Manager, Research Finance and Charitable Activities

Reporting to the Assistant Controller, the Manager, Research Finance at Vancouver Island University is responsible for leading and overseeing the financial management of research projects, ensuring compliance with funding agency regulations, and supporting the university's research initiatives. This role involves collaborating with VIU’s Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity (SRCA) division, researchers, faculty, and other various departments to ensure efficient financial administration of research grants and contracts.

The Manager, Research Finance plays a crucial role in managing the financial aspects of research projects, providing guidance on budgeting, monitoring expenses, and ensuring adherence to financial policies and procedures.

The incumbent has management responsibility for all external and internal financial reporting on research grants directly overseen by the AVP Research & Graduate Studies including those within university Research Centres and Institutes. The Manager is also responsible for the financial and administrative oversight of operating, trust and endowment funds for university Research Centres and Institutes, and other research groups which report directly to the AVP Research & Graduate Studies.

The incumbent has responsibility for the preparation of a range of institutional financial reports pertaining to research funds and has management responsibility for the financial administration of a range of business processes supporting the Research Finance team including budgeting, research invoicing and expenditure review.

As funding permits, the Manager, Research Finance will lead a supporting team of two Financial Analysts.

Key Responsibilities
Financial Oversight
Responsible for the financial and administrative oversight of operating, trust and endowment funds for Research Centres and Institutes that report to the AVP Research & Graduate Studies.

Proactively monitors the accounts of Research Centres and Institutes.

Provides guidance and advice to Research Centres and Institutes with respect to budgetary and financial matters.

Provides financial expertise and operational support for the AVP Research & Graduate Studies, with respect to oversight of the university Research Centres and Institutes.

Manages and monitors the financial aspects of research projects, including expenditure tracking, and financial reporting.

Responsible for managerial oversight of a range of business processes supporting the Research Finance team including budgeting, research invoicing, expenditure review, overhead allocation, and work order requests, and for ensuring that these are operating efficiently and effectively.

Budget Development and Monitoring

Monitor research budgetary performance, identify variances, and provide proactive solutions to address potential issues.

Provide tools to researchers to help track project budgets, expenses, and overall performance.

Financial Reporting
Responsible for the preparation of a range of institutional financial reports pertaining to research funds and has management responsibility for the financial administration of a range of business processes supporting the Research Finance team.

Key management responsibility for external and internal financial reporting on research grants overseen by the SRCA Office at VIU.

Prepare and submit accurate and timely financial reports to funding agencies and sponsors including the Tri-Agencies, Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and other provincial and federal agencies.

Generate financial statements and analyses for internal and external stakeholders.

Responsible for accurate calculation of overhead funds generated from research projects and for their formulaic distribution in accordance with university policy.

Responsible for ensuring revenue recognition and year-end deferred revenues related to research accounts are compliant with Public Sector Accounting Standards.

Designs, develops, prepares, and produces timely research financial reports for university leadership and the university research community.

Identifies, designs, and implements effective reporting tools for the increasingly complex range of research sponsors.

Risk…