Manager, Special Projects

Position Focus

This position’s primary focus is to manage, support and execute on Finance-related projects related to complex transactions and business initiatives within the confinements of IFRS and other regulatory reporting frameworks. The incumbent liaises with internal and external advisors to ensure satisfaction of business needs and compliance with reporting requirements.

 Responsibilities:

• Provide timely and high-quality accounting advice on new, complex, or high-risk projects/ transactions to assist business partners in achieving business and financial reporting objectives.
• Assist in the implementation of new accounting standards (ie. IFRS 9) by driving consensus among various stakeholder groups to successfully complete adoption in a timely manner.
• Develop, update and maintain formal accounting policies and act as a key contact to provide guidance on specific policy implementation issues.
• Effectively develop and maintain relationships, internally and externally.
• Communicate with influence and develop effective relationships with various internal stakeholder groups.
• Act as a contact liaising with external auditors to discuss and resolve issues and ensure that they are aware of key developments and decisions.
• Present complex accounting topics to senior management, recognizing and anticipating potential opportunities and managing changes as the business, regulatory environment, or accounting standards change.
• Assist with the planning of projects, including scope, requirement changes and competing priorities as well as determining and conveying impact on budget, time and risk using appropriate fact-based metrics/assumptions.
• Execute on project plans to ensure successful completion of the project(s).
• Work with multiple departments, including Finance, to ensure that deliverables satisfy business requirements.
• Seek out industry trends and organizational knowledge to understand alternative approaches and/or solutions.
• Facilitate and/or manage the gathering of business requirements.
• Assist with project communications including status reports to the Board, executives, stakeholders, business units, vendors, project team, etc.  
• Provide senior management with timely updates on project issues/risks and identify resources and skills required.
• Support external vendors and third parties (consultants) and manage relationships at the project level.
• Lead and implement smaller, Finance-related projects with limited oversight.
• Manage other project-related employees, as required.

 Requirements:

 Education

• Completion of a University Degree in Accounting or Finance
• Possess a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation

 Professional Experience

• 2+ years of project management experience
• Experience in the development of models, documentation of assumptions and flow charting
• Experience in financial services industry considered an asset

 Personal Competencies

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written and a proven ability to communicate effectively with an organization’s senior leaders
• Ability to build constructive and effective relationships, work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders, influence decisions and acceptance for recommended initiatives, strategies, and solutions
• Strong computer skills
• Knowledge in data mining and business intelligence
• Supervisory skills
• Willing to take on more complex projects and mentor other project team members