Manager, Expense Services

University of British Columbia•Vancouver, BC

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Manager, Expense Services provides leadership, direction and oversight to the Expense Services team within the Arts Service Centre (ASC) in the Faculty of Arts. The incumbent will be responsible for managing and overseeing the effective and efficient operations of financial processes within the ASC, while providing expertise on complex or atypical transactions which are escalated from the team. This is a critical position for the ASC which will be responsible for building and maintaining positive and productive working relationships with various stakeholders and client groups within the Faculty. The incumbent will be expected to monitor client satisfaction, seek feedback, and implement improvements accordingly. The Faculty of Arts is the largest Faculty at the University of British Columbia, with an annual operating and research budget of approximately $280 million. It comprises sixteen Departments, seven Schools, four Institutes, and six cultural venues. The Faculty focuses on Social Sciences, Humanities, and Creating & Performing Arts, serving as a global centre for research and teaching with approximately 16,000 students and over 1,100 faculty and staff members.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
Enrolled in the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP) modules.
Minimum of three years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Knowledge of UBC policies, procedures and regulations are required.
Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve issues.
Proven multi-tasking skills.
Ability to work calmly under pressure of critical deadlines or heavy volume during peak periods.

Nice To Haves

Completion of the CPA Accounting program (CA, CGA or CMA).
Experience working in a complex academic environment and familiarity with the Faculty of Arts would be a strong asset.
Experience leading and managing teams.
Computer experience required (Word, Excel, UBC Workday financial systems preferred).
Experience with project coordination and management is preferred.
Effective oral & written communication, interpersonal & organizational skills.
Ability to prioritize workflow, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy.
Ability to exercise tact & discretion when handling sensitive and/or confidential issues in complex situations and to work independently and within a team is essential.
Experience working in a unionized environment an asset.
Knowledge of BC Employment Standards.

Responsibilities

Develops and implements policies, standards, and procedures to improve financial processes within the ASC (e.g., accounting procedures, financial information flow, administrative procedures, workflow, or internal controls).
Analyzes and monitors overall effectiveness and efficiency of financial processes.
Designs, develops, and implements audit policies, programs, methods, and procedures to ensure the integrity of financial information and mitigate fraud or financial loss.
Manages and directs a team within the ASC responsible for preparing, approving, and posting financial transactions, including expenses and revenue for all units within the Faculty of Arts.
Provides oversight and guidance to staff in a Faculty unit with a distributed ASC team.
Establishes and upholds appropriate professional practice among team members.
Mentors, coaches, and develops staff to ensure effective daily work performance and service excellence.
Recruits, trains, evaluates, develops, and, when required, disciplines and terminates staff.
Provides and models exceptional client service in the financial area to all units within the Faculty.
Maintains a detailed understanding of each department’s finances and provides accurate advice.
Manages the efficient processing, recording, and posting of all payments and general ledger entries, including UBC credit card reconciliations, collaborating with departments to ensure appropriateness and timeliness.
Provides specialized and complex financial advice to client groups on sensitive or atypical transactions and anomalies.
Coordinates training on all payment processing related issues, including policies, procedures, initiation of purchases and expenditures, and understanding UBC ledger reports.
Builds and maintains positive and productive working relationships across the Faculty of Arts, ensuring client needs are met.
Investigates and resolves concerns.
Advises on complex transactions, ensuring correctness and compliance with University and Faculty policies, as well as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Works closely with various UBC departments (e.g., Financial Operations, Treasury, Comptroller’s Office, Human Resources, Faculty Relations, Provost Office, Office of Research Services) to resolve complex issues impacting the Faculty or its units and to interpret University financial policies and procedures.
Liaises with the Buyer and Procurement Officer(s) on purchases of goods and services.
Collaborates on developing and preparing complex reports from various systems and sources using various software packages and tools to support financial decision making and analysis, including year-end financial statements and ad hoc analysis.
Oversees the implementation of new Finance business processes within the Faculty (e.g., Workday) and within the Arts Service Centre, including identifying and understanding change impacts, assessing impacts to business processes, preparing for new ways of working, and escalating risks and issues.
Ensures the appropriateness of expenditures in compliance with UBC and Faculty of Arts policies and procedures, as well as external sponsor policies.
Identifies and investigates anomalous trends in vendor or individual payments, and provides exception reporting.
Maintains current knowledge of and ensures compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, UBC and Faculty of Arts policies and procedures, external agency policies, and relevant federal and provincial legislation and regulations relating to taxation.
Performs other duties as required.