Position Overview

The Department of Finance Services in Finance is currently seeking a Full-time Temporary Relief Manager, Finance Services for approximately 14 months.

Reporting to the Associate Director, Finance Services, the Manager supports the Associate Director and Director in leading the direction of the Finance Services team. This position requires complex problem-solving skills, strong analytical abilities, managerial skills, extensive organizational knowledge, ability to work in a fast-paced environment, sound judgement and senior level finance experience.

The Manager provides leadership and guidance to a team of Financial Analysts. This position works closely with these individuals to develop and grow their professional skills in a focused and strategic manner. The nature of the work involves coaching, mentoring and providing technical guidance to staff in the effective delivery of the Finance Services team's accountabilities which include providing monthly forecasts and variance analysis, budget analysis and preparation, and supporting various recurring and ad-hoc Faculty/ Business Unit finance requirements. 

The Manager is required to possess strong communication and client relation skills as the position deals with multiple stakeholders, competing deadlines and acts as a resource to all areas of the University. The Manager must perform in an environment where there is a potential for ambiguity, continuous change and shifting priorities. The Manager is required to effectively handle constant high volumes of work and manage their own delivery of work and staff's time and hours of work to ensure service is provided in a timely manner, and the needs of various parties are met. The work is often of a highly complex and political nature and requires considerable sensitivity towards numerous stakeholders. The incumbent must work well under pressure and be able to communicate effectively with all levels of institutional and external stakeholders.

The Manager will also provide Finance Partner support to a portfolio of Faculty and/or Business Units as required. Finance Partner support involves providing expert knowledge in the areas of strategic planning, sustainable budgeting, specialized management reporting, impactful variance reporting and forecasting, internal control assessment and implementation, process improvement, and recommendations for corrective action or innovative opportunities to ensure portfolios remain on budget. This role is also responsible for ensuring that all planning, budgeting, forecasting, monitoring and ad-hoc reporting responsibilities are delivered in compliance with policies, rules, and regulations of the University, as well as other legal and accounting requirements.

Position Description

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

• Effectively lead a team of Financial Analysts by providing direction and support to staff, including training, performance management, providing professional development opportunities, and hands-on technical coaching related to the University's finance standards, guidelines and procedures.
• Manage the service delivery of several staff including allocation of personnel to tasks and special assignments while ensuring appropriate finance support is available to the organization at all times.
• Proactively develop and maintain trustworthy, collaborative working relationships with colleagues and staff across the University community.
• Gain an understanding of multiple complex areas and various processes in a relatively short period to collect, analyze and organize information, establish facts and make timely, pragmatic, value-added recommendations.
• Apply a continuous improvement approach through ongoing review of existing processes and identification of process improvement opportunities.
• 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.
• Ensure appropriate policies, procedures and best practices are followed.
• Ensure that communications are timely, informative and appropriately represent Finance and the University.
• Manage complex University issues and challenging interpersonal interactions with composure and diplomacy while maintaining confidentiality.
• Resolve key concerns and ad-hoc issues associated with Finance Services and the University in general, making recommendations to resolve these issues through the development of procedures, practices and standards while balancing conflicting needs of many stakeholders.
• Provide strategic decision support to Senior Leadership for assigned portfolios, 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 (ie Business Plan, Research Plan, Academic Plan, Enrollment Plan, etc.).
• Lead the forecasting and planning process, including monthly budget-to-actual variance analysis and forecast for assigned portfolios.
• Stay current on trends and approaches to financial management and processes through continued professional development.
• Understand and comply with the requirements of the University's Occupational Health and Safety Policy.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• A professional accounting designation (CPA, CA, CMA or CGA) with a related University degree. 
• Extensive work experience in various accounting and finance functions including budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis (8+ years).
• Proven team building and leadership skills experience, including 3 to 5 years of supervisory/management experience leading a large team.
• Strong consulting and business partnering skills including negotiating and influencing, change management, decision making, problem solving and client relationship development.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills are required to ensure client facing functions are effectively managed.
• 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 and be critically objective with an ability to develop innovative solutions to problems. Must be able to work independently and in a team environment.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills.
• Experience providing strategic decision support at the senior leadership level (3+ years).
• Experience leading the budgeting and forecasting processes for operations in excess of $20M.
• Experience working in an academic environment is a strong asset.
• 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.

Additional Information

This position is classified in the Management Career Band, Level 2 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework. Management and Professional Staff (MaPS) Positions are currently under review as part of the Alberta Labour Relations Board exclusion review process. Visit the HR website for more information.

To find out more about management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

The University strongly recommends all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

About the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.