Overview:
The Financial Officer and Space Coordinator is accountable for the management of the WIN’s financial operations and has key accounting and analytical support responsibilities; along with managing all QNC space and key responsibilities. The individual provides financial services, information and analysis and manage research accounts under WIN’s operating unit, as well as managing all QNC space and key responsibilities.
The Financial Officer provides financial information and advice to the Executive Director to support effective management and strategic planning. This includes administration and oversight of financial activity in all funds, long and short term financial planning, and other finance-related functions and special projects. The incumbent is also responsible for the integrity of financial processes and practices to ensure conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and University policies and guidelines, and uniform application and implementation of all financial policies, guidelines and best practices.
The Space Coordinator portion is responsible to manage key control for the institute’s space portfolio, which includes office, classroom, student space, and lab facilities buildings in conjunction with the Space Committee.
The individual is also responsible for managing relevant research accounts (both operating and triagency/CFI) and claim reimbursements. The individual will work with the WIN Space Committee to efficiently manage and allocation of research space for WIN members and researchers.
This role is contingent on funding.
Responsibilities:
Budget, Reporting and Financial Planning
Develop the institute’s annual operating budget in consultation with the Executive 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 WIN’s financial position, identify any concerns, propose potential solutions and initiate corrective action where required
Identify financial consequences of long term 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
Co-ordinate 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 departmental 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, part-time/casual staff, teaching/research assistants
Review independent contractor status requests
Authorize 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 financial management of WIN’s trust and endowment funds
Support effective financial planning, management and internal control and best practices for cost recovery labs
Collaborate with the Office of Research to ensure faculty reporting requirements are met
Develop, improve and implement strong internal financial controls
Liaise with Finance to ensure full application and consistency of financial systems, policies and procedures
Key Control and Security Management
Acts as department key controller with signing authority, ensuring appropriate authorization in issuing and ordering keys
Reviews requests for various access keys, including building entrance keys to ensure security of WIN space and ensures appropriate access to research labs to reduce risk and liability
Signs and issues key permits to individuals as authorized
Reconciles reports on lost and expired keys to correspond with Key Control records and performs key audits in conjunction with Plant Operations
Liaises between Plant Operations locksmiths for key receipt pickup and drop off
Recovers keys and approves refunds of key deposits, reconciles key deposits
Works with the Space Committee with respect to key assignment and distribution
Maintains records and control database for over 500 keys and multiple key code locks
Maintains accurate records of security access card and fob users
Manages extensions of expiry dates and/or required deactivation of FOBS
Liaises with IST and students & visitors re: malfunctions of electronic locks/readers
Ensures safe return of expired key fobs to WIN office
Informs staff of changes to locks and personnel for access to WIN controlled space
Develops key and access control procedures
Ensures that building safety practices are followed and follows up on breaches of security
Maintains knowledge of University key policies and procedures
Space Administration
Reports on space vacancies and creates ad hoc reports reflecting occupancy
Works with Space Committee to resolve general space issues
Maintains database for all research lab space and assigned office space
Liaise with Space Committee on space assignments for visitors, post-doctoral fellows, sessional instructors, and general use space
Assist with coordination of lock changes and move logistics for re-assignment of rooms
Health & Safety Administration
Acts as recording member for the institutes Health & Safety Committee
Identifies urgent matters of high importance and redirects issues as appropriate
Ensures that new staff and faculty receive information on Health and Safety policies and procedures
Participates in the development of WIN-specific policies, procedures and process reviews related to emergency preparedness and health and safety management
Policy, Controls, Process Improvement
Fully comply with tri-agency policy of responsible use of research grant
Interprets and clarifies financial policies, procedures and guidelines
Recommends guidelines to track and control office expenses
Invests in the continual process improvement of WIN’s financial procedures, controls and reporting standards
Research Accounts
Responsible for maintaining WIN’s internal research accounts for Interdisciplinary Research Funding Program (WIN-IRFP)
Responsible for maintaining all research accounts for the ED and other WIN members as required
Work closely with WIN’s Research Program Manager and Business Development Manager to track various grants that are managed under WIN’s operating unit
Work closely with common usage facilities within WIN to send out invoices for the usage of the facility
Other Duties
Provides back-up 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 with business, economics, accounting or finance orientation. CPA designation is an asset.
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.
Knowledge of university working environment and systems. Or large, complex, multidepartmental organization.
Demonstrated competence with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), comfort with accounting software and systems.
High level competence in working with Excel.
Analytical skills, interpersonal, organization and communications skills required.
Comfort and clarity in explaining accounting information, as well as organizational procedures and policies.
Thoroughness and accuracy in typing and written correspondence is required.
Able to work in a small, high performance team environment.
A certain amount of autonomy is required to monitor financial activity and take initiative to recommend continual process improvements.
Flexibility is important to work at events after hours and assume tasks that arise as a course of business.
Integrity, Confidence, Good Judgement and Initiative are valued in the WIN team.