Vice President, Finance and Operations

Ontario Brain Institute; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) is seeking a Vice President, Finance & Operations to provide strategic leadership for financial sustainability, corporate operations, governance, and risk across its entities. The role partners with the CEO, Scientific Director, and Executive Team to translate strategy into executable financial plans.

You will oversee long-range financial planning, budgeting, reporting, and enterprise risk while guiding procurement, IT, facilities, and shared services to support

Qualifications

• Progressive executive-level financial leadership in a complex org.
• Experience across multiple entities and governance structures.
• Knowledge of government funding agreements and compliance.
• Strong communication with Boards, executives and staff.
• Experience in nonprofit/public-sector settings is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for financial sustainability and governance.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and risk management across entities.
• Lead enterprise risk and ensure system-wide financial controls.
• Partner with CEO, executives, and board on strategic decisions.

Skills

Strategic planning

Executive partner

Forecasting

Risk management

Financial reporting

Governance

Digital systems

Education

CPA designation (CA/CPA/CGA)

Bachelor’s in finance or business

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Vice President, Finance & Operations

Make a difference in brain research and innovation in Ontario

Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) is a provincially funded, not-for-profit research organization driving discovery and innovation to improve brain health. Through collaborative research, data sharing, commercialization, and community engagement, OBI accelerates the translation of knowledge into real-world impact.

OBI is passionate about the outcomes of its work, the people and organizations with whom it partners, and the opportunity to play a role in shaping the future. Its members are united in the common goal to improve brain health.

To learn more about our organization and achievements to date visitour website.

OBI is seeking a Vice President, Finance & Operations to provide strategic leadership for the organization's financial sustainability, corporate operations, governance, and enterprise risk.

As a member of OBI's Executive Team, the Vice President, Finance & Operations works across OBI's related entities, serving as a strategic partner to the CEO & Scientific Director, President & COO, and the broader Executive Team, helping shape priorities, evaluate opportunities, develop sustainable financial and business models, and translate strategy into executable financial plans.

The role safeguards organizational assets, strengthens financial decision-making, and ensures that corporate systems and resources effectively support OBI's mission and long-term priorities, while fostering accountability and responsible stewardship.

Role and Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Sustainability

• Lead long-term financial planning, annual budgeting, forecasting, scenario modelling, and strategic resource allocation.
• Advise the CEO & Scientific Director, President & COO, Executive Team, and Board on financial performance, sustainability, emerging risks, and opportunities.
• Lead the development and evaluation of sustainable financial and business models that support OBI’s evolving mandate, including new revenue opportunities, partnerships, funding arrangements and organizational structures.
• Establish meaningful financial measures and reporting that support timely, evidence-based decisions.

Multi-Entity Financial Leadership

• Provide coordinated financial leadership across the Institute, Foundation, and any future related entities, while respecting each entity’s governance, mandate, and independence.
• Oversee consolidated and entity-level budgeting, reporting, cash-flow management, and financial planning.
• Assess resource needs, shared-service opportunities, and financial interdependencies across entities, while maintaining appropriate governance, cost allocation, and accountability.
• Support effective relationships among management, Boards, committees, funders, auditors, financial institutions, and external advisors.

Strategic Investment & Capital Management

• Lead the financial evaluation of new initiatives, partnerships, investment opportunities, and revenue-generating activities.
• Provide financial leadership on strategic growth initiatives, including resource planning and operating structures.
• Oversee financial planning in accordance with approved policies and risk tolerances.

Financial Governance & Enterprise Risk

• Maintain a strong framework of financial policies, procedures, delegated authorities, internal controls, and accountability.
• Oversee financial reporting, audit, tax, statutory filings, regulatory requirements, and funder compliance.
• Lead enterprise risk management and ensure material financial and operational risks are identified, assessed, monitored, and addressed.
• Prepare clear, accurate, and timely reports and recommendations for the Executive Team, Board, and relevant committees.

Corporate Operations & Shared Services

• Provide executive oversight of finance, procurement, contracting, insurance, facilities, IT, and administrative systems.
• Improve processes, systems, and service standards to deliver efficient, responsive, and scalable organizational support.
• Ensure procurement and contracting practices demonstrate value, fairness, transparency, appropriate due diligence, and sound risk management.
• Lead the selection, implementation, and effective use of financial and operational technology.

People & Organizational Leadership

• Build, coach, and lead a high-performing Finance & Operations team with clear priorities, accountabilities, and development plans.
• Partner with leaders across OBI to strengthen financial literacy, planning discipline, and shared stewardship of resources.
• Help shape enterprise strategy and organizational change by developing financial options, challenging assumptions, and driving disciplined implementation of agreed priorities within a collaborative Executive Team.
• Model sound judgment, integrity, inclusion, accountability, and commitment to OBI’s mission and values.

Experience & Qualifications

• A recognized degree in finance, accounting, business administration, commerce, or related field.
• Professional accounting designation required (CA, CMA, CPA, CGA).
• Progressive executive-level financial leadership experience in a complex organization, with evidence of strategic business partnering, commercial judgment, and enterprise-wide decision making.
• A graduate degree in business, finance, public administration, or related discipline, would be an asset.
• Demonstrated expertise in strategic financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, accounting standards, treasury management, audit, regulatory compliance, internal controls, and enterprise risk management.
• Experience working across multiple entities, business models, or governance structures; experience in nonprofit, charitable, public-sector, research, investment or similarity regulated environments is an asset.
• Demonstrated success developing or evaluating business models, investments, partnerships, capital requirements, financial structures, and new revenue opportunities.
• Experience leading teams, organizational growth, process improvement, and technology-enabled transformation.
• Knowledge of Ontario’s Broader Public Sector Accountability Act (BPSAA).
• Experience managing government funding agreements, including financial reporting, compliance, accountability requirements, and an understanding of government-funded organizational environments.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex matters clearly to Boards, executives, staff, and external partners.
• Strong team player with excellent networking, influencing and relationship building skills.
• Strong digital fluency and experience optimizing enterprise financial and operational systems.

Competencies

Strategic Financial Leadership

Connects financial strategy, sustainability, risk, and resource allocation to OBI’s mission and long-term direction.

Business & Investment Acumen

Assess complex opportunities using sound analysis, judgment, and an enterprise-wide perspective.

Governance & Stewardship

Promotes strong oversight, transparency, accountability, and responsible management of organizational resources.

Systems Thinking

Understands interdependencies across entities, functions, stakeholders, and decisions.

Decision Quality

Synthesizes financial and operational information into clear options, recommendations, and timely decisions.

Change Leadership

Builds commitment, establishes disciplined implementation, and helps teams adapt to new priorities, processes, and systems.

Collaboration & Influence

Develops trusted relationships and communicates complex information clearly to financial and non-financial audiences.

People Leadership

Sets clear expectations, develops talent, and creates an accountable, inclusive, and service-oriented team culture.

Integrity

Demonstrates discretion, ethical judgment, and consistent alignment between commitments and actions.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. OBI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Ontario Brain Institute is committed to providing accommodations for applicants at any stage of the recruitment and hiring process in accordance with Ontario Brain Institute policy, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Should you require accommodation, please notify us and we will work with you to provide appropriate accommodations.

Ontario Brain Institute is an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded in part by the Government of Ontario.