Financial Automation Programmer

Financial Automation Programmer

Vancouver, BC

Part time hourly contract

June 2024 to December 2024

ESSA Technologies Ltd. (ESSA) is an employee-owned Canadian environmental consulting company with offices in British Columbia and Ontario. We envision a world where creativity, a focus on learning, and systems thinking are the foundation of innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Our corporate mission is to “bring together people, science and analytical tools to sustain healthy ecosystems and human communities”. We achieve this mission by helping clients deal with tough, emerging problems, applying a neutral, thorough evaluation of evidence, encouraging diverse participatory processes, and collaboratively guiding our clients to make informed decisions that are designed to learn over time. Learn more about us at www.essa.com.

At ESSA, we are passionate about what we do and enjoy working with professionals who share our values and mission. ESSA’s staff are purpose-driven problem solvers, big-picture critical thinkers, evidence driven and motivated by an aspiration to become trusted advisors to our clients and make a difference in the world.

The Opportunity

You are a resourceful, independent, and skilled Financial Automation Programmer with the passion and skill needed to automate and validate selected financial accounting data workflows. This role combines technical expertise in coding (software development) with a firm understanding of financial concepts and processes. Your prior experience will afford you a strong ability to understand service firm performance data while having the know-how to deliver automated scripts / code to manipulate these data into elegant summary tables (e.g., staff report cards), graphs and related visualizations.

As a Financial Automation Programmer, you will be responsible for surveying our existing data and manual workflows for creating ESSA’s internal key performance indicators and related performance metrics. Your primary objective will be to develop an automated workflow solution that streamlines the generation of key performance indicator (KPI) and diagnostic performance metrics based on our financial data. You will collaborate with selected accounting (finance) and professional consulting staff to understand requirements, propose, then design and code an automation solution to cut down person hours associated with manual generation of these report cards and related summaries. By October 15 2024, you will develop metric data summaries, report cards, and related visualizations that replicate our standard multi-year and staff specific reporting templates (allowing for minor design improvements). The expected outcome is an improvement in ease, efficiency, and timeliness of performance-related reporting for the company. Additionally, you will also include quality assurance steps, and from November 2024 to December 2024 you will provide technical support for pilot testing, troubleshoot issues, and implement bug fixes. Prior to the end of the term of your contract you will also be called upon to document the operation of automation code, necessary input data configurations, assumptions, processes, and procedures.

The data used to develop these metrics are from two sources: (i) a SQL server database underpinning our time tracking and accounting software suite, Unanet A/E (Clearview Software InFocus), and (ii) various purpose-built Excel workbooks.

The successful person would support our head office accounting team on a part-time hourly contract basis expected to require service on and off over an approximately 6-month period. The successful candidate will report to and work closely with our Chief Accountant and 1-2 other appointed Remuneration Committee members.

Education / Experience

Requirements:

·        At least multiple years of demonstrable professional experience developing production-level coded workflows, preferably combined with either a Diploma and/or bootcamp course certification OR a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Technology or related field.

*Applicants with a purely accounting background will not be considered.

·        Proven experience as a software developer, preferably with a focus on financial systems development.

·        Integrating disparate data formats including SQL and Excel data to generate targeted financial outputs.

·        Experience collaborating with finance, IT, and business consulting teams to gather, interpret and understand requirements and design appropriately tailored solutions.

·        A portfolio of previously completed data-driven financial automation projects.

Differentiators:

·        Experience in both accounting (principles, terminology) and computer science (coding).

·        Familiarity with financial concepts, accounting principles, and financial reporting standards.

Skills / Abilities

·        Strong programming skills in a mix of R, Python, C#, SQL Server and Excel VBA/Interop.

·        Familiarity with database management systems (including SQL Server, MySQL) and data integration techniques (e.g., ODBC connections).

·        Experience with enterprise financial software and reporting platforms such as Unanet A/E (Clearview Software InFocus), SAP, Oracle.

·        Generating elegant data rollups and related visualizations.

·        Ability to work with large datasets, perform data cleaning and manipulation.

·        Strong English writing and communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.

·        Strong time-management, organizational skills, proactive and results oriented, with strong problem-solving skills.

·        Ability to work with little instruction/supervision and to work effectively and collaboratively in person and remotely.

·        Personable, with a flexible, calm demeanor, comfortable in small group settings.

Applying

Please email a cover letter and résumé to careers@essa.com by May 24th 2024 with “Financial Automation Programmer” in the subject line. We will review applications and contact selected candidates by May 30th 2024. Interviews will be conducted June 4th – June 7th 2024. The expected start is negotiable for late June or July 2024. A reminder this is a part-time position, with periods of around 1-2 weeks where no activity may occur due to the availability of supporting supervisors. Delivery of the first working version of automation code is required by October 15 2024. Providing documentation and support for pilot testing and troubleshooting is expected to occur from November 2024 to December 2024.

All applicants must be eligible to legally work in British Columbia at the time of applying through the full duration of the contract.

The gross hourly pay rate for this position ranges from $46/hr to $57/hr depending on qualifications and experience, inclusive of 5% statutory holiday pay premium, 6% vacation pay premium and 2% sick leave premium. Depending on the experience of the selected candidate and the emergent scope of services co‑created with the selected Financial Automation Programmer, our Management Team has budgeted between 450 to 600 hours to complete this contract assignment.