Director of Finance

Liftsafe Group of Companies; Cambridge; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Liftsafe Group of Companies is seeking a Director of Finance in Canada to lead the accounting team and ensure precise monthly reporting. The role focuses on optimizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central workflows and partnering with department heads to streamline transaction flows, improve close cycles, and drive accurate project cost forecasting.

The position includes overseeing budgeting processes, enhancing internal controls, and delivering actionable financial insights through Power BI

Qualifications

• CPA designation required.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• 7–10+ years of progressive accounting and financial management experience, including 2–3 years in a supervisory role.
• ERP expertise with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, especially project accounting and GL setups.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and BI tools.
• Core competencies: process engineering, month-end close, cross-functional leadership, project cost accounting, attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop the accounting and finance team.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual close to deliver accurate statements on a tight timeline.
• Ensure accuracy of GL accounts through reconciliations and analyses.
• Oversee AP, AR, Payroll, Fixed Assets, and Inventory accounting.
• Coordinate year-end audits with external auditors.

Skills

Leadership

General Ledger

Project Cost Accounting

Excel

Power BI

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance

CPA designation

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

Job description

Company Description

Liftsafe Group of Companies is a privately owned company that designs, builds, inspects and maintains lifting, material handling, and fall protection systems equipment.

Company Description

Liftsafe Group of Companies is a privately owned company that designs, builds, inspects and maintains lifting, material handling, and fall protection systems equipment.

Job Purpose

The Director of Finance is responsible for leading the accounting team, overseeing daily financial operations, and ensuring the absolute accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of monthly financial reporting. This role acts as a bridge between technical accounting control and operational process improvement.

A primary objective of this position is to optimize Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central workflows, partner cross-functionally with department heads to streamline transaction flows and eliminate systemic bottlenecks to significantly reduce the friction of the month-end close cycle. Additionally, this role supports the leadership team by driving the annual budgeting process and maintaining accurate project cost forecasting models.

This position is posted due to a current vacancy.

Duties And Responsibilities

The primary duties and responsibilities of the Director if Finance role include, but are not limited to, the following:

Accounting Team Leadership & Financial Reporting

• Lead, mentor, and develop the accounting and finance team, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous professional growth.
• Manage the end‑to‑end monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes to deliver accurate financial statements on a strict timeline.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of general ledger accounts through rigorous reconciliations, sub‑ledger balancing, and analytical reviews.
• Oversee core transaction streams including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Fixed Assets, and Inventory accounting functions.
• Coordinate year‑end audit activities, acting as the primary operational liaison with external auditors to ensure compliance.

Process Improvement & Month-End Optimization

• Champion financial system optimization, driving automation and configuration enhancements specifically within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
• Partner with operational department leaders to design, standardize, and enforce strict workflows that ensure all project costs are accurately consumed to specific projects in Business Central before month‑end.
• Streamline revenue recognition pathways, verifying that all monthly project revenue is accurately recognized and captured in compliance with standards.
• Transition the close framework from a manual, end‑of‑month scramble to a continuous close model by automating approval workflows, simplifying transaction tracking, and eliminating data bottlenecks between procurement, inventory, and accounting.
• Establish and document clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) and accountability frameworks for month‑end deadlines across all business units.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Variance Analysis

• Support the annual budgeting and rolling forecasting processes, translating operational project pipelines into structured financial models.
• Analyze monthly financial results, investigating and reporting on key cost and revenue variances against budget, forecasts, and prior periods.
• Build and monitor departmental KPIs, dashboards, and management reporting tools within Business Central and Power BI to improve visibility into project margins and profitability.
• Provide actionable financial insights to the President and operational managers to improve working capital management and overall project cost efficiency.

Internal Controls & Corporate Treasury Support

• Maintain and enforce effective internal controls, delegated authority matrixes, and financial policies across all departments to mitigate risk.
• Manage daily cash flow, liquid asset optimization, and operational working capital planning.
• Support the management of relationships with banks and lenders, ensuring adherence to debt compliance and reporting requirements.

Success Factors

• Delivering accurate and timely financial statements within a tight, optimized monthly close window.
• Successfully auditing and re‑engineering Business Central workflows so that project cost absorption and revenue capture are seamless and clear of manual errors.
• Building a highly reliable, collaborative dynamic between the accounting team and operational department managers.
• Providing clear, transparent Budget vs. Actual visibility that helps department leaders manage project budgets effectively.

Qualifications

• Designation: CPA designation required.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Experience: 7–10+ years of progressive accounting and financial management experience, including a minimum of 2–3 years in a direct team leadership or supervisory role.
• ERP Expertise: Advanced, hands‑on proficiency with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is highly preferred, specifically regarding project accounting/jobs modules and general ledger setups.
• Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (data modeling, power query) and business intelligence tools.
• Core Competencies: Process Engineering, Month-End Close Management, Cross-Functional Leadership, Project Cost Accounting, and Attention to Detail.

Working Conditions

• Office Environment

Physical Requirements

• Sitting and typing for extended periods of time. Frequent use of computers and financial systems.

Direct Reports

• Accounting Manager
• Human Resources Manager

It is the policy of The Liftsafe Group of Companies to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, or local law. The Liftsafe Group of Companies welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.