Senior Financial Analyst

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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

This is a 1 year term leave replacement position

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary
The Senior Financial Analyst performs a variety of complex accounting, reporting, and financial analyses to support the administration of the Faculty of Arts’ financial resources. This role will perform senior-level granular analysis of revenues, expenses and balance sheet accounts for a portfolio of Arts units. The Senior Financial Analyst will provide data analysis, preliminary hypothesis, recommendations and insights to support the Dean, Assistant Dean, Heads, Directors and Department Administrators in decision making. This position provides detailed and highly complex financial reports, monitors internal controls, ensures compliance with policies and procedures, tests operational improvements on new and existing systems, and assists with budget preparation and long-term financial planning. The Senior Financial Analyst will support a portfolio comprised of units in the Social Sciences and Literary Journals within the Faculty.
Organizational Status
The Senior Financial Analyst reports directly to the Finance Manager and forms part of a team supporting the Dean’s Office as well as a portfolio of Faculty of Arts units. This position partners with FoA Departments, Schools, Institutes, Student and Administrative Services and programs. This position also works collaboratively and develops partnerships with colleagues in the Dean’s Office, members of the Arts Service Centre Human Resources Team, Research Finance, Central Financial Operations, the Comptroller’s Office and other UBC departments as necessary.
Work Performed

• Manages, develops and prepares complex financial models, analyses and reports from various systems and sources to support strategic financial decision making and analysis.
• Prepares budgets and projections on an annual and quarterly basis to help units better understand their resources and manage within their financial means, and/or develops preliminary budgets and models for new proposed Centres and Programs.
• Provides senior-level advice and guidance to support units in the preparation of their quarterly financial projections (Forecast), annual budgets and long-range forecasts (5 year plan), namely for graduate programs.
• Develops year-end accounting procedures and systems, and provides training to members of the ASC team as well as distributed units to ensure that these are managed correctly. Facilitates the unit year-end general ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable processes, including complex accruals and preparing proper documentation for external auditors.
• Develops and implements financial policies and procedures to improve internal controls or increase efficiencies.
• Facilitates the collection of information and assessment of internal controls and financial practices in Faculty of Arts, and provides recommendations for improvements.
• Manages operational financial activities and provides detailed strategic business accounting advice and direction to the Faculty’s Social Science departments and Literary Journals.
• Advises account holders of areas requiring immediate action and establishes guidelines on sound financial practices to ensure that units are able to appropriately and effectively manage their funds. Provides strategic support to departments by identifying resolutions on financial issues, including liaising with Central Finance to resolve deficit issues.
• Responsible for highly sensitive and confidential transactions and for dispute resolution of financial issues between units in the Faculty of Arts and central UBC and/or third parties.
• Provides advice, training and guidance concerning budget, accounting and financial matters and accounting policy interpretation.
• Provides financial planning advice and guidance to Departments Heads, Directors and Department Administrators to enable effective financial management including budget planning and forecasting.
• Provides financial planning advice and guidance to Principal Investigators, the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, and the Arts Research Office during the preparation and submission of awards and grants applications.
• Reviews detailed account reconciliations and is responsible for investigating and resolving unusual or incorrect items.
• Oversees and ensure proper authorization for adjusting accounting journals for Faculty of Arts Academic and Administrative Units.
• Ensures adherence to GAAP, UBC and Faculty of Arts policies and tax regulations.
• Ensures accuracy and reliability of financial reporting information.
• Participates in the implementation of system improvements, upgrades and testing.
• Performs other related duties.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position is key to maintaining the structure and data integrity which supports all Faculty financial reporting. Errors and poor decisions by this position could result in unreliable information or no information being available to effectively manage the finances of a large and very complex organization. Errors in the information/reports prepared by this position could result in poor financial decisions by Faculty leaders. Inappropriate decisions or poor financial management and control could have serious impact on the financial position of the Faculty.

Supervision Received

Reports directly to the Finance Manager. The Senior Financial Analyst is expected to work independently at a professional accountant level to produce a product that requires little detailed review. Work is reviewed in terms of sound practice and achievement of specific objectives.
Supervision Given

May provide guidance or give work instructions to unionized staff within the Arts Service Centre.
Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Enrolled in the CPA Professional Education Program (PEP) modules. Minimum of three years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Post-secondary education in financial management and enrolled in the CPA Professional Education Program PEP modules completion of the CPA Accounting program CA, CGA or CMA preferred.

Experience in managing general ledger activity, fund accounting, financial control and policy interpretation. Thorough knowledge of accounting, audit, budgeting principles and practices and financial planning and general business practices required. Knowledge of contracts, government and UBC policies and regulations, grant administration and procedures related to finance, payroll and audit. Demonstrated skill in budget preparation and management. Demonstrated leadership and ability to work effectively with minimal supervision and in a team environment. Ability to exercise sound judgement. Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Ability to effectively partner with the Finance Manager to interpret data at a high level and to present findings developed from compilation of complex and possibly disparate financial data.
Ability to apply generally accepted accounting principles and financial management principles in an appropriate manner. Ability to reconcile accounts and to resolve discrepancies. Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve. Demonstrated advanced knowledge and skill in the use of financial software applications, databases, spreadsheets, and word processing. Proficient with use of enterprise resource planning systems such as Workday. Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines. Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities. Ability to prepare financial reports. Ability to perform complex analysis using appropriate methodologies, and offers practical approaches and advice. Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail. Ability to exercise judgement, tact, discretion and confidentiality in all matters and to maintain effective working relationships with internal and external contacts.