Accounting Specialist

Fanshawe Toronto@ILAC • London, ON

10d • CA$35 - CA$40 • Hybrid

About The Position

Fanshawe College thrives because of its people. We foster a culture of excellence and see opportunities to turn potential into impact. Leading with empathy, belonging, unity, learning and courage, we guide the learning journey of our students, ensuring they are ready for work and life, today and tomorrow.

Fanshawe College is committed to the principles of hybrid work and may offer this option to employees whose work can be performed in an alternate location, without adverse impact to the operations of the College, inclusive of our Student and Staff experience. Confirmation of hybrid work options available to you will be clarified upon hire and may be subject to change based on the duties required of your position. Successful candidates will be required to perform work within Ontario and must be available to work on campus, as required.

Payment Services plays a vital role within the College’s Finance team, supporting the effective, accurate, and secure processing of both payments and cash receipts across the institution. The team ensures that vendors, customers and employees are transacted with in accordance with established policies, regulatory requirements, and financial controls—enabling the College to operate smoothly and responsibly. As a collaborative and service‑oriented group, Payment Services works closely with departments across the College to provide guidance, resolve inquiries and support financial integrity. By delivering reliable finance operations and continuous improvement, the team helps safeguard public funds, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and contribute to the overall financial health and mission of the College.

Under the supervision of the Manager, Finance Operations, we are seeking an Accounting Specialist who will be responsible for payment settlement processes and performing independent compliance reviews of payments, deposits/receivable transactions and reconciliation of related general ledger accounts. The role supports the integrity of financial operations through internal control review, tax reporting, reconciliation activities, and administration of the Purchasing Card program (P-Card), The incumbent ensures transactions are processed in accordance with college policy, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• 3-year diploma or degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• Must be enrolled in an accredited introductory‑level accounting program and progressing toward a professional accounting designation (e.g., CPA)
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in accounts payable and receivable processes, including reconciliation of sub-ledgers and general ledger accounts
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered
• Proven ability to review and analyze financial transactions for compliance with policies, delegated authorities, and accounting standards
• Familiarity with banking processes, including electronic payments, Positive Pay, and cheque/wire administration
• Experience in preparing journal entries, reconciliations, and year-end working papers in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAS)
• Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (preferably Workday)
• Strong background in internal control review, audit working paper preparation, or financial compliance within a complex or public sector organization
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply financial policies, identify process risks, and recommend improvements
• Proven collaboration and communication skills for working with cross-functional teams and external auditors

Nice To Haves

• Experience with commodity tax (HST/GST) and T4A reporting is an asset

Responsibilities

• Perform independent system routed review of payment transactions processed by accounting clerks
• Ad hoc bank transactions/customer deposits approval: Approve deposits or withdrawals for cash/cheque/EFT/wire, POS sale, card/online payments, refund or chargeback”
• Identify trends, control gaps or recurring errors and recommend corrective actions
• Escalate high-risk or non-compliant transactions to the Manager
• Ensure transactions comply with college policy, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements
• Initiate settlement runs in Workday and Colleague to meet cash requirements, College and departmental deadlines & payee/supplier payment terms
• Monitor and resolve rejected or returned payments
• Respond to positive pay exceptions and banking correspondence
• Coordinate stale-dated cheque review and issuance
• Provides support to the Manager and submits recommendations for improving Payment Services related accounting processes
• Prepares commodity tax returns and act as a tax resource for department under the direction of the Manager
• Prepare and review T4A analyses; make corrections to the T4A file throughout the year
• Reconciles Finance Operations general ledger, subledger, clearing and suspense accounts
• Prepares corrective journal entries while monitoring adherence to GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principle) and PSAS (Public Sector Accounting Standards)
• Prepares monthly/quarterly journals
• Prepares year-end working papers with appropriate backup and assist with audit inquires
• Administers the College’s P-Card program, including creating new cards, cancelling cards, and updating user limits or information
• Assesses user compliance with the P-Card policy and follow up on exceptions
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Comprehensive Pension & Benefits: Join a defined-benefit pension plan (through the CAAT Pension Plan) that delivers predictable lifetime retirement income, plus dental, disability, travel insurance and extended health coverage.
• Vacation: Enjoy paid time off and benefit from a scheduled holiday closure that offers additional rest and time with family during the winter season
• Tuition & Professional Development: Continue your learning journey — eligible employees and their dependents can take select Fanshawe programs or courses at a reduced cost
• Inclusive, Meaningful Campus environment: Work alongside passionate colleagues in an inclusive culture that values diversity, drives student success, and connects you to the local community and campus life.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree