"Vice President, Administration & Finance"

The Role

As the University’s Chief Financial Officer, the Administration & Finance Vice-President drives long-term financial sustainability, ensures integrity and transparency, and provides forward-looking insights that shape corporate strategy. The Vice President puts sound financial policies in place to protect the financial integrity of the University, ensure compliance on all financial matters, maximize operational and capital funds, and maintain a balanced budget. Managing and developing separate and distinct profit centers that offer exceptional service to the University community such as residence and food services further contributes to the University’s financial sustainability.

This portfolio encompasses the following administrative units of the University: Financial Services, Human Resources, Technology Services, Physical Plant, Risk Management, Security Services, Residence & Conference Services, Food Services, Athletics, Human Rights & Equity, and Bookstores. Together with the Provost, the VP Administration & Finance builds an infrastructure that supports excellence in administration, teaching, learning, and research by setting physical facilities and information technology priorities.

Leading capital and infrastructure planning and projects, including the development of the multi-year capital plan and maintaining the integrity and security of a physical plant on two distinct campuses (37 buildings across 371 hectares), as well as the new Barrie STEM Hub in Barrie, Ontario, is a core responsibility of this position.

In addition, the Administration & Finance Vice-President oversees human resources policy and organization development initiatives, safeguards the financial stability of two pension plans, and oversees eight collective agreements, two non-union employee groups, and all associated benefit plans. The VP is the executive lead in grievance and arbitration matters and oversees all human rights, harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence concerns.

Experience and Qualifications

Recognizing that no one candidate is likely to meet all of the following qualifications in equal measure, the following experience and qualifications are desirable and will be used in the assessment of candidates for the position:

• A bachelor’s degree is required and a Certified Professional Accounting designation (CPA) is preferred. The successful candidate must demonstrate deep financial acumen, including the ability to interpret financial statements, explain complex financial information to governing bodies, and oversee institutional financial reporting.
• Experience and a record of accomplishment in a large, complex, multi-site organization, preferably a university or equivalent broader public sector organization.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and success in defining a vision and leading people to achieve exemplary performance and outcomes through the development of appropriate HR systems that contribute to overall team success.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with broad constituent groups across a large organization, with a focus on service provision, user needs, transparency and accountability.
• Extensive experience planning and managing institution-wide budgets in a complex and comparable environment with multiple interested internal and external constituent groups, and external funders and external organizational partners.
• Experience with systems and process modernization initiatives across a large organization, including enterprise systems integration and introductions of new IT related systems.
• The ability to communicate effectively and build partnerships and rapport with constituents at all levels of the organization, as well as external constituents such as banks, government, partners on capital projects, etc.
• Strong demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate complex financial and capital information to constituents and partners with varying levels of subject-matter expertise.

How to Apply

To learn more about this opportunity or to request a copy of the Executive Brief, contact Katherine Frank (kfrank@kbrs.ca) or Beth McLennan (bmclennan@kbrs.ca). Completed applications can be submitted online at https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/17720517349630000008neN