Senior Finance Partner, Finance Services

at  The University of Calgary

Description
The Finance Services Team within Finance is currently seeking a Full-time Temporary Relief Senior Finance Partner for approximately 20 months.
Reporting to the Associate Director, Finance Services, the Senior Finance Partner leads the delivery of specialized and multifaceted financial services for the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The Senior Finance Partner is assigned a portfolio of Vice-Presidents and Faculty / Business Units with combined operating and internally restricted funds ranging between $60M and $175M. There is a high volume of work requiring strong communication, leadership, facilitation, and client services skills. The incumbent must work well under pressure and be able to communicate effectively with all levels of institutional and external stakeholders. The position will provide direction and mentorship to other staff.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

• Gain an understanding of multiple complex areas in a relatively short period to collect, analyze and organize information, establish facts and make pragmatic, value-added recommendations.
• Provide strategic decision support for Executive and Senior Leadership teams, ensuring leadership is apprised of all critical budgetary and financial issues, treating all matters with professionalism, sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Lead the comprehensive annual planning and budget preparation process for assigned portfolios and review to ensure alignment and integration with the university’s overall strategy and plans (e.g. Business Plan, Research Plan, Academic Plan, Enrollment Plan, etc.).
• Lead the forecasting and planning process, including regular budget-to-actual variance analysis and forecast.
• Lead all month / quarter / year-end financial activities within assigned portfolios in accordance with the institutions policies and procedures.
• Coordinate with Finance Partners for the consolidation of budgets, financial reports, requests for funding, and presentation materials for ELT.
• Areas of oversight include but are not limited to changes to budget envelopes, VP and institutional one time funding allocations, bridge funding, vacancy reporting, carryover tracking, operating budgets and internally restricted projects within the portfolio.
• Develop proposals and business cases as required for new initiatives, and continuously review existing activities for process improvement and sustainability.
• Successful and timely completion of special assignments and projects that have institutional-wide impacts, including assessing, testing, key performance indicators, reporting, recommending, evaluation and feedback assessment (i.e. tuition allocation methodologies).
• Lead the development and maintenance of educational content and communication tools in a variety of mediums, including the facilitation of budget orientation and information sessions for budget owners.
• Assist with training and educating team members on accounting, business process, budgeting, process and planning issues.
• Transition lead for Faculty / Units new to the Partner Model, the transition of Finance Partners to new Faculty / Units, and the transition to standard service levels of Finance Partner support within a Faculty / Unit.
• Stay current on trends and approaches to financial management and processes through continued professional development.

QUALIFICATIONS / REQUIREMENTS:

• A professional accounting designation (CA, CMA or CGA) with a related University degree, or an MBA. Other relevant graduate levels of education and experience may be considered.
• Extensive work experience in senior level accounting functions including budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis (8+ years).
• Experience providing strategic decision support at the executive or senior leadership level (2+ years).
• Experienced in leading the financial budgeting and forecasting processes for operations in excess of $20M.
• Proven ability to provide direction and leadership to staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Proven skills in building and maintaining productive and supportive working relationships with all levels of senior leadership, management and staff.
• Proficient user of computer software applications, including large integrated enterprise resource planning systems, data warehousing, business intelligence tools and spreadsheets.
• Good knowledge of not for profit accounting and university structures and operations.
  Application Deadline: This position will remain open until filled; however, applicants will be reviewed as they are received.
  We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
  This position is classified in the Professional Career Band, Level 3F of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.
  For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

• Gain an understanding of multiple complex areas in a relatively short period to collect, analyze and organize information, establish facts and make pragmatic, value-added recommendations.
• Provide strategic decision support for Executive and Senior Leadership teams, ensuring leadership is apprised of all critical budgetary and financial issues, treating all matters with professionalism, sensitivity and confidentiality.
• Lead the comprehensive annual planning and budget preparation process for assigned portfolios and review to ensure alignment and integration with the university’s overall strategy and plans (e.g. Business Plan, Research Plan, Academic Plan, Enrollment Plan, etc.).
• Lead the forecasting and planning process, including regular budget-to-actual variance analysis and forecast.
• Lead all month / quarter / year-end financial activities within assigned portfolios in accordance with the institutions policies and procedures.
• Coordinate with Finance Partners for the consolidation of budgets, financial reports, requests for funding, and presentation materials for ELT.
• Areas of oversight include but are not limited to changes to budget envelopes, VP and institutional one time funding allocations, bridge funding, vacancy reporting, carryover tracking, operating budgets and internally restricted projects within the portfolio.
• Develop proposals and business cases as required for new initiatives, and continuously review existing activities for process improvement and sustainability.
• Successful and timely completion of special assignments and projects that have institutional-wide impacts, including assessing, testing, key performance indicators, reporting, recommending, evaluation and feedback assessment (i.e. tuition allocation methodologies).
• Lead the development and maintenance of educational content and communication tools in a variety of mediums, including the facilitation of budget orientation and information sessions for budget owners.
• Assist with training and educating team members on accounting, business process, budgeting, process and planning issues.
• Transition lead for Faculty / Units new to the Partner Model, the transition of Finance Partners to new Faculty / Units, and the transition to standard service levels of Finance Partner support within a Faculty / Unit.
• Stay current on trends and approaches to financial management and processes through continued professional development