Finance Supervisor - LSD

University of Guelph; Guelph; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Guelph seeks a Finance Supervisor within the Laboratory Services Division to manage the Finance Unit’s purchasing, AR, and general accounting for internal departments and external clients. You will ensure data integrity and strong financial controls aligned with university policies.

The role reports to the Manager of Financial Operations and requires expertise in Sage 300, FRS, and LIMS, with by-the-book accounting discipline and leadership of a small team.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Commerce, Economics, Business Administration, or similar field.
• CPA designation or in progress preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee purchasing, accounts receivable, and general accounting for internal and external clients.
• Provide strategic financial insights for pricing, capital investments, and operations.
• Lead reconciliation, reporting, and collaboration with stakeholders on custom reports.

Skills

Financial accounting

Analytical thinking

Communication

Leadership

Education

Commerce degree

CPA (preferred)

Tools

Sage 300

FRS

LIMS

Excel

Job description

Location: Guelph, ON, CA, N1G 2W1

Primary Category Page: Staff and Management

Division: LSD Business Support

Department: LSD Finance

This position is represented by the agreement between the Professional Staff Association and the University of Guelph

Career Opportunities (sapsf.com)

General Purpose

Laboratory Services Division (LSD) is a diverse service laboratory consisting of two operational units: the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) and the Agriculture and Food Laboratory (AFL). Laboratory Services Division provides analytical and diagnostic testing services to clients in the private sector, government and academia.

Reporting to the Manager of Financial Operations, the Finance Supervisor is responsible for the comprehensive management, and control of the Finance Unit within LSD. This role ensures the delivery of consistent, high-quality, and timely service across purchasing, accounts receivable, and general accounting, for both internal university departments and external clients. The position acts as a vital anchor to maintain data integrity, financial controls, and risk management parameters aligned with university policies and procedures.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Financial Reconciliations: Reconcile and oversee financial data flows between Sage 300, FRS, LIMS, and Excel.
• Strategic Insights: Provide financial insights to support decisions regarding pricing, capital investments, and operations.
• Reporting & Collaboration: Partner with stakeholders to develop custom reports and support end-to-end sales and invoicing workflows.
• Audit Coordination: Serve as the primary contact for internal and external audits.
• Accounts Receivable Management: Manage accounts receivable for approximately $30 million in annual external client revenue, including credit and collection risk decisions.
• Procurement Operations: Oversee $10–$15 million in annual purchasing and approve expenditure invoices.
• Systems & Process Optimization: Maintain and optimize the Sage 300 A/R system and streamline transactional processes.
• Internal Controls: Update and enhance Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to strengthen internal controls.
• Team Leadership: Supervise, mentor, and manage a team handling accounts payable, receivable, purchasing, and administration.
• Talent Management: Handle recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and resource planning.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Assist with annual budgets, quarterly forecasts, and monthly financial performance tracking.
• Project Tracking: Track active OMAFA baseline projects and coordinate specialized manual invoicing.

Requirements

Education & Professional Designations

• An undergraduate degree in Commerce, Economics, Business Administration, or a closely related discipline.
• A recognized professional accounting designation (CPA or actively working toward completion) is preferred.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive financial accounting experience
• Preferred 1 to 2 years working experience within a scientific, laboratory, or technical setting to be familiar with technical nomenclature and operational timelines.

Technical Savvy

• High proficiency in financial database architectures, reporting tool design, advanced Excel applications, and corporate enterprise systems (e.g., Sage 300, FRS, LIMS).

Analytical Thinking

• Demonstrates exceptional financial acumen by identifying key financial trends, uncovering operational inefficiencies that impact financial performance, resolving complex accounting matters, and proactively implementing contingency strategies to mitigate risk, protect assets, and support organizational financial stability.

Interpersonal & Communication Excellence

• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to translate dense, complex financial figures into actionable insights for non-financial stakeholders and scientific team leaders.

Resilience & High Adaptability

• Proven ability to thrive under high-pressure conditions, handle a wide variety of concurrent institutional demands, and successfully navigate high-stakes conflict resolution with upset clients or external partners.

Employee Type: Regular

Position Number: 10484012

Classification: P&M FT- Band 04

Professional/Managerial Salary Bands

The target hiring salary for this position is minimum and up to 96% of midpoint for the salary grade.

• Tentative evaluation; subject to committee review.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 08/10/2026

Closing Date: 08/24/2026