Senior Director of Finance

Searchlight Recruitment Inc.; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 108,000 - 132,000; Full time

Job summary

The Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver, BC seeks a Senior Director of Finance to join the senior leadership team. You will provide financial insight, strategic advice, and governance for the organization and its Foundation, reporting to the Executive Director and Board.

You will lead a four-person finance team, oversee budgeting, forecasting, audits, and financial controls, and guide long-term sustainability to support artistic ambitions and community impact.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of progressive financial management experience, including senior leadership.
• CPA designation (Canadian) is required or preferred.
• Experience in budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting for not-for-profit organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead external audits and manage financial controls.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic financial leadership to support artistic and operational decisions.
• Lead annual budgeting, multi-year financial planning, and forecasts.
• Prepare financial statements and reports for the Board and Finance Committee.
• Oversee cash flow, internal controls, banking, investments, and risk management.
• Lead the external audit process and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Oversee financial reporting for the Arts Club Theatre Foundation and coordinate with the Foundation and Company.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial reporting

Audit leadership

Strategic planning

Cash flow management

Internal controls

Team leadership

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

CPA designation (Canada)

Tools

Sage 50

Payworks

Tessitura

Job description

POSITION: Senior Director of Finance

LOCATION: Vancouver, B.C.

POSITION DETAILS: Full Time, Permanent

REPORTS TO: Executive Director

DIRECT REPORTS: Four

WEBSITE: https://artsclub.com/

Help shape the financial future of Western Canada's largest not-for-profit theatre company.

THE ORGANIZATION

The Arts Club Theatre Company is one of British Columbia's leading cultural organizations and Western Canada's largest not-for-profit theatre company.

Operating three theatres in Vancouver - the Arts Club produces and presents a diverse range of professional theatre, alongside touring productions, education programs, and artist development initiatives.

With an annual operating budget of approximately $20 million and more than 500 artists, staff, and crew engaged each year, the Arts Club is a significant contributor to the cultural and economic life of British Columbia.

The Arts Club is guided by a commitment to artistic excellence, community engagement, accessibility, and the belief that theatre has the power to inspire, challenge, and connect people.

As the Arts Club advances its Growth & Impact Plan; financial sustainability and strategic investment will be essential to ensure that it will continue to thrive for generations to come.

The Arts Club is grateful to create and share theatre on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional shared territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh) Nations.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Arts Club Theatre Company (“Arts Club”) is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and forward-thinking Senior Director of Finance to join the senior leadership team and make a meaningful contribution to the organization.

Working closely with the Executive Director and Artistic Director, the Senior Director of Finance will provide the financial insight, strategic advice, and sound judgment that help guide the Arts Club's artistic ambitions, operational decisions, and long-term sustainability.

The Senior Director of Finance plays a central role in the organization's financial governance; presenting financial statements and forecasts to the Finance Committee and Board of Directors, while also taking responsibility for the financial reporting and administration of the independently governed Arts Club Theatre Foundation, which holds a permanent endowment of approximately $15 million.

Leading an experienced team of four finance professionals, the Senior Director of Finance ensures the integrity of the organization's financial systems, reporting, and controls, while providing the strategic insight needed to support confident decision-making and long-term financial sustainability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Financial Leadership & Budgeting

• Serve as a trusted strategic financial advisor to the Executive Director, Artistic Director, and senior leadership team, providing independent judgment and constructively challenging financial assumptions and decisions when appropriate.
• Lead the annual seasonal budgeting process, working closely with the Artistic Director and relevant departments to develop, evaluate, and refine production budgets and the overall financial plan for each theatre season.
• Lead the development of the organization's annual operating budget, multi-year financial plans, and regular financial forecasts.
• Provide financial analysis, insight, and recommendations to inform artistic programming, operational planning, organizational investment, and long-term sustainability.
• Anticipate financial opportunities, pressures, and risks, identifying practical strategies to address emerging challenges.
• Support the financial planning and evaluation of capital projects and strategic initiatives.
• Contribute actively to organizational strategy, business planning, and implementation of the Growth & Impact Plan.

Financial Reporting, Forecasting & Governance

• Ensure timely, accurate, and meaningful financial reporting to the Executive Director, Artistic Director, and senior leadership team.
• Prepare and present financial statements, forecasts, and financial analysis to the Board's Finance Committee and Board of Directors, providing clear explanations of financial performance, emerging risks, and opportunities.
• Develop and maintain reliable forecasting processes that provide a clear picture of the organization's financial performance and anticipated year-end results.
• Translate complex financial information into accessible, actionable advice for board members and colleagues across the organization.
• Work closely with the Executive Director and Finance Committee to support effective financial oversight, transparency, and governance.
• Oversee cash flow management, financial controls, banking relationships, investments, and organizational financial risk.
• Lead the annual external audit process, ensuring thorough preparation, effective coordination with auditors, and timely completion of financial statements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, charitable reporting requirements, tax obligations, and other regulatory requirements.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead, support, and develop an experienced four-person finance team, fostering accountability, professional growth, and a collaborative working environment.
• Build strong working relationships across departments, supporting colleagues in understanding budgets, financial performance, and the implications of financial decisions.
• Promote a culture of financial transparency, accountability, and sound stewardship throughout the organization.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership colleagues to strengthen financial processes, systems, and organizational effectiveness.
• Provide leadership and oversight of the organization's payroll and financial administration functions.

Arts Club Theatre Foundation

• Take responsibility for the financial reporting of the Arts Club Theatre Foundation, ensuring accurate, timely financial statements and reporting to its independent Board of Directors.
• Prepare and present financial and investment reports at Foundation Board meetings.
• Oversee the Foundation's financial administration, accounting, and regulatory compliance.
• Liaise with the Foundation's investment managers and support oversight of its permanent endowment and related investment policies.
• Coordinate financial reporting, planning, and distributions between the Foundation and the Arts Club Theatre Company.

Risk Management & Financial Stewardship

• Oversee the development and maintenance of effective financial policies, internal controls, and risk management practices.
• Lead the management and annual renewal of the Arts Club's insurance programs, including indemnity, property and building, and operational insurance, ensuring appropriate coverage and managing relationships with insurance brokers and providers.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial systems, reporting processes, and organizational efficiency.
• Ensure the Arts Club and its Foundation maintain sound financial practices that support their long-term sustainability.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum five years of progressive financial management experience, including senior leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing complex budgets, financial forecasts, cash flow projections, and financial reporting.
• Experience leading a finance team and overseeing an annual external audit.
• Strong financial analysis and strategic planning capabilities, with a demonstrated ability to identify emerging risks and opportunities.
• Experience presenting financial statements and recommendations to executive leadership, finance committees, and boards of directors.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, constructively challenge assumptions, and provide candid financial advice.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• A collaborative leadership approach grounded in integrity, accountability, and sound judgment.
• Strong knowledge of financial systems, accounting standards, and internal controls.
• Senior financial leadership experience in a charitable or not-for-profit organization is an asset, as is experience with charitable accounting, restricted funding, grant reporting, and board governance.
• Experience with endowment funds, investment reporting, or foundation financial administration is an asset.
• Experience with Sage 50, Payworks or payroll software, or with the CRM Tessitura would also be an asset, although familiarity with these specific systems is not required.
• A Canadian CPA designation.

CANDIDATE ATTRIBUTES

An experienced financial leader who combines technical expertise with strategic thinking, sound judgment, and strong interpersonal skills.

You understand that the value of financial leadership extends well beyond the numbers. You take pride in helping colleagues understand financial information, anticipate challenges, evaluate opportunities, and make informed decisions.

You are a confident, thoughtful leader who understands that being a trusted advisor sometimes means asking difficult questions or challenging established assumptions. You bring intellectual independence, sound judgment, and the interpersonal skills to offer candid advice constructively, building trust through both your financial expertise and your willingness to speak up.

You are equally comfortable supporting ambitious ideas and identifying when financial risks require a different approach. You understand that your role is not simply to report on financial performance, but to help shape decisions that strengthen the organization's future.

You also enjoy leading and developing a team, building collaborative relationships, and working in an organization where financial decisions must balance fiscal responsibility with ambitious artistic and community objectives.

COMPENSATION

A competitive compensation package including an annual salary of $120,000 and comprehensive benefits (extended health & dental coverage, LTD, employee assistance program, 3% RRSP matching program) will be provided.

This position offers the opportunity to work with a committed and creative team in one of Canada’s leading professional theatre organizations.

The Arts Club Theatre Company is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds,

particularly those from communities historically underrepresented in the arts and in

organizational leadership. We recognize that candidates bring valuable experience through different professional and personal pathways and encourage applications from those whose qualifications and experience align with the responsibilities of this position.

We are committed to providing an accessible recruitment process. Applicants who require accommodations or alternative application formats are encouraged to contact us.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.