detailed job descriptions create implied contractual obligations, this omission can limit the city's flexibility to modify duties.

A city treasurer is responsible for the custody, investment, and disbursement of all municipal funds in compliance with state statutes and the city's adopted financial policies. Core duties include managing daily cash flow, administering the city's investment portfolio, overseeing debt service payments, preparing financial reports for the city council, and ensuring all collections and disbursements are properly recorded. In smaller municipalities, the treasurer may also perform payroll and accounts payable functions.

It depends on the jurisdiction. In many US states, the city treasurer is an elected position whose authority derives directly from the municipal code or state statute. In others, particularly in council-manager form governments, the treasurer is an appointed civil service employee who reports to the finance director or city manager. The job description template covers both models — the relevant reporting structure and authority section should be completed based on your city charter.

Most municipalities require a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or public administration and a minimum of three to five years of progressively responsible public finance experience. Many cities also require or strongly prefer the Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) designation issued by the Government Finance Officers Association. A CPA license is often listed as preferred. State-specific licensing or financial disclosure registration may also be required by statute.

In most US states, yes. State municipal finance statutes typically require any official handling public funds to maintain a fidelity bond in a minimum amount set by statute — often ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 or more depending on the size of the municipality's budget. The bonding requirement should be explicitly stated in the job description and treated as a condition of employment. Municipalities should confirm the current statutory minimum with their state's municipal league or legal counsel.

A city treasurer is primarily responsible for the custody, investment, and disbursement of public funds — a fiduciary and cash management role. A finance director has broader responsibility for the entire finance function, including budgeting, financial planning, accounting, and often supervision of the treasurer. In larger cities, both positions exist in a hierarchy with the treasurer reporting to the finance director. In smaller municipalities, one person may hold both titles or the roles may be combined.

At the federal level, the FLSA governs compensation and overtime classification. At the state level, each state's municipal finance act, government code, or public funds investment act defines the treasurer's specific statutory duties, permitted investment instruments, and reporting obligations. GASB standards govern financial reporting. The job description should reference the applicable state code sections so incumbents and candidates understand the statutory context of the role.

The description should state whether the position is covered by civil service protection and, if so, under which classification system. For civil service positions, the description should reference the adopted pay grade and the performance evaluation process. The signature block should include a disclaimer that the description does not constitute an employment contract, and any modifications to duties should follow the civil service amendment procedures required by your jurisdiction's rules.

Generally yes, with appropriate notice, as long as the modification is consistent with the civil service classification and does not constitute a constructive demotion. The job description should include a standard disclaimer confirming that duties may be modified by the city with reasonable notice. For elected treasurers, modifications to statutory duties may require a charter amendment or council resolution, not just an HR action.

The Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) designation is issued by the Government Finance Officers Association and covers five core areas of public finance: debt management, treasury and investment management, accounting and financial reporting, budgeting, and retirement benefits administration. Requiring or preferring the CPFO signals that the city expects professional-level competency in all dimensions of public finance, not just bookkeeping. It also provides a defensible, objective credential threshold for screening and ranking candidates.