Finance Manager, Academic

Algonquin College • Ottawa, ON

2d • $100,363 - $125,454 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Finance Manager provides cross-departmental leadership in financial strategy, budget development, quarterly budget reviews, position control, enrollment planning, and analytical reporting for assigned schools/departments within the Academic area. This position maintains functional reporting relationships and accountability to associated Deans/Directors while leading day-to-day financial management and operations, enrollment/activity forecasting, contract administration, position control, and supervision of budget officers. They support Deans/Directors and Chairs/Managers across their assigned schools/departments to ensure consistent and accurate financial and enrollment practices and analysis across the College’s Academic Area. The incumbent integrates multi-year financial projections (including enrollment projections) with space, equipment, and HR plans (operating and capital funding) and delivers reliable analytics that inform program viability, resource allocation, and contribution targets for their assigned schools/departments. The incumbent is responsible for managing a large and complex multi-million-dollar budget where their multi-year enrollment and financial projections are paramount to the overall College financial sustainability. The incumbent ensures compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, internal financial controls, and operational procedures within the Academic Area, and ensures that financial and operational reconciliations and reports are completed to meet management and contract requirements. As part of the Academic Portfolio Strategic Framework, they exercise disciplined stewardship of college resources and provide evidence-based recommendations to Deans/Directors for strategic decision-making that consider risk, sustainability, and school-wide program mix impact during the Annual Portfolio Performance Review. They explore and provide insights for program/initiative alternatives and mitigation strategies for programs/initiatives under review. The incumbent leads, manages, and implements new initiatives related to the usage of enterprise-wide accounting and HR systems. This position is responsible for managing a variety of information and enterprise systems to support the schools/departments, Deans/Directors, Chairs/Managers, and College stakeholders.

Requirements

• Minimum four (4) year degree in Business Administration, Business Commerce (or related); Equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience may be accepted in place of formal education.
• Certified Professional Accounting Designation (CPA).
• Minimum seven (7) years' experience in a senior financial and business planning role, with a strong record of delivering quality outcomes within defined scope, time, and cost parameters, as well as the analysis and development of complex budgets comprised of diverse activity involving both unionized and non-unionized human resources.
• Experience in a financial environment within a post-secondary institute.
• Experience leading teams and managing deliverables in a matrixed environment.
• Experience working with and presenting to upper management and senior executives.
• Experience in the development and analysis of complex budgets.
• Demonstrated success in building and sustaining effective working relationships and openness to enable effective information-sharing at all levels of the organization.
• Experience in large organization financial, budget, HR, and accounting systems.
• Experience developing staff in order to accomplish succession plans and strategic goals.
• Experience in all phases of business process design and redesign.
• Experience in the preparation of financial statements and reports for all levels.
• Experience in investigating and explaining variances.
• Experience with provincial government funding.
• Demonstrated organizational skills.
• Minimum of nine years of progressive experience in Advanced Excel and other software packages (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Accounting, Database).
• Proven leadership, supervisory, and management skills in order to oversee the full scope of responsibility.
• Excellent capability in financial analysis and ability to communicate financial concepts and models, including their impact on operations.
• Excellent decision-making skills in order to assess situations and make informative decisions in complex problem-solving situations on behalf of the Academic Operations and Planning.
• Conflict resolution and negotiation skills are critical.
• Understand and apply General Business principles and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAPP).
• Excellent understanding of corporate structure, governance, and financial policies.
• Excellent leadership and motivational skills, including proven experience in employee motivation, teambuilding, and people development.
• Experience in developing and managing complex budgets and with large organization financial accounting systems and familiarization with contract terminology.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written to manage the daily operations and oversee proposals and reports, including the ability to negotiate, use sound judgment in decision making, handle pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent financial management skills, including proven ability to negotiate, use good judgment in decision making, handle pressure, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Excellent conflict resolution skills, including the ability to deal with confidential matters while demonstrating a balance of compassion and good judgment.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and time management skills in order to evaluate, determine, and implement or assign the correct course of action in a timely and effective manner.
• Excellent computer skills: Human Resources Systems, Financial Systems and M365.
• Excellent relationship-building skills to deal with all levels of college operations on a daily basis.

Responsibilities

• Full responsibility and accountability for developing short, medium, and long-term financial operating and capital plans for annual budgets of $30-$60M.
• Leads and coordinates annual and quarterly budget reviews and submissions and facilitates resolutions of variances.
• Leads the development of a budget and positions tracking process and oversees the monthly budget performance of the schools/departments.
• Provides planning, direction, and strategic input with colleagues during quarterly review and Budget Preparation.
• Provides direction and guidance to Deans/Directors and Chairs/Managers on items pertaining to budgets, financial guidelines, budget principles, contribution margins, and related issues.
• Provides daily oversight of budget monitoring toward financial targets.
• Identifies risks and opportunities within the budget and determines how to mitigate risks and exploit opportunities.
• Develops solutions and alternatives within the schools/departments for balancing budgets or funding of new initiatives.
• Researches and recommends corrective course of actions to the Deans/Directors and Chairs/Managers to ensure that the schools/departments performance standards are progressive and provide the best value for money for the College.
• Coordinates multi-year enrollment projections as required.
• Ensures assumptions are accurately integrated into budget and staffing plans.
• Manages the business process design and re-design initiatives to meet the continuously changing needs of the students and college administration.
• Analyzes cost reports, KPI trends, retention data, positions and salary, enrollment, and financial drivers affecting schools/programs/contracts/initiatives operations and prepares recommendations for costing improvements.
• Produces scenario analysis to guide planning, lab/course scheduling, teaching load structure, contract proposals, new initiatives, etc.
• Analyzes, prepares, and presents detailed reports utilizing standardized analytical tools from Academic Operations and Planning about trends, opportunities, enrollment/activity, student retention, KPIs, SWF, financial performance, return on investment, etc.
• Manages and examines expense and revenue budgets including external partnerships; positions and salary, identifies expenditure trends, reconciles financial records, and provides analysis utilizing college systems.
• Provides and presents analysis of all budget requests from managers and staff to ensure they are accurate.
• Prepares and presents analysis of student enrollment to guide annual activity enrollment projections.
• Prepares relevant operational reports, analyzing progress and adverse trends, and providing appropriate recommendations or conclusions.
• Leads advanced financial and enrollment analysis to support strategic priorities, academic program sustainability, and resource planning.
• Oversees preparation and presents detailed financial and enrollment analytics, including program costing and contribution margin analysis, trend and variance analysis, revenue and expenditure forecasting of financial impact of curriculum or enrollment changes, etc.
• Reviews and interprets contract terms and conditions to assist in cost recovery, risk minimization, and successful delivery of educational services.
• Reviews contracts, deliverables, and financial statements for Government and community partnership programs.
• Coordinates with Finance, Procurement, Risk Management, and Manager, Academic Planning and Strategic Initiatives, external resources, and vendors (as required) regarding compliance, cost models, signing authority, etc.
• Develops business cases and financial/cost-benefit analysis to assess the feasibility of partnerships, projects, and contract activity, including both operational and capital costs.
• Responsible for the preparation of working papers, journal entries, and draft financial statements for contract with audit requirements and financial reporting for externally funded initiatives or agreements.
• Prepares the AC-Procurement-Contract Statements of Works, the AC Executive Summary Contract Review Document required to ensure the contract adheres to the College’s BG-II-06 Delegation-of-contract-Signing Authority Policy.
• Provides functional guidance relating to contract negotiations.
• Follows up with risk management in cases where the agreement does not meet college standards and discusses risk mitigation strategies.
• Maintains oversight of contract workflows and ensures that contract-related documentation is complete, current, auditable, and renewed, as required, in a timely manner.
• Ensures academic contract visibility through the usage of the official College repository system.
• Manages the facilities of the schools/departments by analyzing the space requirements for new and existing program offerings/initiatives.
• Ensures schools/departments space requirements are included in the Academic Space Plan.
• In collaboration with Facilities Management, oversees the construction, renovation, repair, and maintenance of dedicated space to ensure program/initiative requirements are met.
• Supports the negotiation of the use of academic space to external organizations with Facilities Management.
• Maintains the schools/departments’ equipment inventory and equipment lifecycle and needs projection.
• Ensures that schools/departments equipment requirements are included in the multi-year Academic Capital Equipment Plan.
• Assists Deans/Directors and Chairs/Managers in the planning, initiating, and approving of the procurement of equipment and furniture for academic and administration facilities.
• Keeps key stakeholders aware of progress on financial and space-related projects.
• Manages, coaches, and develops staff in their daily assignments, creating an effective working environment for the staff and effective service delivery environment.
• Meets regularly with other Finance Managers and Budget Officers to ensure standardized financial services is consistent across all schools/departments within the Academic Area.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of best practices across the Academic Area.
• Contributes and provides training to Finance Managers and Budget Officers within the Academic Area.
• Ensures consistent communication, documentation, and dissemination of financial strategies across the assigned schools/departments.
• Oversees workload allocation, performance planning, and professional development for direct reports.
• Promotes a high level of performance through effective recruiting, selecting, developing, motivating, evaluating, and training of staff for which the incumbent is responsible, as well as, promoting and managing the ongoing professional development of the team.
• Contributes and drives continuous improvement of financial and enrollment reporting tools and processes and identifies opportunities for operational efficiencies and data governance enhancement.
• Other duties as required.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Comprehensive benefits, including health, dental, and retirement plans
• Access to training, tuition assistance programs (Algonquin College Courses and Degree Completion), certifications, workshops, and professional courses
• Lifetime retirement pension (CAAT Pension Plan)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager