Finance Business Partner

As a Finance Business Partner, the role is multifaceted and integral to ensuring the financial health and strategic direction of the municipality. The primary responsibility lies in maintaining accurate financial accounting and reporting, conducting thorough variance analysis, and performing meticulous reconciliations. Additionally, the Finance Business Partner transitions work in progress to capitalization, safeguarding the integrity of asset management protocols.
Expertise extends to forecasting against council-approved budgets, playing a central role in providing insights that guide resource allocation and expenditure decisions. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of financial dynamics, the Finance Business Partner actively monitors and manages fund operations and capital projects, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and regulatory requirements.

In the capacity as a trusted advisor, the Finance Business Partner provides essential budget and financial planning support to department managers, empowering them to make informed decisions that optimize performance and drive efficiency. Through proactive collaboration and effective communication, a culture of financial stewardship and accountability is fostered across all levels of the municipality.

Contributions are instrumental in enabling strategic decision-making, mitigating financial risks, and driving sustainable growth in alignment with overarching mission and objectives. As a Finance Business Partner, they serve as a linchpin between finance and operations, driving excellence and innovation in financial management practices within the municipality.

**KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**

**Financial Analysis, Accounting & Reporting (25%)**
- Conduct comprehensive financial analysis to support decision-making processes across various departments within the municipality.
- Ensure accurate and timely financial accounting and reporting for all departments, adhering to regulatory standards and internal policies.
- Collaborate with department heads to develop and monitor departmental budgets, providing guidance and support as needed.
- Perform variance analysis to identify key drivers of financial performance and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
- Prepare and present financial reports and insights to departmental stakeholders and senior management, facilitating informed decision-making.
- Provide training and guidance to departmental staff on financial policies, procedures, and systems to ensure compliance and accuracy in financial reporting.
- Proactively identify opportunities for process improvement and automation within the financial accounting and reporting function.
- Maintain a deep understanding of municipal financial regulations, accounting standards, and best practices to ensure compliance and mitigate financial risks.
- Support yearend financial accounting activities and audit requirements.

**Business Partner Program (25%)**
- Builds good working relationships at all levels across the organization and establishes respect and confidence in the information and quality of advice provided.
- Provides fiscal oversight, financial reporting, accounting, and budget services to assigned divisions within the County.
- Understands and promotes consistent implementation and use of corporate financial bylaws, policies, processes, guidelines, and tools in order to maintain integrity, safeguard corporate assets, and mitigate risk.
- Work with client groups to assist with accurate and timely budget, forecast and variance analysis.
- Advises on the implementation of operating and capital procedures, processes and reporting to ensure alignment with corporate objectives, procedures, and processes in the management of operating and capital accounting for County projects and programs.
- Holds responsibility for preparing and facilitating monthly management meetings providing insights into their financial activity, collecting financial information, and observing any significant areas of interest to inform leadership and Council through the County’s financial reporting framework.
- Collaborates with management and staff to provide financial expertise in areas including budgeting, forecasting, coding, contracting, and other financial decision-making and analysis.

**Budget & Financial Planning (25%)**
- Understands key financial and operational drivers of performance and integrates these into financial model for analysis and forecasting advice in order to assess progress being made toward financial goals and objectives.
- Assists with departmental operating budget development department review of base budget submissions for operations prior to fall each year.
- Completes variance reviews of projected revenues and reports to treasury and financial planning team.
- Completes variance reviews of projected expenditures and reports to treasury and financial planning team.
- Acts as a liaison for significant changes to department mana