City on the Search for New Finance Director

East Providence Finance Director Ellen Eggeman will be leaving her municipal post on May 18 after she accepted a position at Portsmouth Abbey School. 

According to City Manager Peter Graczykowski, he hopes to fill her position by July. An advertisement for the job that will also oversee the school department's finances is on the city's website and SchoolSpring.com, an education site for teachers. [Click here for the full job description.]

"Under the direction of the City Manager and the Superintendent of Schools, this position assumes responsibility for the direction, planning, coordination and administration of all financial affairs of the , including its school department," reads an announcement on the city's website.

A RFP to hire an outside agency or individual to run financial operations - before a permanent hire is found to fill the consolidated position - will be issued in the upcoming days, said Graczykowski.

According to Eggeman, she has experience in the academic realm. She previously worked as a finance director for University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth and in Westerly's school district.

She is confident her colleagues can handle the financial responsibilities.

"I have been very impressed with the finance department staff," she said on Friday afternoon. "They have risen to the occassion, have never complained even in light of the uncertainty and stress [caused] by the budget commission."

Mary King, finance director for the school district also recently .