Financial Officer, Future Cities Institute - Waterloo, Canada - University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo

Verified Company

Waterloo, Canada

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

Overview:

This position is contingent on funding.

Responsibilities:

Budget, Reporting and Financial Planning

Develop the FCI's annual operating budget in consultation with the Managing Director
Provide confidential advice and strategies relating to financial and budget sensitive activities
Develop business plans e.g. program expansion and new initiatives as required to assess financial viability and sustainability
Provide financial analysis in support of current and long term projects
Prepare projections of FCI's financial position, identify any concerns, propose potential solutions and initiate corrective action where required
Identify financial consequences of longterm plans, proposals or changes to facilitate effective strategic decision making
Analyze impact of government and university funding decision on budget
Prepare financial documentation to aid decision making (e.g. budget allocations for various departmental initiatives, teaching resource summaries)
Review and advise on agreements and memoranda of understanding for relationships with internal and external agencies/institutes regarding management and internal control of research funds
Coordinate the setup of financial structures to ensure activity is properly managed
Monitor the financial status of operating, research, trust and endowment funds

Financial Management and Internal Control:

Administer and monitor the operating budget, revenues, expenses and overhead allocation
Oversee all personal reimbursement requests and faculty professional expense reimbursement claims to ensure accuracy, compliance and eligibility
Monitor research accounts and report potential liability of research accounts in deficit
Responsible for research compliance review
Oversee the monitoring and internal control of research grants and ensure research activity is in compliance with university policies and procedures as well as those imposed externally by granting agencies
Identify and address issues concerning compliance with sponsor agreements
Review hiring documentation relating to the payment of faculty, staff, parttime/casual staff, graduate student assistants, coop students
Review independent contractor status requests
Review new user requests for procurement and invoicing purposes
Administer and reconcile payroll of ongoing and temporary staff and faculty
Review expenses to ensure compliance with university policies and procedures, including those imposed externally by donors and granting agencies
Liaise with other units where interdisciplinary or institutional activity are being performed
Responsible for review of FCI's trust and endowment funds
Support effective financial planning, management and internal control and best practices for cost recovery training programs
Collaborate with the Office of Research and Faculty of Environment Faculty Financial Officer (ENV FFO) to ensure reporting requirements are met
Develop, improve and implement strong internal financial controls
Recommends guidelines to track and control office expenses.
Invests in the continual process improvement of FCI's financial procedures, controls and reporting standards.

Research Accounts

Responsible for maintaining FCI's internal and external research accounts
Work closely with FCI's Research Program Manager to track various grants that are managed under FCI's operating unit
Participate in the preparation, coordination, implementation and reporting of funding proposal budgets stemming from the FCI

Collaboration

Participates regularly in FCI meetings to understand and contribute to planning and decision making
Serves as the primary point of contact with Finance on financial matters
Collaborates with ENV FFO and Finance to ensure strong internal controls are in place and accounting policies and procedures are documented, wellunderstood, and adhered to consistently
Interacts regularly with the senior leadership team
Collaborates with other FCI staff to ensure new projects and programs are appropriately budgeted and financially sustainable
Work closely with FCI's Academic Program Development Specialist to ensure financial feasibility and sustainability of new and existing training programs

Other Duties:

Provides backup support on purchase and supply ordering, reconciliations during staff absences
Attends all training on new systems and procedures, and meetings as required
Develops standardized processes and updates procedure documentation as required
Assists with special projects and other duties

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree from a postsecondary institution with business, economics, accounting, financial analysis, or finance orientation. CPA designation is desired
Minimum of 2 years of working in an administrative support and financial reconciliation and reporting role. Experience in working within publicly funded institutions will be an asset
Experience and demon