Associate Director, Finance Strategy & Decision Support

University of British Columbia - Staff; United States; Remote; USD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Associate Director for Finance Strategy & Decision Support. This pivotal role involves leading financial transformation initiatives across a major educational institution, impacting both campuses. You will develop corporate-level financial strategies, provide advanced financial analysis, and support executive decision-making. Your leadership will ensure alignment with long-term financial sustainability goals, while fostering collaboration across departments. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence strategic initiatives and drive efficiency in financial operations, making a significant impact on the institution's future.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in financial management and analysis.
• Expertise in developing complex financial forecast models.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial strategy development for major university funds.
• Provide expert financial advice to senior leadership.

Skills

Financial Analysis

Strategic Planning

Risk Assessment

Data Analysis

Leadership

Communication

Education

Undergraduate degree in relevant discipline

CPA accounting program (CA, CGA or CMA)

Tools

Excel

Microsoft products

Workday

Power BI

Adaptive Planning

Job description

Staff - Non Union

Job Category M&P - Excluded M&P Job Profile XMP - Accounting, Level G Job Title Associate Director, Finance Strategy & Decision Support Department Finance Transformation | VP Finance and Operations Compensation Range $10,742.83 - $16,760.83 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date May 13, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Job Description Summary

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

The Associate Director, Finance Strategy & Decision Support, reports to the Executive Director, Transformation & Strategy and plays a key role in advancing financial transformation initiatives, not only across the VP Finance & Operations (VPFO) portfolio, but also impacting the entire UBC, including both campuses. This position is responsible for leading corporate level financial strategy development for all major university funds, providing advanced financial analysis, supporting executive decision-making, and providing direction on how to transform the accounting activities of the university.

This position plays a critical role in aligning financial planning, risk assessment, and strategic decision-making. It ensures that financial data, analysis, and forecasting drive effective resource allocation in a responsive manner aligned with the UBC’s goals and priorities, institutional planning, and long-term financial sustainability. This role acts as a bridge between UBC Finance and Treasury, ensuring that short-term financial planning and operational financial analysis align with long-term financial sustainability goals. The Associate Director will lead a team of managers and financial professionals, ensuring its strategies and insights are integrated across the university to support informed decision-making and strategic initiatives.

Given the high visibility across the entire University, including both campuses, and strategic nature of this role, errors in judgment or poor execution could have significant reputational, financial, and public relations consequences for the University.

Organizational Status

The Associate Director, Finance Strategy & Decision Support reports to the Executive Director, Transformation & Strategy and works with senior level leaders across the VPFO portfolio, as well as Finance Officers from all Faculties and Administrative Units from both campuses.

Supervises managers, coordinators and/or transformation and digital strategists.

Work Performed

• Strategic Financial Leadership: Develop and communicate financial vision and strategy to VPFO’s senior leadership team and Finance leaders across the University, ensuring alignment with UBC’s strategic plan and long-term business objectives. Provide expert financial advice to senior leadership, influencing strategic decision-making in a responsive manner to the university’s goals and priorities, in order to ensure a sustainable financial future for the University.

• Corporate Level Financial Management: Assess, at the corporate level, the current state of the financial management of the major university funds.

• Provide Directions on Policies and Best Practices: guide the distributed accounting functions of the university, in collaboration with senior leadership, on how to adopt policies and best practices related to the financial management of the major university funds, including operating (funding for academic programming and supports, student supports, core university services, and ancillary operations) and non-operating funds (research, capital, endowment, and other restricted funding).

• Financial Analysis & Modeling: Lead the creation of advanced financial models to assess risk, forecast performance, and evaluate the impact of strategic initiatives. Conduct scenario analysis and sensitivity testing to inform business decisions.

• Decision Support: Partner with senior leaders to provide actionable insights and recommendations based on financial data. Support budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation processes to optimize financial performance.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with finance, operations, and other departments to ensure seamless execution of strategic projects. Collaborate on initiatives that drive efficiency and profitability.

• Reporting & Insights: Prepare detailed financial reports and presentations for senior management and stakeholders. Translate complex data into clear insights to support executive decision-making.

• Project Management: Oversee key strategic initiatives, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with organizational goals. Monitor project risks and provide regular updates to senior leadership.

• Team Leadership: Mentor and guide team members, including managers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment. Develop best practices in financial planning and analysis.

• Manages consultants and external service provides, directly and indirectly through other team staff.

• Maintain skills and professional accreditations as appropriate.

• Other duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Initiatives executed by the Associate Director on behalf of the VPFO portfolio are critical to ensuring the effective and sound financial leadership of the university. Decisions taken by this role encompass how UBC reports and analyzes all major university funds, and how the different accounting functions operate. The position has dealings with staff as well as the external suppliers and the broader community.

Errors in judgment could have far-reaching and long-term serious negative reputational, financial and public relations impacts for the university and its partners. Information provided by this position is used in making managerial and policy decisions at a strategic and senior level.

Poor leadership, or the lack of diplomacy, foresight or sound judgment could have a serious negative impact on the reputation of the University, its senior administrators, the portfolio, faculty and staff. It could also alienate existing and potential donors as well as jeopardize relationships with alumni, resulting in a potential loss of significant donations or critical relationships.

Supervision Received

Works under the broad direction of the Executive Director, Transformation & Strategy. Results are reviewed for achievement of overall and long-term objectives and broad strategic goals. The Associate Director, Finance Strategy & Decision Support has interdependencies with the members of the VPFO Senior Leadership and Extended Leadership teams. The incumbent in the role must be able to work independently and assume full responsibility for his/her decisions. Work is reviewed in terms of achievement of corporate finance transformation goals.

Supervision Given

This position manages different levels of subordinate staff, including managers and senior specialists, and directs the work of internal and external service providers, including contractors.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Completion of the CPA accounting program (CA, CGA or CMA). Minimum of ten years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in developing and managing complex long-term organizational financial forecast models. Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in highly complex and technical financial concepts and instruments

• Advance knowledge of computer software applications primarily Excel and Microsoft products platform including complex spreadsheet, data warehousing and business intelligence tools. Experience with Workday, Calumo, Power BI and Adaptive Planning is an asset

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with expertise in financial modeling and data analysis.

• Proven ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders and influence decision-making.

• Experience in strategic planning, budgeting, and forecasting within a corporate environment.

• Knowledge of financial regulations and compliance standards.

• Leadership experience, with the ability to manage and develop high-performing teams.

• Experience in areas of strategic planning, tactical planning, project management, risk management, business process improvement, continuous improvement, quality assurance, research, and customer service.

• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing (reading, writing, listening, speaking, and presentation).

• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships. Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.

• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and prioritize. Ability to mentor and coach staff, and act as a resource.

• Ability to interact at all organizational levels.

• Ability to work well under pressure, prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and demonstrate a high degree of accuracy.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion