Chief Financial Officer

Lakefield-College-School; Lakefield; On-site; CAD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental benefits

EFAP

Professional development

Job summary

Lakefield College School in Ontario seeks an experienced Chief Financial Officer to lead financial strategy for the School and Foundation. A CPA with significant leadership experience is essential to drive budgeting, reporting, and risk management across the organization.

As a non-profit boarding school, the CFO will oversee endowment investments, capital projects, and long-term planning, partnering with staff and leadership to advance a transformational student experience.

Qualifications

• CPA designation with significant financial leadership experience.
• Strong leadership and team management.
• Proven experience in strategic financial planning and analysis.
• Strong knowledge of investment management and endowment oversight.
• Experience with capital project budgeting and financial reporting.
• Excellent communication skills and collaboration with stakeholders.
• Experience in educational institutions or non-profit organizations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide full fiscal ownership and leadership for School and Foundation.
• Lead annual operating and capital budget planning cycles.
• Oversee annual financial audit process and prepare financial statements.
• Manage cash flow forecasting and banking relationships.
• Develop and implement long-term financial planning with rolling 5–10 year forecasts.
• Lead risk management and ensure fiscal responsibility for operations.

Skills

Financial leadership

Strategic planning

Endowment oversight

Capital project budgeting

Communication skills

Educational/non-profit experience

Education

CPA designation

Job description

Lakefield College School (LCS) is seeking an experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to provide strategic financial leadership for both the School and LCS Foundation. The ideal candidate will bring strong financial acumen, strategic vision, and collaborative leadership skills to this key position. As a non-profit, we rely on leadership that bridges big-picture strategy with on-the-ground execution.

Living the Community Experience

Relationships and community are what set our school apart. Beyond the numbers, you will be an active, visible presence in school life - whether you're cheering at Regatta Day, joining in on Fall Fair, attending Closing Ceremonies, or connecting with staff and students during everyday campus events.

Organizational Overview:

Founded in 1879, Lakefield College School (LCS) is a leader among Canada’s independent boarding and day schools. It prides itself on its reputation for providing a strong, caring community, a well-rounded program, and a transformational student experience.

Employment at LCS is more than a "job." Because we are predominantly a boarding school, both faculty and staff are required to engage with our community. In return, the school strives to provide competitive salaries, benefits, and opportunities for growth.

At LCS, we believe in the dignity and worth of all individuals. With roughly 440 students joining us from over 40 countries, young people learn and mature best when encouraged to embrace their individuality within a richly diverse and supportive community. We believe that this diversity of perspectives strengthens our community.

Key Responsibilities:

Serve as Company Officer per School & Foundation By-Laws

Serve as staff lead for Finance & Audit Committees working alongside Chairs

Serve as a staff lead on financial risk planning and mitigation

Provide full fiscal ownership, responsibility, leadership, and management for School and Foundation

Lead annual operating and capital budget planning cycles

Manage budget variance analysis and reporting to Leadership Team, Finance Committees, and Boards

Ownership of the annual financial audit process and development of Financial Statements for presentation to Finance Committees and Boards for approval

Lead annual financial risk register review and assessment

Manage LCS short-term cash investments, operating capital and financing needs in conjunction with banking relationships

Oversee management of Foundation endowment policy and investments

Develop and implement strategic financial planning with rolling 5-10 year forecasts

Develop strategic financial planning for annual and long term forecasting for depreciation and major capital projects

Proactively manage the Schools investment funds, driving both short and long term growth

Operational Management

Provide senior level leadership and coaching to a team comprised of Director of Finance, Business and Accounting staff and School Stores

Provide account analysis and advising for budget managers

Manage cash flow forecasting and bank treasury functions, including short term loan financing

Ensure budget management and fiscal responsibility for operations and major capital projects

Qualifications:

Professional accounting designation (CPA) with significant financial leadership experience

Excellent leadership and team management skills

Proven experience in strategic financial planning and analysis

Strong knowledge of investment management and endowment oversight

Experience with capital project financial planning

Strong communication skills with the ability to present financial information clearly

Experience in educational institutions or non-profit organizations preferred

Why LCS?

Joining LCS is more than accepting a job - it’s becoming part of a family of educators and staff who share a passion for bringing out the best in every student. You’ll have the chance to work amid enthusiastic and forward-thinking colleagues; you’ll use and enjoy our beautiful campus and facilities; you’ll be encouraged to innovate in your area of practice; and most importantly, you’ll grow as a leader. If you thrive in a collaborative environment, and want to make a genuine impact on the lives of our staff and faculty, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Staff at LCS have the opportunity to use the facilities on our beautiful campus, along with Northcote Farm. Staff enjoy lunch daily in our dining hall, along with full community lunch on Tuesdays, and can access generous tuition and summer camp discounts. Lakefield is like no other!

Compensation:

Salary commensurate with education and experience

Health and Dental Benefits, EFAP

Professional Development

At Lakefield College School, we believe that relationships are at the heart of our community. We do not use AI to screen to evaluate candidates. Instead, your application will be reviewed personally by a member of our HR team. We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest in joining The Grove; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please Note: LCS is committed to providing accommodation for persons with disabilities. Please visit our Accessibility page for further details or contact our Human Resources department, [e-mail] for any information in an alternate format.

Lakefield College School is an inclusive, caring community. We believe in the dignity and worth of all individuals. We embrace diversity and practice equity. We lead with empathy to create a sense of belonging for all. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for persons of all cultures, colours, ancestries, religions, sexes, national origins, sexual orientations, ages, marital statuses, disabilities, gender identities and veteran statuses.

We respectfully acknowledge that Lakefield College School is located on the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations, which include: Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Alderville, Scugog Island, Rama, Beausoleil, and Georgina Island First Nations. Lakefield College School respectfully acknowledges that the Williams Treaties First Nations are the stewards and caretakers of these lands and waters in perpetuity and that they continue to maintain this responsibility to ensure their health and integrity for generations to come.