Careers

Director of Finance

Position: Director of Finance
Start date: Oct 2017
Location: 365 Bloor St E, Toronto
Application deadline: September 26, 2017
Reports to: CEO
Directly manages: 2 staff

About EWB:

With our vision of a world where everyone has the opportunity to live to their full potential,  Engineers Without Borders Canada works to unlock human potential. To realize this vision, we operate systemically and strategically to enact positive, scalable change. Since our founding in 2000, our mission is to focus on addressing the root causes of poverty and inequity by investing in people and ideas. We are a global organization that combines leadership development, social enterprise investments and policy change to deliver impact in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa.

You will be joining EWB at an exciting time of growth and transformation. As a member of the leadership team, you will play a critical role in helping us realize our ambitions.

About your role:

We are seeking a Director of Finance to develop and maintain a high-performing finance department by providing effective and inspiring leadership and encouraging a culture of excellence, ambition and diligence.

Overall, you will have responsibility for all of the financial and fiduciary functions of the organization, including accounting, reporting and budgeting. Your scope includes delivering on the functions that currently exist, and building the processes, systems and efficiencies that will enable our growth. You should be ready and excited to build the analysis capacity of the organization, such that strategic choices are supported by financial data.

The Director of Finance also manages the financial side of EWB’s relationship with social enterprises we’ve invested in, and our network of chapters across Canada. This includes: building trust and relationships; creating operational agreements; coaching on budget, financial, regulatory and logistical issues; and, ensuring our ventures and university chapters fulfill reporting and other financial requirements.

Key Responsibilities/ What you’ll be doing:

Building and managing the Finance team (10%):

  • Supervise the work of the Finance unit staff, including hiring; providing orientation, training, direction and support; assigning work responsibilities; evaluating employee performance; determining training requirements, and handling employee relations issues, as required.
  • Ensure the accurate and timely execution of all accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll through the effective supervision of the Accounting Coordinator.
  • Facilitate greater financial literacy through formal and informal interactions with all levels of staff.

Finance (55%):

  • Maintain financial schedules and journals (e.g. investment schedule, cash flow projections, grants and budget re-projections).
  • Manage month and year-end procedures including ensuring all asset and liability account reconciliations are completed, preparing and/or posting adjusting entries, updating and posting re-projections, closing the books, preparing schedules and reports, and liaising with the auditor.
  • Coordinate the accurate production and timely distribution of internal and external financial reports.
  • Anticipate and drive changes in the financial management of the organization and how this links with the operational growth of EWB Canada (working to understand team needs and growth, designing new processes and systems, coaching program and operational staff).
  • Manage, coordinate and provide leadership for EWB budget planning processes, including the preparation of the annual operating budget; develop and manage the Finance department’s budget.
  • Monitor approved budgets and recommend and implement corrective measures for significant variances.
  • Guide the organization through the financial implications of the spin-off of our Evolving Engineering department.
  • Support Accounting Coordinator with Chapter finances: processing requests and reports.
  • Manage all venture investment transactions and payments in close collaboration with Investment Team.
  • Create a streamlined process with the Investment Team for providing investments to ventures.

Human Resources (15%):

  • Oversee HR functions related to hiring and terminating staff members, benefits coordination and stewarding of related relationships e.g. legal services, 3rd party payroll provider.
  • Manage the execution of employment and service contracts in coordination with legal counsel and relevant EWB staff.
  • Ensure that staff has access to information, advice and guidance related to their rights, responsibilities, benefits and entitlements under law and EWB HR policies and procedures.
  • Sit on the Joint Health & Safety Committee, plan and support health and safety initiatives.

Administration (5%):

  • Effective supervision of the Office Manager to ensure the effective delivery of office services including safety, security, cleanliness, space allocation and office management, and ensure the provision of appropriate equipment, furniture and supplies.
  • Negotiate lease agreements for two EWB leased premises and maintain effective relationships with property owners.
  • Ensure appropriate levels of property, general liability, and D&O insurance for EWB.

Leadership (15%):

  • Participate as a member of the Leadership Team and contribute to decision-making relating to EWB strategy and operations; support decisions taken by these leadership teams and communicate them effectively to staff.
  • Provide expert and in-depth financial analysis of organisational performance and various initiatives; proactively assess financial data and make recommendations to improve performance.
  • Produce quarterly Board reports and attend Board meetings to provide information to assist in their decision-making.
  • Ensure the development, implementation and on-going management of Finance, HR, and Administration policies, procedures and systems that are in compliance with all federal and provincial statutory and other regulatory requirements and that reflect industry best practices and EWB values.

Qualifications:

  • CPA or equivalent international certification required. Please address in your application your equivalent qualifications if you do not have this designation.
  • 7+ years work experience in a finance role with increasing level of position responsibility.
  • Financial leadership experience

Experience or demonstrated ability to learn quickly in the following areas:

  • Management and understanding of broad organizational accounting and financial functions.
  • Proficiency with QuickBooks or other equivalent accounting software.
  • Significant People Management experience in a relevant role.
  • Ability to explain accounting or financial concepts and coach inexperienced staff and volunteers.
  • Analytical and decision-making skills: an ability to identify and frame situations and strategy, and take decisions with minimal oversight.
  • Ability to prioritize and adjust, and to help your team to do the same, in a dynamic, high-growth environment.
  • Detail and process orientation: habits and instincts to focus on the fine details of systems, and an inclination to make people and processes more organized. You will bring this competency to an organization that is predominantly creative and decentralized in the way it operates.
  • Integrity, honesty and a strong commitment to excellence.
  • Familiarity with HR functions that relate to on-boarding/termination of staff, health benefits, payroll, and compensation review.
  • Alignment with and passion for the values and work of EWB. These include: international development, driving social change, bringing a rigorous approach to social problems, having an entrepreneurial approach, investing in people and leaders, and operating a grassroots, values-based organization.
  • Language: English required, French is an asset

What’s it like to work at EWB?

EWB is a high-performing team-based work environment. We have over 25 staff members working out of our Toronto-based office and many more based around Canada and in Africa. Our office culture is one of passion, entrepreneurship, pragmatism, thoughtfulness, dedication and hard work. We have a strong commitment to excellence and achieving results. Our leaders, staff, and volunteers are generally young; this manifests in our dynamic and positive outlook.

We blend a passion to change the world with pragmatism.

Working conditions

General office environment, typically 8:30am to 5:00pm with varied hours as required by meetings, events and other initiatives.

Applications are due by 5PM Eastern Time on the Close Date indicated at the top of this job posting.

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada.

Engineers Without Borders is committed to diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including aboriginal persons, francophones, members of sexual minority groups, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and women. We will provide any requested accommodation to candidates with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.

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