PROJECT DIRECTOR (Finance Operations)

City of Toronto•Toronto, ON

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Lead the engine that powers Finance Shared Services. As Project Director, Finance Operations, you will provide senior leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the establishment, stabilization, and long‑term success of Finance Shared Services. Reporting to the Executive Director, Finance Shared Services, you’ll be accountable for the end‑to‑end delivery of high‑volume transactional finance services, ensuring they operate with excellence, integrity, and reliability. At the same time, you’ll be a key driver of modernization actively shaping the operating model, supporting transformation initiatives, and ensuring Finance Operations are scalable, resilient, and aligned with the future state vision. This is a role for a seasoned leader who can balance day‑to‑day operational accountability with long‑term strategy, transformation, and people leadership in a complex public‑sector environment. In this role, you will lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of Finance Shared Services and Finance Operations improvements, translating City Council direction and divisional priorities into practical, measurable outcomes. You will develop and implement functional policies, programs, and management practices that improve business performance, service delivery, and financial outcomes always with an eye on long‑term sustainability and evolving organizational needs. This role works in close partnership with the FSS Project team, including the Project Director, FSS Project, and serves as a key operational stakeholder throughout the FSS initiative. The focus of this position is on leading the day-to-day finance operations and ensuring operational readiness, continuity, and alignment as FSS is implemented and transitions to steady‑state. You will oversee Finance Operations through subordinate management teams, setting clear direction while empowering leaders to deliver results. Leading a large, diverse, and unionized workforce, you’ll foster a culture of accountability, continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation. You’ll address complex and sometimes contentious labour relations matters, ensure high standards of work quality, and motivate teams to contribute to operational excellence. As the accountable leader for finance operations, you’ll ensure the accurate, efficient, and compliant delivery of high‑volume transactional services in line with corporate policies, service standards, Service Level Agreements, and legislative requirements. You will establish and monitor service delivery standards, performance indicators, and reporting frameworks that drive transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. You’ll play a central role in modernizing finance by supporting transformation initiatives, process optimization, automation, and enterprise‑wide systems and technology initiatives. Working closely with divisional management, sector partners, and shared services providers, you’ll help define and advance the future‑state operating model ensuring Finance Operations evolves to meet changing service, technology, and customer expectations. Strong financial stewardship will sit at the heart of your work. You will provide input into annual budgets, oversee operating and capital expenditures, and ensure financial resources are managed within approved limits. You will maintain strong financial controls, risk management practices, and compliance with audit requirements, corporate policies, and applicable legislation across all areas of responsibility. As a senior representative of the Division, you will work closely with the Division Head to identify, manage, and resolve emerging risks, service issues, complaints, and customer service challenges. You will represent divisional leadership when liaising with Members of Council, senior City officials, partners, and the public, navigating complex issues with professionalism, credibility, and sound judgment. You will build and sustain strong partnerships with client divisions, corporate partners, external agencies, and service providers serving as a senior point of contact and ensuring issues are addressed, services are responsive, and relationships are actively managed. You will inform the design and implementation of new programs, program changes, and pilot initiatives to better meet client needs, while advocating for equitable processes, improved access to services, and better program outcomes for the public and community. You’ll provide program leadership that promotes excellence in customer service, efficient and accountable service delivery, and consistent service experiences across the organization. This includes developing strategic business plans, contributing to divisional and unit‑level strategic planning, monitoring and directing risk collaboratively, and ensuring effective communication with divisional management. You will prepare monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad‑hoc reports that support legislative compliance, financial accountability, service transparency, and performance management. Through thoughtful analysis and clear reporting, you’ll provide leadership with the insight they need to make informed decisions and ensure Finance Operations continue to deliver value.

Requirements

Strong foundation in public administration and financial management.
Post-secondary education.
Professional accounting designation (CPA—CMA, CA, or CGA).
Extensive experience as a senior finance leader overseeing shared services or complex finance operations with high-volume transactional accounting functions.
Experienced people leader skilled in coaching, motivating, and holding leaders accountable.
Strong human resources management skills, ideally gained in a unionized environment.
Experience leading major finance transformation initiatives, including process optimization, automation, reporting modernization, budgeting, and enterprise technology implementations.
Experience with ERP systems.
Strong knowledge of platforms such as SAP S/4HANA and Ariba Invoice Management.
Expertise in managing operating, capital, and financial budgets end-to-end.
Strong oversight of balance sheet components, financial controls, and risk.
Deep understanding of governance and accountability frameworks, especially within large, complex public-sector organizations.
Well-versed in relevant legislation related to finance, budgeting, reporting, service delivery, labour relations, and occupational health and safety.
Strategic and lateral thinker, capable of setting long-term objectives, developing business strategies, and leading enterprise-wide projects, restructurctions, and change initiatives.
Decisive, analytical, and solutions-focused with the ability to navigate ambiguity and competing stakeholder interests.
Communication skills to distill complex financial, technical, and organizational issues into clear, compelling briefings and presentations for senior leadership, Council, and decision-makers.
Ability to build strong relationships across multidisciplinary environments.
Service-oriented mindset that balances policy, standards, and operational realities.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a unionized environment.
Experience with SAP S/4HANA and Ariba Invoice Management.

Responsibilities

Provide senior leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the establishment, stabilization, and long-term success of Finance Shared Services.
Accountable for the end-to-end delivery of high-volume transactional finance services, ensuring excellence, integrity, and reliability.
Drive modernization by shaping the operating model, supporting transformation initiatives, and ensuring Finance Operations are scalable, resilient, and aligned with the future state vision.
Lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of Finance Shared Services and Finance Operations improvements.
Develop and implement functional policies, programs, and management practices to improve business performance, service delivery, and financial outcomes.
Oversee Finance Operations through subordinate management teams, setting clear direction and empowering leaders.
Foster a culture of accountability, continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation within a large, diverse, and unionized workforce.
Address complex labour relations matters and ensure high standards of work quality.
Ensure accurate, efficient, and compliant delivery of high-volume transactional services in line with corporate policies, service standards, SLAs, and legislative requirements.
Establish and monitor service delivery standards, performance indicators, and reporting frameworks.
Support transformation initiatives, process optimization, automation, and enterprise-wide systems and technology initiatives.
Help define and advance the future-state operating model for Finance Operations.
Provide input into annual budgets, oversee operating and capital expenditures, and ensure financial resources are managed within approved limits.
Maintain strong financial controls, risk management practices, and compliance with audit requirements, corporate policies, and applicable legislation.
Identify, manage, and resolve emerging risks, service issues, complaints, and customer service challenges.
Represent divisional leadership when liaising with Members of Council, senior City officials, partners, and the public.
Build and sustain strong partnerships with client divisions, corporate partners, external agencies, and service providers.
Inform the design and implementation of new programs, program changes, and pilot initiatives.
Provide program leadership that promotes excellence in customer service, efficient and accountable service delivery, and consistent service experiences.
Develop strategic business plans and contribute to divisional and unit-level strategic planning.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad-hoc reports for legislative compliance, financial accountability, service transparency, and performance management.