Senior Accountant and Program Lead, Treasury and Financial Planning

Sturgeon County is recruiting for a Senior Accountant and Program Lead, Treasury and Financial Planning!  This is a senior position within the Financial Services team that's primary responsibilities include the annual taxation program, overseeing and contributing to the annual budget and financial forecast process, assisting with strategic financial planning, and ensuring alignment with corporate financial reporting objectives.

If you're a seasoned leader with the desire to work in a fast-paced environment surrounded by individuals who have a keen passion for the work they produce, while doing so in a fun and interactive environment, then we welcome you to apply!

Job Duties:

Treasury & Financial Planning

  • Responsible to oversee cash flow management, financial reserves, investment planning, short- and long-term debt needs, and strategic integration to financial planning in compliance with procedures, policies, and bylaws. 
  • Responsible to be the subject matter expert on budget and financial plan development. 
  • Oversee and facilitate Administration of the annual budget and forecasting plan in accordance with internal and external processes, policies, bylaws, and the Municipal Government Act requirements.
  • Oversee and assist in projecting municipal revenues for the annual budget and long-range financial plans.
  • Oversee and assist in establishing recommendations for expenditure adjustments when developing the annual budget and long-range financial plans in conjunction financial reporting team and management. 
  • Identify opportunities for municipal revenue generation outside of standard taxation processes.
  • Coordinate the annual public engagement plan in conjunction with Corporate Communicators.
  • Responsible for developing the annual tax and general revenue budget and financial plans using assessment predictions, historical, statistical, fixed, and variable assumptions for Council’s strategic planning.
  • Oversee the annual fees and charges bylaw development and ensure that the standards are in place and reviewed periodically in accordance applicable criteria and/or Council’s direction.
  • Develop short- and long-term goals for budget and forecasting incorporating Council’s vision, best practices, and innovative ideas.
  • Develop and maintain a framework to project future taxation revenue forecasts in conjunction with the Development Support Services division and Assessment team.
  • Responsible for collaborating with the Corporate Planning team to support the strategic and corporate business plan development to ensure outputs of this prioritization include corporate initiatives, service enhancements, and operating and capital projects which will be directly integrated into the financial and budget processes.
  • Responsible to ensure that the budget and forecasting processes along with financial software systems are effective and appropriate with controls in place.
  • Contribute to, facilitate, and present financial information and analysis informally and formally via meetings, presentations, and workshops.

Municipal Property Tax Program

  • Responsible to be the subject matter expert on municipal property taxation.  
  • Develop and oversee the annual municipal taxation program plan in accordance with necessary timelines, internal processes, policies, bylaws, and the Municipal Government Act requirements.
  • Responsible for developing the annual tax rate bylaw using the assessment declaration for Council’s approval.
  • Oversee and assist with the administration and reconciliation of financial inflows and outflows of the municipal taxation program (requisitions and third-party remittances)
  • Oversee tax agreements administration and relative appropriate financial processes and accounting for adjustments.
  • Responsible for the maintenance of taxation systems, processes, procedures, policies, directives, and bylaws.
  • Responsible for the researching, performing analytical work, and presenting findings pertaining to municipal taxation matters.
  • Support applications received for the Heartland Incentive Bylaw program.
  • Apply a comprehensive understanding of the municipal tax and assessment system to provide strategic advice to leadership and Council.

Financial Reporting Alignment

  • Collaborate and coordinate with the financial reporting team to incorporate budgeting practices in alignment with financial reporting requirements to streamline financial activity, processes, and public reporting.
  • Responsible to review the monthly financial reports for Tax & General Revenue and complete forecasts to year end.
  • Oversee and assist and monthly treasury financial reconciliations and reporting as required. 
  • Responsible for monitoring property tax collection rates, penalty revenue calculations and report on as necessary.
  • Responsible for providing the financial operations and reporting team projections for the year end allowance for doubtful accounts and bad debt write-offs (mainly tax, as required).
  • Assist with Tri-Annual reporting as required.
  • Assist with interim and year-end financial statement audit as required.

Other Duties as Required

  • Oversee and assist with the annual offsite levy bylaw, utility cost of service study, and asset management planning as required.
  • Coordinating program areas amongst team of senior staff.
  • Perform and review of complex financial calculations, analytical procedures, and reconciliations, and provide evidence-based recommendations if necessary and applicable.
  • Responsible for several processes, procedures, directives, policies, and bylaws.
  • Work closely with management and financial operations and reporting team to ensure cohesion exists between program responsibilities and organizational understanding.
  • Cross over senior financial level responsibilities as required.
  • Remain current on relevant accounting standards, internal processes, policies, bylaws, Municipal Government Act requirements that may be relative to the finance team and communicate as necessary.
  • Adhere to applicable responsibilities and accountabilities as outlined in the Sturgeon County Health and Safety Management System return.

Other Duties as Required

  • Oversee and assist with the annual offsite levy bylaw, utility cost of service study, and asset management planning as required.
  • Coordinating program areas amongst team of senior staff.
  • Perform and review of complex financial calculations, analytical procedures, and reconciliations, and provide evidence-based recommendations if necessary and applicable.
  • Responsible for several processes, procedures, directives, policies, and bylaws.
  • Work closely with management and financial operations and reporting team to ensure cohesion exists between program responsibilities and organizational understanding.
  • Cross over senior financial level responsibilities as required.
  • Remain current on relevant accounting standards, internal processes, policies, bylaws, Municipal Government Act requirements that may be relative to the finance team and communicate as necessary.
  • Adhere to applicable responsibilities and accountabilities as outlined in the Sturgeon County Health and Safety Management System return.

Job Skills

  • Solid understanding and experience in municipal operations and capital planning.
  • Project management skills with the ability to motivate others toward achieving a common goal.
  • Experience presenting to senior management, boards, and governments using meeting management software is an asset.
  • Reading, researching, and understanding policies, directives, procedures, bylaws, meeting minutes, software manuals, and relevant work-related legislation.
  • Proficiency when using all Microsoft Office Programs (Excel, Word, Teams, and PowerPoint, etc.).
  • Ability to analyze complex situations and provide creative and measurable solutions.
  • Regularly engage and collaborate with stakeholders to facilitate open and thought-provoking discussions to address current and future needs of the county.
  • Proactively identify and recommend sound solutions to leadership that are based on experience, research and understanding of the organizational goals and priorities.
  • Proven ability to effectively negotiate in an objective, logical and sensible manner.

Job Qualifications

  • Sturgeon County has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination Directive that requires all new employees to prove that they are fully vaccinated prior to their first day of work. Human Rights Exemptions may be considered but will need to be reviewed before an employee is able to commence work.Sturgeon County has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination Directive that requires all new employees to prove that they are fully vaccinated prior to their first day of work. Human Rights Exemptions may be considered but will need to be reviewed before an employee is able to commence work.
  • Ability to provide and maintain a home-based office as a condition of employment, with the ability to work from the Sturgeon County office when required. 
  • This position requires a bachelor’s degree and a CPA, CMA, CGA or CA designation and a minimum of 5 years of relevant accounting and supervisory experience.
  • Local government education and/or financial experience would be an asset.