Finance Business Partner (Temporary or Continuous)

Bow Valley College is the largest and fastest growing Comprehensive Community College in Alberta.  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.

 

Our Business Information and Finance team has an exciting opportunity for a Finance Business Partner. ( 2 openings, 1 Temporary, approximately 14 months in addition to one continuous opening)

 

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 senior 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.

 

Responsibilities:

 

Budgeting, Forecasting and Variance Analysis - 20%

  • Ensures management is appropriately apprised of all budgetary, business and financial issues affecting departments
  • Works 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
  • Leads the preparation of departmental operational budgets, forecasting and planning, including regular budget to actual variance analysis and forecasts
  • Manages budget/financial change initiatives including the identification of required changes and recommended courses of action
  • Participates in the develop of proposals and business cases for new initiatives, including financial modeling and sensitivity analysis

 

Management of Financial Resources - 60%

  • Ensures that department’s financial processes and procedures are in accordance with all necessary regulations and college policies/procedures
  • Oversees expenditure and revenues ensuring compliance with regulatory, granting agency and donor stewardship requirements
  • Leads and manages the department’s year end processes including accurate accruals, performance of variance analysis and maintenance of appropriate documentation/audit trail
  • Provides a wide variety of ad hoc reporting and financial analysis to enable timely and effective decision making
  • Mentors and trains 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
  • Meets with deans and directors on a monthly basis to review operating results and discuss business performance drivers
  • Assists deans, directors and program coordinators with maintaining the College’s contract management system.
  • Reviews contract language for new business initiatives and make recommendations on risk mitigation
  • Acts as the liaison between different departments to ensure coordination of priorities and initiatives
  • Establishes work priorities and schedules

 

Strategic Analysis and Advisory Services - 20%

  • Develops 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
  • Supports the administration of risk management and legislative compliance strategies and processes
  • Monitors the effectiveness of College financial policies and procedures; makes recommends to improve those policies and procedures
  • Advises and instructs administrative staff of appropriate accounting methods and making recommendations to improve processes and procedures used for financial reporting