Manager

Description:

Summary of Key Responsibilities:

Managerial:

Provide support to the Associate Director, Financial Reporting with planning, directing and scheduling the operational work of staff.
Manage a team of senior financial analysts, financial analysts and administrators; provide guidance, support, training and mentorship to the team.
Responsible for all facets of employee management including recruitment and terminations as required. Authorizes overtime and vacation for staff, and recommends promotions/increments for employees based on performance.
With general direction from the Associate Director, develop consistent measures and expectations to assess performance of the financial analysts and administrators.
Provides regular feedback, conducts the performance review process with a focus on career growth and development.
Manage day to day workflow for team to ensure department targets are achieve and work allocation is appropriate.
Ensures staff are well trained, competent, supported in their work and encouraged in their professional development.
Develops tools for staff (checklists / procedures) to facilitate efficiency and consistency in the financial review of project charges.
Create an environment where knowledge sharing, support, training tools, coaching and staff development ensure service levels meet or exceed client expectations.
Strategic Planning/Projects:

Perform business and systems analysis and provide advice on business issues including changes to application tools, existing systems, processes, procedures, reporting and control functions.
Act as a resource to management to provide accurate, reliable and timely special reports.
Provide advice and guidance and respond to requests for information from both internal and external users.
Ensures audit trails or supporting documentation for all financial transactions will be available when required by external auditors.
Remains current on factors that would initiate change, such as University policies and procedures, granting agency regulations, research and trust administration practices and technology changes.
Promotes and implements best practices related to financial review of transactions.
Communication/Relationships:

Manage complex University issues and challenging interpersonal interactions with composure and diplomacy while maintaining confidentiality.
Provide opinions and advice when sought that are considered appropriate and reliable.
Proactively develop and maintain trustworthy, productive, problem-solving working relationships with colleagues and staff, across the University community and external agencies.
Coach and motivate staff, team and project members to develop positive, high trust working relationships and operate effectively as a team.
Provide communication and education to faculties and units in connection with the University's internal control framework.
Liaise with departments, faculties, researchers and senior administration to ensure the understanding of and compliance with financial policies and procedures.
Ensure that communications are timely, informative and appropriately represent Finance and the University.
Financial/Management Reporting:

Accurate, timely, relevant ad hoc financial analysis and reports are prepared as requested by various stakeholders including senior administration and budget units in accordance with timeliness defined within service level agreements.
Ensure that distribution of financial information to all levels of management is timely and accurate.
Provide leadership in the area of effective financial internal control and demonstrate a high degree of initiative and objectivity, and the ability to balance an effective financial control framework against risk, safeguarding of assets and the efficient use of resources.
Play a key role in developing and maintaining the control framework associated with the University's financial accounting records.
Perform professional, complex accounting, analysis and reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and reporting requirements, requiring advanced knowledge of complex accounting principles related to Public Sector Accounting Standards.
Oversee and assist with queries from various departments/faculties regarding General Ledger, including system queries to search for errors and other problems contained within the data.
Qualifications / Requirements:

Professional accounting designation (CPA) with a related university degree.
5 years of extensive experience in various accounting functions including budgeting, forecasting and financial analysis.
Supervisory experience and proven ability to provide direction and leadership to staff.
Demonstrated ability to work well with others and to handle difficult situations while maintaining effective and productive working relationships.
Must be able to think logically, solve problems and be critically objective with an ability to develop innovative solutions to problems.
Knowledge of not-for-profit accounting standards and/or public sector accounting standards and a strong understanding of university structures and operations.
Demonstrated experience in leading business process change including change management skills and experience in implementing business process change.
Intermediate to Expert user of computer software applications, including enterprise reporting systems, financial systems, data warehousing and business intelligence tools.