Finance Business Partner

Bow Valley College•Calgary, AB

19h

About The Position

Bow Valley College is seeking a collaborative and strategic Finance Business Partner to join our Finance team. In this role, you will serve as a trusted advisor to a portfolio of internal clients, providing expert financial guidance that supports informed decision-making, responsible stewardship of resources, and achievement of strategic objectives. As a key partner to academic and administrative leaders, you will deliver high-quality financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and advisory services within a complex and evolving post-secondary environment. You will build strong relationships across the College, helping leaders understand the financial implications of decisions, identify opportunities and risks, and develop sustainable plans that support organizational priorities.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related discipline.
Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and analysis.
Strong experience providing financial advice and support to senior leaders and stakeholders.
Exceptional financial analysis, forecasting, modeling, and problem-solving skills.
Experience developing business cases, financial models, and strategic recommendations.
Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex financial information to non-financial audiences.
Proficiency with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, business intelligence tools, data warehousing solutions, and advanced spreadsheet applications.
Demonstrated ability to build productive relationships and influence decision-making through collaboration and trusted advice.

Nice To Haves

A professional accounting designation (CPA, CPA-CA, CPA-CGA, CPA-CMA, ACCA) and/or an MBA.
Experience in a finance business partnering, financial planning and analysis, or strategic finance role.
Experience with business planning, program costing, and advanced financial modeling.
Knowledge of public sector, post-secondary, or not-for-profit accounting environments.
Experience leading projects, financial system improvements, or process optimization initiatives.
Supervisory or leadership experience and demonstrated ability to mentor others.

Responsibilities

Partner with Leaders to Strengthen Financial Stewardship: Build strong, collaborative relationships with Deans, Directors, and departmental leaders to provide strategic financial guidance and support. Serve as a trusted advisor by helping clients navigate financial policies, processes, systems, and reporting requirements while ensuring compliance with college policies, regulatory requirements, granting agency obligations, and donor stewardship expectations.
Lead discussions with portfolio leaders on financial performance, business drivers, emerging issues, and opportunities for improvement. Provide expert advice on accounting practices, contract management processes, and financial implications of new business initiatives, including identifying and recommending approaches to mitigate financial risk.
Support the development of financial knowledge and capability across the College by mentoring and training administrative and support staff on financial and budgeting practices.
Lead Budgeting, Forecasting, and Financial Planning Activities: Lead the preparation and coordination of annual operating budgets, forecasting activities, and long-range financial planning processes for assigned portfolios. Working closely with Deans, Directors, Vice Presidents, and other stakeholders, provide expert guidance on budget development, resource allocation, financial sustainability, and strategic planning initiatives.
Develop and maintain financial models, program-costing analyses, and business cases that support new and existing programs, services, and initiatives. Conduct budget-to-actual variance analysis, identify key financial trends, and provide recommendations that help leaders understand risks, opportunities, and the operational impacts of financial decisions.
Collaborate with internal stakeholders to refine and improve integrated budgeting and forecasting processes and support the ongoing effectiveness of budgeting systems and tools.
Deliver Insightful Financial Analysis and Reporting: Develop meaningful financial reports, forecasts, dashboards, and ad hoc analyses that support operational and strategic decision-making. Translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights that help leaders understand performance drivers, assess financial risks, and identify opportunities for improvement.
Lead year-end financial activities for assigned portfolios, including accrual preparation, variance analysis, reconciliation, and maintenance of appropriate documentation and audit trails. Monitor financial performance and ensure leaders are informed of issues that may impact budgets, forecasts, operational plans, or strategic priorities.
Support the preparation of proposals and business cases through financial modeling, sensitivity analysis, and scenario planning.
Drive Process Improvement and Financial Excellence: Evaluate the effectiveness of financial, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and decision-making. Lead or support financial change initiatives, including process redesign, system enhancements, and implementation of best practices that strengthen financial management across the College.
Contribute to the testing, implementation, and ongoing optimization of budgeting and financial systems, working closely with internal stakeholders and external consultants to address system enhancements and support user adoption.
Monitor the effectiveness of financial controls, policies, and procedures and recommend improvements that support compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement.
Support Strategic Analysis and Institutional Decision-Making: Provide strategic analysis and advisory services that support College-wide planning, risk management, and organizational effectiveness. Develop high-level financial reporting and forecasting that assists senior leaders in evaluating business performance, assessing risks, and making informed decisions regarding programs, services, and investments.
Support the administration of risk management and legislative compliance processes by identifying financial risks and recommending mitigation strategies.
Contribute to the ongoing review and enhancement of college financial policies and procedures, ensuring they remain responsive to organizational needs and industry’s best practices.