Business Manager

University-of-Manitob; Winnipeg; On-site; CAD 69,000 - 103,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Manitoba seeks an experienced administrator to lead financial and HR operations for the Institute. Responsibilities include managing a $1.75 million annual budget, supervising staff, ensuring policy compliance, and coordinating with CIHR and partner institutions.

The role requires strong leadership, budgeting, and communication skills, with experience in a unionized academic environment preferred.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent training in HR, business, commerce, financial accounting or related areas is required.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Senior Manager - Operations and Senior Manager - Strategic on annual development and management of the Institute’s $1.75 million operating budget.
• Monitor expenditures relative to the office’s budget and policies.
• Prepare annual forecasted budget with support from SMS, SMO and SD and manage budgets, cash flows and expenditures.
• Prepare and deliver annual financial reports to internal and external partners.
• Ensure compliance with University, Joint Council and CIHR policies and procedures.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Financial analysis

Communication

Staff supervision

Policy compliance

Microsoft Office 365

Concur

VIP/Aurora/FAST

Education

Undergraduate degree or equivalent

Accounting training

Tools

VIP

Aurora

FAST

Concur

Microsoft Office 365

Zoom

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Work schedule: 35 Hours/week (Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm)

Salary: $37.86 to $56.79 per hour ($68,905.20 to $103,357.80 per annum)

Appointment Dates November 30, 2026 to June 30, 2030

1820 hours worked

For more information please contact: Nichola Wigle - [e-mail]

Qualifications

MINIMAL FORMAL EDUCATION REQUIRED:

• An undergraduate degree or equivalent training in human resources, business administration, commerce, financial accounting or related areas is required.
• Business Administration and/or accounting training is required.

EXPERIENCE:

• Experience working in a unionized environment is required.
• Experience supervising and coaching staff is required.
• Experience with VIP, Aurora, FAST and Concur is required.
• Experience with UMFA, CUPE 3909 and AESES Collective agreements is preferred.
• Experience in an academic setting is preferred.
• Knowledge of University policies and procedures.
• An acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent leadership, organizational and management skills are required.
• Effective critical thinking and problem-solving skills are required.
• Excellent financial skills and experience is required.
• Apply a solution-focused framework to issues affecting the business of the Unit is required.
• Strong political and institutional acumen, with the ability to build relationships with students, staff and faculty, and influence without direct authority required.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to make sound independent decisions are required.
• Ability to effectively take and give feedback on performance is required.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively and diplomatically provide guidance and support to others, while maintaining confidentiality at all times is required.
• Excellent Team and team-building skills are required.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and present informational materials is required.
• Attention to detail, strong organizational and prioritization skills are required.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office, Adobe, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive and other relevant software products are required.
• Advanced skills with computers and virtual meeting platforms (set-up, software updates, troubleshooting IT issues, word processing, spread sheets, databases, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, One Drive, Zoom expertise to roll out large meetings and webinars) is required.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as part of a team is required.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment and to support others through change is required.
• A satisfactory work record, including satisfactory attendance and punctuality, is required.

OTHER JOB RELATED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Security clearance is mandatory before access to CIHR systems and information is granted.
• Reliability Level is required and the following services will be activated only once security clearance has been granted: CIHR Network Account is necessary to access CIHR systems; CIHR Email.
• Secure Connect: CIHR remote access solution – access to CIHR Intranet and systems; file sharing and training: access to One Drive; Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Senior Manager - Operations (SMO) and Senior Manager - Strategic (SMS) under the supervision of the Scientific Director (SD) on the development (annually) and management of th e Institute’s $1.75 million operational budget (ongoing).
• Monitor expenditures on a regular basis relative to the office and Institutes operational budget.
• Ensures all policies and procedures are followed, and contracts are in place for ongoing support to external programs.
• Responsible for preparation of the annual forecasted budget with support from SMS, SMO and SD, as well as managing and monitoring the budgets, cash flows and expenditures for the Institute according to the approved plans and policies.
• Responsible for preparation and delivery of the Institute’s annual financial reports to internal and national and international external partners in close collaboration with the host institution.
• Liaises with the Unit’s Senior Financial Officer to ensure budgets are followed as needed.
  Ensure compliance with University, as well as Joint Council and CIHR federal policies and procedures.
• Contribute to and participate in the preparation of the Institute’s annual expense report to CIHR in close collaboration with the host institution.
• Works with the Finance Office as appropriate to ensure that all necessary steps are carried out related to payroll and any transfer funds.
• Process journal vouchers, requisitions for payment, travel requisitions, travel advances, purchase requisitions and invoices as required.
• Manage the annual budget planning and payments of the Institute’s organized events (4-6 annually).
• Manage Institute staff annual travel and events including budget planning.
• Approves Concur travel expense reports and purchases, and forwards to the CIHR-III SD and the Dean for approval on a monthly basis.
• Can organize and reconcile travel for Unit staff and external partners using Concur.

Human Resources and Staff Support Management:

• In consultation with the SD of the Unit, is responsible for the overall direction and leadership of the Administrative Services Team and works to create an engaged and collaborative community within the Unit.
• Acts as the Unit’s Hiring Manager for UM Careers postings (AESES, EMAPS, CUPE 3909, Research Academics, Other Academics), with support from the AD, including posting of vacancies, screening applicants, developing interview questions, chairing in interview panels, checking references, and completing Justification of Selection reports and initiating offers as required.
• Completes and tracks various hiring documents and ensures HR/Payroll cut-offs are met; reviews all HR forms for validity, accuracy and completeness prior to sending them to Central Human Resources, consulting with Finance as needed.
• Ensures all letters of offer for Faculty are drafted as per Dean’s recommendations; upon hire, ensures all necessary onboarding documents are completed in an accurate and timely manner (including setting up start-up funds, etc.).
• Develops and implements process for Nil-Salaried appointments for the Unit), ensuring consistency with the RFHS; ensures appropriate access such as library access are in place by start dates.
• Ensures staff is properly trained in privacy, safety and health procedures consistent with their assigned duties.
• Responsible for the onboarding of staff (Excluded Students, AESES, EMAPS, CUPE 3909, Research Academics, Other Academics, Nil-Salaried Appointments, UMFA) and provides orientation information to new personnel.
• Updates organizational charts for administrative and governance of the Unit and maintains employee files.
• Supports human resources functions in the Unit, including training, maintaining job descriptions, and appointment paperwork.
• Coordinates coverage when support staff are on leave, including creating a back-up plan for staff and ensuring proper hand-off of responsibilities.
• Provides coaching and mentoring to administrative staff.

Operations:

• Manage the day-to-day operation of the III office and its support staff to also include office maintenance, equipment in order, arranging teleconferences, and ordering supplies and furniture.
• Institute’s point person for all administrative and financial matters.
• Point person on training staff on the platform to host large meetings and webinars. Accountable for identifying problems and potential problems and recommending solutions preventing negative impact for the Institute and CIHR.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining the outline of the Institute’s annual travel, events and calendaring portfolio as well as providing recommendations on the annual events budget.
• Responsible for liaising with external partners and CIHR central regarding IT platforms and their implementation.
• Assists with developing and maintaining current policies and procedures for the Unit, ensuring alignment with the RFHS and U of M policies and procedures.
• Conducts periodic audits as part of quality assurance; collects and stores relevant policies and procedures to make clear and readily available to the Unit.
• Regularly reviews all work processes for the Unit to ensure that University’s regulations and procedures are followed, develops and implements operating procedures as needed.
• Acts as the Chief Fire Warden for the Unit.

Office and Building Management:

• Provides oversight and coordination of operations, including consults with the CIHR-III SD and the Dean and RFHS Operations team, attends meetings, recommends space plans, and develops policies and/or procedures as needed.
• Evaluates and projects space/operational needs of the Unit; drafts report for discussion with the CIHR-III SD and the Dean.
• In consultation with the CIHR-III SD and the Dean, assists with IT and equipment purchases for all Unit needs.
• Point person for troubleshooting IT issues within the Institute staff including software updates, file management, server access as well as guide and support staff on software.
• Ensures the Unit is compliant with FIPPA regulations, as well as the University’s Access and Privacy Policies and Procedures.
• Identifies the Unit ’s areas of risk, and seeks out best practices in areas such as privacy, information storage, records management, access to space to ensure systems and regulations relating to security, fire prevention, and laboratory safety are current and maintained.
• Liaises with the Access and Privacy Office of the University of Manitoba and CIHR, to ensure the Unit is compliant with all relevant policies and standards to mitigate risk.
• Regularly conducts audits and updates the Unit’s risk management documentation/equipment.
• Ensures processes are in place and followed for students visiting other communities (e.g. risk management, required forms, reimbursement policy, etc.).
• Ensures the Unit is complying with privacy policies, including appropriate and secure storage of data, records and files.
• Ensures the Unit is following appropriate security procedures regarding physical facilities.
• Manage and advise institute staff on the standards and procedures for paper and document control to ensure the flow of documents is maintained, organized and secure.

Other:

• Supports the CIHR-III SD, ASD and AD with any day-to-day needs/issues that may arise related to above duties or any new initiatives; works closely with the CIHR-III SD, ASD and AD to ensure tasks are accomplished effectively.
• May be required to perform related duties not exceeding skills and capabilities as required.

Additional information

The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities).

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail] or 204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provisions of "The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae will be provided to participating members of the search process.