Jobs › Baker Tilly

Managing Director, Public Sector - Fiscal Resiliency

Baker Tilly · IL · $215,950–$409,420 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 29, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How have you built or grown a public sector practice? What clients and services did you start with?

What they are checking: Practice-building ability, the core expectation of a managing director.

Tell me about a time your recommendations were unpopular. What happened?

What they are checking: Whether they stand by honest advice and help clients act on it.

How do you build a team that can advise on budgeting, forecasting and policy all at once?

What they are checking: Ability to hire and develop people across several disciplines.

What would you do

How would you help a government with a structural deficit that's been covered by one-time money?

What they are checking: Ability to guide hard choices when temporary funds run out.

How do you present a long-range forecast to elected officials who have different priorities?

What they are checking: Whether they can explain tradeoffs clearly to officials who want different things without taking sides.

How do you win work through public procurement while keeping pricing profitable?

What they are checking: Commercial judgment in a market with fixed budgets and formal bids.

About the work

What does fiscal resiliency mean for a city or county, and how do you measure it?

What they are checking: Whether they have a clear framework for reserves, structural balance and risk.

How do pension and OPEB liabilities factor into your long-term financial plans for clients?

What they are checking: Understanding of the long-term liabilities that threaten many public budgets.

What do rating agencies look for, and how do you help clients protect their credit rating?

What they are checking: Knowledge of how fiscal policy choices affect borrowing costs.

How are economic shifts, like slowing sales tax or rising costs, changing what your clients ask for?

What they are checking: Whether they follow trends closely enough to anticipate client needs.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Baker Tilly.

Overview Baker Tilly is a leading advisory, tax and assurance firm, providing clients with a genuine coast-to-coast and global advantage in major regions of the U.S. and in many of the world’s leading financial centers – New York, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP (Baker Tilly) provide professional services through an alternative practice structure in accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable laws, regulations and professional standards. Baker Tilly US, LLP is a licensed independent CPA firm that provides attest services to its clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities provide tax and business advisory services to their clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities are not licensed CPA firms. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP, trading as Baker Tilly, are independent members of Baker Tilly International, a worldwide network of independent accounting and business advisory firms in 141 territories, with 43,000 professionals and a combined worldwide revenue of $5.2 billion. Visit bakertilly.com or join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Please discuss the work location status with your Baker Tilly talent acquisition professional to understand the requirements for an opportunity you are exploring. Baker Tilly is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable federal, state or local law. Any unsolicited resumes submitted through our website or to Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, employee e-mail accounts are considered property of Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorized recruitment agency ("search firm") for Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by Baker Tilly's Talent Attraction team, to submit candidates for review via our applicant tracking system. Job Description: Our public sector clients are facing mounting fiscal pressure driven by inflation, revenue constraints, workforce challenges, aging infrastructure, economic uncertainty, and increasing service demands. Baker Tilly continues to invest in helping public sector organizations navigate fiscal challenges and build sustainable futures. As part of Baker Tilly's Public and Non-Profit Consulting practice, the Managing Director, Public Sector Fiscal Resiliency will lead and expand Baker Tilly’s public sector fiscal resiliency service offering. The successful candidate will bring a combination of deep public sector expertise, proven practice-building experience, and entrepreneurial leadership. This individual will be responsible for establishing Baker Tilly as a market leader in fiscal resiliency, developing innovative service offerings, building strategic partnerships, expanding revenue, developing talent, and cultivating executive-level client relationships nationwide. You will work closely with national practice leadership and professionals across fiscal advisory, organizational performance, workforce, governance, utilities, grants, technology, and operational improvement services to deliver integrated solutions that help public sector organizations navigate fiscal challenges and build sustainable futures. Responsibilities Lead National Practice Growth • Develop and execute the national strategy for Baker Tilly's Public Sector Fiscal Resiliency practice. • Establish Baker Tilly as a recognized market leader in fiscal sustainability, long-range financial planning, and fiscal resiliency advisory services. • Drive growth through new client acquisition, market expansion, and strategic account development. • Identify emerging trends impacting local governments, special districts, utilities, and other public-purpose organizations. Build Market-Leading Solutions • Expand and commercialize Baker Tilly's fiscal resiliency service offerings. • Develop scalable solutions addressing: • Long-range financial planning • Fiscal sustainability planning • Revenue and expenditure strategies • Financial policy development • Structural deficit analysis • Budget strategy and transformation • Collaborate with leaders across organizational performance, workforce planning, utility consulting, governance, grants, and operational improvement practices to create integrated client solutions. Business Development & Market Leadership • Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with city managers, county administrators, CFOs, finance directors, elected officials, and other public sector executives. • Originate and lead complex advisory engagements. • Lead strategic pursuits, proposals, presentations, and business development initiatives. • Represent Baker Tilly as a thought leader through industry conferences, publications, research, and professional associations. • Develop strategic partnerships that enhance market reach and growth. Talent & Team Development • Recruit, develop, and retain top fiscal advisory talent. • Leverage a scalable national team capable of delivering consistent, high-quality services. • Mentor emerging leaders and establish growth pathways within the practice. • Foster a collaborative, innovative, and client-focused culture. Practice Leadership • Establish practice goals, performance metrics, and growth plans. • Identify opportunities to create repeatable and technology-enabled service offerings. • Collaborate with marketing and firm leadership to strengthen brand recognition and thought leadership. • Support strategic initiatives across Baker Tilly's Public and Non-Profit Consulting Practice. Qualifications Required • Bachelor's degree in public administration, finance, accounting, economics, business administration, public policy, or related field. • 10 - 15 years of experience serving public sector clients through consulting, advisory services, public finance, municipal advisory, or government leadership roles. • Demonstrated success building and scaling a consulting practice, service line, or advisory business. • Demonstrated success generating significant revenue growth and developing new business opportunities. • Deep expertise in one or more of the following: • Fiscal sustainability • Long-range financial planning • Public sector budgeting • Strategic financial management • Revenue analysis • Fiscal policy development • Municipal finance • Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and complex advisory engagements. • Strong executive-level communication and presentation skills. Preferred • Experience leading a regional or national consulting practice. • Established professional network among public sector decision-makers. • Active involvement in GFOA, ICMA, NLC, state municipal leagues, or related organizations. • Experience developing proprietary methodologies, market-facing service offerings, or subscription-based advisory solutions. • Graduate degree preferred. The pay rate range for this job position is $215,950 to $409,420. Actual compensation is influenced by a variety of relevant factors including but not limited to applicant’s skills, prior experience, qualifications, degrees, professional certifications, work arrangements and geographic location. Baker Tilly offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package to eligible employees.

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