Finance Analyst

University-of-Albert; Edmonton; Hybrid; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Alberta is seeking a Finance Analyst to provide financial account support for post-award research funding, operating under GAAP, and ensuring accuracy and matching requirements. This hybrid role is based at Enterprise Square, Edmonton, with responsibilities spanning monitoring expenditures and preparing analyses for sponsors.

We seek strong accounting, analytical, and communication skills, plus proficiency in PeopleSoft and Excel, to deliver timely financial reporting to

Qualifications

• Strong accounting, analytical, and communication skills are required.
• Ability to investigate discrepancies and perform analyses in a post-award environment.
• Familiarity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and professional judgment in financial processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial account support for post-award funding programs.
• Monitor expenditures across multiple projects to ensure accuracy and compliance with matching requirements.
• Identify and investigate discrepancies; prepare analyses and deliverables for sponsors and university stakeholders.
• Liaise with sponsors and internal teams to ensure timely and accurate reporting.

Skills

Accounting proficiency

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Tools

PeopleSoft

Excel

Job description

Location - This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person. Work primarily takes place at Enterprise Square, Edmonton.

As one of the top 5 research universities in Canada, the University of Alberta's research and innovation spans many fields and disciplines. Our researchers' expertise and strength attract over $600 million annually from various research funders and partners including federal and provincial governments, industry, foundations, and other organizations.

Under the direction of the Manager - Institutional Programs, the Finance Analyst will provide financial account support. Unlike most funding programs where the accountability rests with an academic staff member, most of the funding programs to be handled by this position rest with the University, namely the Vice-President (Research) and delegates. One of the main sponsors of programs handled by this position will be the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The total funding to date from CFI and its matching partners is in excess of $631 million. Including matching projects, there are approximately 226 active CFI related projects. In addition to the CFI, this position will provide financial account support to other sponsors as determined by the supervisor.

The Finance Analyst performs multiple tasks associated predominantly with the post-award, day-to-day administration of research funding provided to the University by CFI and its matching partners. The position involves continual monitoring of a high volume of complex research projects for levels of expenditures, overall accuracy and completeness of transaction entries to ensure that matching requirements are met. In this capacity, the incumbent is responsible for early identification of problems and requires the ability to investigate discrepancies and perform analyses.

This position will liaise and provide support and guidance to sponsors, staff within other teams of the Research Services Office and the university community. This position is responsible for using professional judgment to ensure that University and sponsor procedures, guidelines and policies (which are consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)) are applied at all times. In this functionally-based service environment, the position is expected to act independently and in a team environment to ensure quick and efficient services are delivered both internally and externally.

The Finance Analyst must possess strong accounting, analytical, and communication skills, coupled with demonstrated technical skills (PeopleSoft, Excel, etc.). The Finance Analyst is expected to provide analyses, reports, and other financial deliverables within stringent time frames.