The finance director oversees the operation of the department of finance and installs and maintains a purchasing, payroll, budgeting, accounting, and cash management system for the county. T.C.A. § 5-21-107.

Appointment/Dismissal—The finance director is appointed by the financial management committee (no approval required), and is considered for all purposes an employee of the county.  The financial management committee may dismiss the director, subject to the approval of the county legislative body.  T.C.A. § 5-21-106.

Qualifications—The finance director must have a minimum of a bachelor of science degree, with a minimum of 18 quarter hours in accounting; however, the committee may select a person who does not have the foregoing qualifications if the person has at least two years of acceptable experience in a related position or an equivalent number of related courses. T.C.A. 5-21-106.

Surety Bond—The finance director must have a blanket bond in the amount not less than $100,000 for the faithful performance of the director’s duties and of the employees of the department. The premium for this bond is paid from funds appropriated to the finance department for this purpose. T.C.A. § 5-21-109.

Compensation of Director of Finance—The financial management committee establishes the compensation of the director of finance with the approval of the county legislative body T.C.A. § 5-21-106(c).

Personnel—The finance director is authorized to hire personnel for the finance department within the amounts provided in the budget.  Written job requirements for department personnel are to be recommended by the director and approved by the financial management committee. T.C.A. § 5-21-107(d).  A person employed by the finance department is to be recommended by the finance director and approved by the financial management committee to serve as deputy director of finance. The person employed for this position performs the duties and responsibilities that are assigned by the finance director. T.C.A. § 5-21-108.

Duties of the Director of Finance—The following are duties of the finance director which are related to purchasing and which apparently are to be performed by the finance director regardless of whether a separate purchasing agent is appointed under the act:

• Accepting requisitions by the department, agency, or official and if such supplies are not currently on hand, transmitting the requisition to the purchasing agent. T.C.A. § 5-21-119(b)(6).
• Verifying budget appropriations before authorizing a purchase. T.C.A. § 5-21-119(b)(6).
• Approving invoices for payment that are properly authorized and do not exceed the unencumbered balance of the allotments or appropriations against which they are chargeable. T.C.A §§ 5-21-115(b)(2) and 5-21-119(b)(6).
• Paying invoices and obligations of the county as provided by the statutes. T.C.A. § 5-21-119(b)(6).
• Issuing disbursement warrants for approved obligations. T.C.A. § 5-21-115(b)(3).
• Establishing a system of preaudit of invoices, purchase orders, or other documents, including a comparison with any encumbrance document previously posted or filed authorizing the obligation. T.C.A § 5-21-115(b)(2).