Manager, Provider Funding Agreements & Accountability

The Government of Nova Scotia•Halifax, NS

2d•CA$102,160 - CA$127,690•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) is transforming the early years and public education system in Nova Scotia. The Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) branch regulates, funds, and supports early learning and child care providers and sector partners. As the sector evolves, the department is strengthening its collaboration with operators to ensure sustainability, monitor public investment, and help funded organizations meet evolving expectations. The ELCC sector is undergoing significant transformation, including operating in a changing funding environment. As new funding structures, reporting processes, and accountability requirements mature, the department is enhancing its monitoring of public funding, support for funded organizations, and promotion of clear, consistent accountability. As Manager, Provider Funding Agreements and Accountability, you will lead a team responsible for monitoring public funding, assessing financial and operational risk, supporting funded organizations, and strengthening accountability practices across the ELCC sector. You will guide complex reviews, oversee the development of tools and processes, and ensure the branch has clear, practical approaches for identifying issues, supporting corrective action, and escalating matters as needed. This role requires strong financial judgment, leadership experience, and the ability to integrate program, policy, financial, and operational perspectives. You will advise senior leaders, collaborate with Financial Advisory Services and ELCC program areas, and build productive relationships with funded organizations while maintaining a focus on stewardship of public funds, accountability, and sector sustainability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with a focus in accounting, finance, business administration, commerce, public administration, or a related field, plus several years of progressively responsible related experience, including experience leading staff, projects, or complex initiatives. An equivalent combination of training and experience may be considered.
Strong foundation in financial analysis, funding accountability, compliance, grants administration, audit, internal controls, or a related area.
Ability to review financial information, interpret funding agreements and policies, identify risk, and provide clear advice in a complex program environment.
Experienced people or initiative leader.
Ability to set priorities, support staff through change, work across teams, and bring clarity to issues that may be sensitive, ambiguous, or operationally complex.
Leading staff, projects, or cross-functional initiatives in a financial, accountability, compliance, grants administration, or program delivery environment.
Interpreting funding agreements, financial documents, policies, procedures, legislation, or accountability requirements.
Designing, implementing, or improving monitoring frameworks, internal controls, reporting processes, procedures, or accountability tools.
Reviewing financial and operational information to identify risks, trends, gaps, and issues requiring management attention.
Providing advice and recommendations to senior leaders on complex financial, operational, compliance, or risk-related matters.
Working with funded organizations, third-party service providers, not-for-profit organizations, small businesses, or other external partners.
Preparing briefing materials, reports, correspondence, and decision-support documents for senior management or executive audiences.
Managing confidential and sensitive information with sound judgement, discretion, and professionalism.
Strong communicator, collaborative leader, and practical problem solver.
Professionalism, curiosity, sound judgement, and a commitment to supporting public accountability while building productive working relationships across government and with the sector.

Nice To Haves

Chartered Professional Accountant designation, enrollment in the CPA program, Certified Internal Auditor designation, or another relevant certification.
Experience with SAP or other financial systems.
Experience with grants, transfer payments, contribution agreements, funding agreements, or public funding programs.
Experience developing risk-based monitoring approaches, internal controls, reporting tools, or quality assurance processes.
Experience working with child care operators, community-based organizations, not-for-profit organizations, small businesses, or other third-party service providers.
Knowledge of the early learning and child care sector, including issues related to affordability, accessibility, wages, operations, and sector sustainability.
Bilingualism in English and French.

Responsibilities

Lead a team responsible for funding accountability, monitoring, risk assessment, and sector support activities related to ELCC funding agreements.
Provide direction, coaching, and supervision to staff, including setting priorities, assigning work, reviewing analysis, and supporting professional development.
Oversee complex reviews of financial and non-financial information to identify risks, trends, compliance issues, and opportunities for improvement.
Lead the development and implementation of monitoring frameworks, tools, templates, procedures, and internal controls to support consistent and transparent funding oversight.
Support decision-making related to corrective action, escalation, funding conditions, and other responses where funded organizations require additional support or oversight.
Provide strategic advice, analysis, and recommendations to senior leaders on funding accountability, operator risk, compliance trends, and emerging sector pressures.
Identify system-level process gaps and lead improvements that support consistency, accountability, sustainability, and public trust.
Contribute to the design and implementation of new or evolving operational funding structures in the early learning and child care sector.
Prepare and review briefing materials, reports, presentations, correspondence, and recommendations for senior management and executive decision-making.
Work closely with Financial Advisory Services, ELCC program areas, and funded organizations to resolve complex issues and strengthen reporting, accountability, and funding administration practices.
Balance financial stewardship with a relationship-based approach that supports operator understanding, sector stability, and compliance with public funding requirements.

Benefits

Defined Benefit Pension Plan
Health
Dental
Life Insurance
General illness
Short and Long Term Disability
Vacation
Employee and Family Assistance Programs
Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
Countless career paths
A Dynamic, client-focused office environment where service excellence and teamwork are our focus.