Senior Finance Partner, AVP Planning & Performance

Description

Finance Services Admin within AVP Planning & Performance is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Senior Finance Partner.

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.

This position is part of the Finance Services team and provides expert knowledge in all areas of strategic planning, sustainable budgeting, specialized management reporting, impactful variance reporting and forecasting, internal control assessment and implementation, process improvement, and the development of recommendations for corrective action or innovative opportunities to ensure portfolios remain on budget and on task. The position requires an in-depth understanding of a varied, complex and quickly changing business, academic and research environment.

• 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.). Conduct updates as required.
• 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.
• Understands and complies with the requirements of the University's Occupational Health and Safety Policy.

• A professional accounting designation (CPA, 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…