Director, Financial Operations

Cpask; Regina; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Regina is seeking a senior finance leader to direct the $400M/yr operating budget and drive governance, reporting, and automation across financial operations.

The role emphasizes stakeholder engagement with faculties and leadership, delivering data-driven decision support and strategic financial stewardship in a complex, unionized university setting.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of Controller-level experience in accounting, financial controls, and compliance.
• CPA designation required.
• Experience leading finance transformation, automation, and enterprise systems.
• Strong governance and audit readiness in decentralized environments.
• Proven ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Direct management of a $400M/yr operating budget and allocation framework.
• Oversee budgeting processes, adjustments, surplus management, and automation.
• Lead financial reporting aligned with standards and governance.
• Provide financial advisory to senior leadership and faculties.
• Build capability in analytics, reporting, and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial analysis

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Automation

Education

CPA designation

Undergraduate degree in Finance/Accounting/Business

Tools

Banner ERP

Microsoft Excel

Enterprise reporting tools

Job description

What You’ll Do:
Financial Stewardship and Budget Management
- Direct the management and execution of a $400M/Yr operating budget and resource allocation framework, ensuring disciplined financial stewardship and long‑term sustainability.
- Ensure effective oversight of core financial operations, including budgeting processes,
adjustments, budget surplus management, and other transactional activities, while advancing
automation and process improvement.
- Provide leadership and change management to support successful adoption of new tools,
systems, and processes across the organization.
Financial Reporting and Compliance
- Provide best-in-class financial analysis and reporting practices, aligned with accounting standards,
legislative and regulatory requirements, and internal governance frameworks.
- Ensure effective management of specialized financial operations, including trust and endowment
administration and financial compliance reporting.
Financial Systems and Reporting Technology
- Lead adoption and use of technology within Financial Services, including financial systems,
reporting platforms, and data tools, to enhance efficiency and reporting capabilities.
- Oversee design and implementation of self‑service reporting tools and dashboards, grounded in
strong accounting knowledge to ensure accuracy,relevance, and actionable insight.
- Lead initiatives to improve data availability, consistency, and usability, supporting a “single source
of truth” for institutional financial information.
Process Improvements and Transformation
- Drive process improvement and automation initiatives to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy
and response times and strengthen financial controls across core finance functions.
- Advance the transition from manual, transactional processes to automated,scalable workflows
while maintaining strong governance, controls, and compliance.
- Translate business and operational needs into technology-enabled solutions that improve
operations, reporting, and decision support.
Financial Advisory and Stakeholder Engagement
- Lead the provision of financial advisory services to senior leadership and faculties, with clear
accountability for financial analysis, recommendations, and decision support.
- Lead stakeholder engagement and communication across a large, complex,decentralized
organization, building trusted relationships and translating complex financial data into clear,
actionable insights and recommendations.
- Monitor financial performance, identify variances, and provide actionable recommendations to unit
leadership to support effective financial management.
People Leadership and Performance Management
- Lead a multidisciplinary team across budget operations, research finance, accounts payable,
and banking within a unionized environment.
- Build team capability in analytics, advisory services, and reporting to support decision‑making.
- Foster a culture of rapid response, accountability, service excellence, and continuous
improvement.
- Support and develop staff capabilities while leading change initiatives to implement new tools,
processes, and ways of working.
Plus More:
Be ready to take on additional related tasks as assigned – your role is dynamic and essential to our success!

Skills

What You’ll Bring to this Position:
- Undergraduate degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related discipline.
- CPA designation required.
- Minimum 6+ years of Controller‑level experience in accounting principles,financial controls,
and compliance frameworks, with the ability to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of
financial operations, reporting, and data‑driven decision support.
- A relevant combination of education and experience may be considered.
Skills That Will Ensure Your Success in the Role:
-Demonstrated ability to lead finance transformation initiatives, implementing automation, and
enterprise systems to improve processes, enhance reporting,and deliver measurable business
impact in decentralized environments.
- Advanced knowledge of financial management practices, accounting standards,and
regulatory/compliance requirements, with proven ability to ensure strong governance and audit readiness.
- Proven leadership capability in complex environments, with experience managing
multidisciplinary finance teams and building organizational capacity in budgeting, reporting,
analytics, and advisory services.
- Demonstrated ability to provide executive‑level financial leadership and build effective
relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders,exercising a high degree of tact,
discretion, sound judgement, and political acuity.
- Strong analytical capability with demonstrated ability to assess complex financial issues,
evaluate alternatives, and develop clear, actionable recommendations that support
executive decision‑making.
- Advanced proficiency in financial systems and Microsoft Office applications, with experience
leveraging enterprise systems (e.g., Banner or equivalent ERP platforms) to support reporting,
controls, and operational efficiency.
- High degree of organizational effectiveness, including superior time management,
prioritization, and ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, high‑accountability environment with
competing demands.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, with the ability to maintain
financial integrity while working at both strategic and operational levels.
- Demonstrated adaptability, flexibility, and problem‑solving capability in a continuously evolving
organizational environment, with the ability to respond effectively to change and ambiguity.
- Sound understanding of university or public sector environments, including governance structures
and stakeholder complexity, is considered an asset.
- Experience working in a unionized environment, with understanding of labour relations principles
and operational implications for financial and administrative functions

The University of Regina is one of Saskatchewan's most recognized and respected post secondary institutions, with a longstanding reputation for academic excellence, research, and community impact. As a forward‑thinking organization, the University continues to evolve and transform to meet the needs of a changing world. This is an exciting opportunity to join a trusted Saskatchewan brand and play a key leadership role in shaping its future.