Finance Business Partner

Bow Valley College is the largest and fastest growing Comprehensive Community College in Alberta. We have over 20 locations across southern Alberta helping 14,000 learners each year. Our mission is to contribute to the vitality of communities and strength of the economy through innovative adult education programs and services which equip students for successful living, lifelong learning, and employment in a global knowledge-based environment.

Why work at Bow Valley College?  We have recently been named one of Alberta's Top 70 Employers for 2017. Bow Valley College is made up of employees who are committed to our learners´ success, as well as each other´s. Our staff and faculty consistently say it is the people who keep them at the College, the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our students, and the incredible support they receive from their co-workers and supervisors. 

The Finance Business Partner will be responsible for providing high quality strategic budget, forecasting, planning and advisory support to a portfolio of clients. These services are expected to be delivered with consideration of the clients' long term objectives in relation to teaching, learning, applied research and service. The services are to be delivered in close consultation with senor leadership, deans, directors, coordinators and staff while using comprehensive finance, accounting and budgeting knowledge. The incumbent is expected to develop strong relationships with clients by providing a consistent quality of service that aligns with the client's strategic objectives while being in compliance with policy, process and legislation.

Budgeting, Forecasting and Variance Analysis - 20%

• Ensure management is appropriately apprised of all budgetary, business and financial issues affecting departments
• Work with the deans/ directors, department coordinators, Office of Institutional Analysis and the Director, Business Information and Finance to refine and improve the College’s integrated budgeting and forecasting processes
• Lead the preparation of departmental operational budgets, forecasting and planning, including regular budget to actual variance analysis and forecasts
• Manage budget/financial change initiatives including the identification of required changes and recommended courses of action
• Participate in the develop of proposals and business cases for new initiatives, including financial modeling and sensitivity analysis

Management of Financial Resources - 60%

• Ensure that department’s financial processes and procedures are in accordance with all necessary regulations and college policies/procedures
• Oversee expenditure and revenues ensuring compliance with regulatory, granting agency and donor stewardship requirements
• Lead and manages the department’s year end processes including accurate accruals, performance of variance analysis and maintenance of appropriate documentation/audit trail
• Provide a wide variety of ad hoc reporting and financial analysis to enable timely and effective decision making
• Mentor and train new administrative professional and support staff in relation to financial and budgetary practices
• Responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with college Deans, Directors and staff and assisting them to navigate financial systems, policies, processes and functions
• Meet with deans and directors on a monthly basis to review operating results and discuss business performance drivers
• Assist deans, directors and program coordinators with maintaining the College’s contract management system.
• Review contract language for new business initiatives and make recommendations on risk mitigation

Strategic Analysis and Advisory Services - 20%

• Develop regular financial reporting and ad hoc reporting to assist senior management in the strategic decision making process; financial reporting to include high level variance analysis and forecasting to highlight issues
• Support the administration of risk management and legislative compliance strategies and processes
• Monitor the effectiveness of College financial policies and procedures; makes recommends to improve those policies and procedures

Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration or equivalent education and/or experience might be considered
• 5 years of direct financial analysis experience at progressively more senior level
• Excellent communicator with strong written and verbal skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Accounting designation CPA-CA, CPA-CMA, CPA-CGA and/or MBA is preferred
• Technical role in finance including interfaces with all levels of stakeholders and supervisory experience
• Experience in business plan development
• Experience in post-secondary institutions is an asset
• Strong interpersonal skills and capable of building and maintaining productive and supportive working relationships
• Proficient user of computer software applications
• An equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired will be considered
• Excellent analytical, problem solving and critical thinking skills.
• Extensive work experience in various accounting functions including budget, forecasting and financial analysis (5 plus years)
• Advanced technical skills with regard to integrated financial applications
• Highly proficient in financial modeling. 

This is a full time (exempt) continuous position.

Core Competencies

Building/Nurturing/Fostering Relationships & Organization-wide Perspective

• Builds rapport to establish and maintain effective relationships with clients and stakeholders and gains their trust and respect.
• Is open-minded when different perspectives are presented.

Models Agility

• Is open to and adapts well to change and is not knocked off balance by the unexpected.
• Communicates effectively with colleagues and others to support the implementation of change.

Organization Advocacy

• Demonstrates commitment and support of the College in day-to-day interactions with stakeholders and clients.
• Models a positive image to others both inside and outside the organization.

Critical Decision Making

• Views situations from a broad perspective rather than just their own.
• Anticipates multiple possible causes and consequences of events.

Open Communication/ Listening

• Discusses with supervisor any potential upcoming challenges in their day to day work
• Maintains respectful, open communications with supervisors, co-workers and colleagues, in order to share both information

Please note that all successful candidates will be required to provide government issued identification and proof of educational qualifications upon hire and may be required to provide an enhanced police information check.

Please apply with your resume and cover letter at:  https://careersbowvalleycollege.hua.hrsmart.com/hr/ats/Posting/view/1223