School Finance Specialist

**Mission**:
**Competition Info**:
Competition Close Date: Thursday, September 11, 2025 at 11:59 PM

Calendar: 12 month

**Salary**: SA Grade I, $45.12 to $55.67 per hour

FTE: 1.0, 35 hours per week

**This is a temporary position with an expected end date of September 2026.**

**Position Description**:
**Major Responsibilities**
- Provides advice and consultation services to assigned schools on finance and the use of resources. Concentration is on: schools’ financial operations, including decentralized budget (and related transactions) and financial records matters; staffing budget; accounting; contracts; Chief Superintendent’s Administrative Regulations; requirements of Alberta Education and other external stakeholders, the Board of Trustees and the CBE administration.
- In collaboration with Supply Chain Services, assists school administrators in implementing and following central purchasing requirements and standards, and in procuring goods and services in an efficient, effective and economical manner.
- Works with the Area Director to identify areas of concern with respect to schools’ financial position, allocating resources and following up on school financial issues and Area concerns.
- Identifies, prepares and presents at the Area Leadership Meeting on topics of concern identified by the Area Director and Finance and Supply Chain Services.
- Provides strategic financial decision support to designated Principals through the Resource Allocation Method (RAM) process relative to positions and to ensure budgeted staffing levels are within the context of available school resources and Area Director-supported directives.
- Receives and approves all RAM change requests, and attendant Position Management Change Requests, to change schools staffing complements throughout the year.
- Assists schools in identifying and analyzing financial risks and improving processes to minimize risk in schools.
- Student counts and projections;
- Budgeted staff allocations (regular, special education and others) as reflected in RAM spreadsheets, RAM Change Requests, and approval of appropriate Position Management forms;
- Annual operating and capital budget preparation through schools’ carry-forward calculation and deficit financing tracking;
- Variance reporting;
- Fundraising and donation reporting;
- School fees reporting including collection and waivers;
- Budget transfer preparation;
- Summary of Board Funds (D-015 & D-018) form preparation;
- Proper recording and remitting of GST;
- School generated funds reporting;
- External funds reporting; opening, closing and/or transfers of schools and/or programs
- Ensures that financial processes at the schools follow generally accepted accounting principles to the extent determined by the Calgary Board of Education, and that the data and information generated by these processes can be amalgamated with other Calgary Board of Education financial information and conform to Alberta Education requirements.
- Understands appropriate use of the CBE Chart of Accounts.
- In collaboration with Human Resources, approves position management change forms submitted by Schools, ensures that the forms have been properly completed and that the school has budget available to support the position.
- Assigns Duty to Accommodate (DTA), Area Discretionary/Contingency/Program renewal funding to Schools’ RAMs.
- Assists schools in preparing, presenting and/or submitting reports/requests to Area Director, Senior Leadership, Superintendents’ Team, Board of Trustees, school councils and other service units.
- Communicates with schools on the implementation of finance-related policies, regulations and procedures.
- Monitors school compliance with CBE policies, regulations and procedures.
- When requested, attend Parent council or Parent Society meetings, represent the CBE and advise stakeholders of appropriate CBE policy and procedures.
- Must have basic understanding with regards to the contract between the CBE and the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) and the contract between the CBE and the CBE Staff Association (SA).
- Ensures that school administrators have appropriate internal control measures and self-assessment procedures in order to be fully apprised of the financial positions and business operations of their schools.
- Coordinates school finance and business information needs of the integrated services Area team, including other functional specialists and school administrators, with the needs of the Finance and Supply Chain Services Unit.
- In consultation with the Manager, School Financial Management provides feedback and observations to supervisors regarding activities of staff performing school financial activities. On request, assists the school administrators in interviewing and evaluating the suitability of prospective support staff at the schools.
- Identifies the need, develops, delivers, and evaluates training programs for school-based staff and others on finance and supply chain proc