Senior Finance Officer

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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Description Summary

The UBC Institutional Programs Office (IPO) provides financial management and strategic support to researchers pursuing major federal, provincial, and regional infrastructure awards, as well as financial management and administrative support to units within the UBC Vice President Research and Innovation (VPRI) portfolio. In addition, it provides support to large scale research projects such as those funded by Tri-Agency, Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), Networks of Centre of Excellence of Canada (NCE) and other research grants. Tri-Agency programs include Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC), Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), New Frontier Research Fund Transformation Stream (NFRF-T), and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This position is part of the IPO Large Scale Projects Team, and will support the financial management function in the research programs funded by Tri-Agency, CFI, PacifiCan and other sponsors. This role is located at the UBC Vancouver campus. The senior finance officer is a key member of IPO and provides senior level financial advice and leadership to support grant funded research projects. This position is responsible for overseeing and performing specialized and complex financial management functions, developing and designing complex multi-functional budgetary models, assessing existing financial systems and recommending changes, conducting broad and complex financial analyses, and making key financial decisions, interpreting University policies and procedures, developing and implementing internal controls and financial systems.

Organizational Status

The Senior Finance Officer reports to the Senior Finance Manager and the IPO senior management team at UBC. The incumbent will interact with researchers, financial staff in the University, Health Authorities, partner institutions, and funding partners.

Work Performed

• Leads finance and accounting functions such as budgeting, reporting, assets capitalization, internal control and audit preparation for the projects funded by Tri-Agency, CFI, PacifiCan, and other related projects that support the research team and IPO.
• Performs specialized and complex financial management functions for the project.
• Conducts broad and complex financial analyses for senior management team such as multi-year forecast design and development that is tailored to each project’s theme, financial planning to ensure they have sufficient funding to achieve the research goals and sustainability planning near the end of the funding period.
• Leads and develops detailed and complex budgetary models and financial plans. Builds and creates various templates, using short and long-term forecasting models, to support quarterly, semi-annual and annual budgeting and reporting processes per project’s needs, sponsor’s requirement and UBC reporting guidelines.
• Creates and develops financial reports to support financial decision-making, management and monitoring.
• Leads and performs analysis on year-end financial data, prepares accruals, supporting schedules and statements, including closing and adjusting entries to complete year end.
• Identifies problems and resolutions on financial issues including liaising with various UBC departments and units.
• Develops and manages in kind and match funding contribution tracking system and reporting from UBC, and strategic partners. Assesses eligibility of valuation of in kind, per sponsor and funding partner guidelines. Oversees the collection of documentation from other project partners to ensure expense eligibility and proper recording of transactions.
• Develops and implements financial policies and procedures including researching policies used in similar institutions.
• Assesses existing internal controls, accounting and reporting systems, makes recommendation and implements change to make improvement to current processes and ensure compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, sponsors’ guidelines and requirements and other partners.
• Provides professional financial advice and recommendations to the research team in the areas of financial management.
• Liaises with a variety of individuals and agencies such as provincial, national and international granting agencies and University administrative staff for the purpose of obtaining and exchanging information related to purchasing, accounting and grant funding decisions.
• Performs all other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The Senior Finance Officer is expected to work independently at a professional accountant level to produce a product that requires little detailed review. This position is key to maintaining the structure which supports all financial reporting for research operation and research infrastructure awards. Errors and poor decisions by this position could result in unreliable information or no information being available to effectively manage the finances of a large and very complex grant. The accountability of this position requires the incumbent to deal effectively with the appropriate personnel, both professional and non-professional, at all such levels of involvement and responsibility, both within and outside the University.

Supervision Received

The Senior Finance Officer reports to the Senior Finance Manager and IPO’s senior management team at UBC. The incumbent is expected to work independently and at the level of an accounting professional.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Completion of the CPA accounting program (CA, CGA or CMA). Minimum of five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications
University degree in financial management, business administration, economics, commerce or accounting preferred. Significant knowledge of grant management and familiarity with granting agencies and their guidelines and polices.

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple resource intensive projects in a fast-paced environment.

Superior oral and written communication skills.
Experience in financial analysis, budget management, financial control, and policy interpretation.
Experience in financial and budgetary analysis and development of financial tracking and reporting.
Experience working with different computer systems.
Financial management experience with the ability to analyze and synthesize financial information.
Experience with UBC financial systems, research operations and procurement procedures including Workday, Peoplesoft and Hyperion.
Experience with and understanding of national and provincial granting programs ­from both a funder and recipient organizations perspective is required.
Ability to develop and monitor complex budgets.
Ability to manage complex financial matters and perform complex analysis.
Financial management skills¿ including strategic and multi­year planning, forecasting, budgeting, oversight and report preparation.
Knowledge of and ability to utilize principles, methods, techniques and systems of financial management.
Ability to develop, apply and adjust financial plans to attain objectives.
Comfortable working with senior management.
Able to communicate financial concepts to non­financial managers and scientists, as well as to guide and mentor financial staff at different levels.
Demonstrates good judgment and initiative in decision making and in resolving complex financial problems not clearly covered by guidelines.
Ability to analyze and interpret data, determine implications and provide recommendations.
Ability to apply generally accepted accounting principles in an appropriate manner.
Advanced excel user, comfortable with pivot tables and other analytical tools.
Strong administrative management skills with a demonstrated ability to take initiative.
Comfortable working in a fast ­paced multicultural environment.
Ability to work independently under minimal direction using sound judgment and decision making skills and in a team environment.
Must be flexible and work well under pressure to meet deadlines and be able to prioritize a varying number of tasks and must be able to demonstrate a high degree of accuracy.
Strong organizational and analytical skills, good problem solving and conceptual skills.
Knowledge of University accounting and research systems and platforms. Knowledge of contracts, government and UBC policies and regulations, large scale grant administration and procedures related to finance, payroll and audit.
Effective oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to exercise judgment, tact, discretion and confidentiality in all matters and to maintain effective working relationships with internal and external contacts.