Bilingual Financial Specialist

**Position Overview** Reporting to the Senior Financial Officer, the Financial Specialist, FMS Support Services is responsible for supporting selected First Nation clients across Canada through remote accounting and on-going training. **Accountabilities** - Develop relationships with assigned clients that have an approved Financial Administration Law (FAL) to promote, build trust and secure buy-in to implement their FAL and ultimately prepare for FMS certification; - In collaboration with the First Nation client conduct the FMS Support Services needs assessment and identify opportunities for remote accounting and training opportunities; - To complete any other tasks as requested by FMS Support Services management team; - Support First Nation FAL clients to achieve FMS certification. "Support" in this context means facilitating, empowering, motivating, educating, and may take the form of: **Remote Accounting Services** - In collaboration with the First Nation client and the FMS Support Services Senior Financial Officer, develop a remote accounting service schedule based on the priorities identified in the FMS Support Services readiness assessment - Assist First Nation clients with remote accounting support (or in person) as identified in the FMS Support Services readiness assessment. This may take the form of: - Processes claims and vouchers for payment, enters invoices, matches invoices with purchase orders, and checks all claims for accuracy; - Verifies account codes and signatures for proper assignment of budgetary expenditures; - Acts as first line contact with vendors regarding billing problems; - Administers & maintains the contingency account/cash advance system including control & reconciliation of the contingency by distributing and receiving money; - Liaises with managers/employees on expenditures by ensuring that they comply with policies and regulations and ensuring that funds are available; - Processes payment of invoices within specified time frames; - Processes payment of accounts by verifying that all contract terms and conditions have been met and determining the right financial coding to avoid financial loss and payment duplication; - Liaises with suppliers to give and obtain information necessary to ensure the accuracy of accounts/financial transactions and to rectify any irregularities; - Organizes filing of all appropriate documents; stores, updates and retrieves financial data; - Prepares monthly submissions for accounting and monthly remittances; - Prepares general ledger and journal entries and trial balance; - Manages accounts receivable and payable; - Opens and closes books for auditors; - Prepares financial statements and bank reconciliations; - Invoice’s clients and answers inquiries; - Assesses fixed assets and depreciation; - Prepares costing and budgeting as requested. - Assisting with any other financial management initiatives as identified by the FMS Support Services Senior Financial Officer. **Training and Capacity Development** - In collaboration with the FMS Support Services Senior Financial Officer develop a training plan based on the information provided in the initial needs assessment; - Deliver training and capacity development that may take the form of: - Journal Entries; - Budgeting; - Bank Reconciliations; - Processing Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable; - Monthly & Quarterly Reporting pursuant to GAAP and PSAB; - Any other training as identified by the FMS Support Services management team. **Qualifications** - A Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or another business-related field; - A CPA designation or progress towards a CPA designation considered an asset; - Must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience in: - Providing financial services, preferably within an Indigenous, government, or not for profit environment; - Planning, monitoring, and reporting activities (eg. Budgeting, variance reporting, financial statement preparation, etc); - Managing aspects of funding agreements (grant/proposal writing; policy writing; facilitation of deliverables; monitoring/reporting); - Managing and operating within internal controls relevant to all aspects of a financial management system; - Demonstrated experience working with information and data management systems; - Experience with Sage 300 an asset; - Experience with budget, accounting, and reporting systems; - Must have experience working with Microsoft Office Suite; - Strong working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; - Experience working with Federal Government organizations and representatives an asset; - Must have an understanding, awareness and appreciation of indigenous culture and history; - Willing to participate in ongoing education and training for the role including indigenous studies; - Must be fluent in English (spoken and written) and French (spoken and written). Fluency in an Indigenous language is considered an asset; Equivalent or relevant education and/or experience ma