Director of Finance/Treasurer
Why Choose Loyalist for Your Next Great Career Opportunity? Loyalist Township is committed to developing employees who are passionate about making a difference. We support employees to grow their strengths, and together we will reach our collective full potential as an employer of choice. We offer excellent pay and benefits including OMERS, a defined benefit pension plan. Service to our community, and to each other is what we do.
Loyalist Township is a growing community of over 18,000 residents situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario between the Town of Greater Napanee and the City of Kingston. The Township is a blend of rural and urban areas with a number of smaller hamlets throughout, including its very own island community, accessible by ferry. It is an outdoor-lovers dream, with a Great Lake on the doorstep and beautiful Canadian shield lakes and provincial parks minutes away to the north. Next door is the historic City of Kingston, which boasts an amazing downtown core right on Lake Ontario, full of excellent restaurants and nightlife offerings. We are also connected to large urban centres by the 401, with the GTA two hours to the west and Ottawa two hours to the east.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Director of Finance/Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer of the municipality, responsible for ensuring that all legislative requirements and the principles of sound financial management are met as well as the administration and oversight of the corporate procurement program. This position, as appointed by Township Council, fills the statutory position of Treasurer as required under the Municipal Act, with the ability to bind the Corporation.
The Director is a member of the Leadership team reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer. The Director provides leadership and oversees the Finance department. This includes the responsibility for financial management and procurement for the Corporation. The position also provides leadership to other Directors and Departments within the Corporation and supports the development and implementation of organizational strategies, technology, best practices, and processes to ensure quality corporate reporting, information management, asset management, and strategic planning. The Director is a team leader with the ability to support, coach, develop staff and positively engage and motivate colleagues in a fully participative workplace.
RESPONSIBILITIES
| Perform the statutory duties of the Treasurer and manage all activities of the Finance division including accounting, property taxation, utility billing, and procurement, including support for corporate asset management function and long-range financial planning. Cash management of all funds including short term and long-term borrowing, and short term and long-term investing. |
| Prepare budget documents and presentations and attend all budget meetings of the Township and provide input and advice regarding costing and financial decisions. Develop property tax rates to achieve an annual balanced budget, while facilitating a long term fiscally responsible approach to managing the financial affairs of the Township and mitigating impacts to taxpayers. In conjunction with the Financial Analyst and Deputy Treasurer works cross departmentally to prepare, consolidate, and monitor the annual capital and operating budgets for the municipal and service rate budgets. Develop multi-year capital plans, policies, procedures and long-term borrowing. |
| Participate as a member of the corporate senior leadership team providing input on inter-divisional/corporate planning and strategic initiatives; provides advice/opinion/counsel to CAO (Chief Administrative Officer) in corporate decision-making and on sensitive/controversial issues; leads and/or participates on corporate project teams. |
| Provide leadership and coordinate the preparation of annual strategic priorities, work plans, major policies, and service level standards for the department in addition to directing all activities of the Finance department, monitoring the administrative performance of the department against business plan and budget with initiation of corrective action, as necessary. |
| Develop initiatives to build accounting, budgeting, long-range financial planning, procurement, and taxation knowledge and capacity, assisting with capital and operating budgets, and provide analysis of financial trends in the municipal sector.
Works with the Corporate Procurement Specialist, Financial Analyst and Deputy Treasurer to have training developed for all staff across the corporation in the areas of procurement, budget, and financial reporting. |
| Prepare policies, plans, rate studies, cost benefit analyses and other financial reports as required to facilitate municipal decision making in addition to ensuring all required statutory financial reporting and required external financial audits are planned and executed. |
| Provide clear, concise transparent financial reporting to Council to ensure that Council has a complete understanding of the financial affairs of the Township. |
| Managing staff, including recruitment, retention, training, and performance management and unionized labour relations. |
*Note: All activities are expected to be performed in a safe manner, in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its Regulations, along with Corporate Safety policies, procedures and programs. In addition, all necessary personal protective equipment must be used and maintained in good condition.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education
- Post-secondary degree or three-year diploma in business administration, commerce, accounting, or similar/related discipline.
- Professional accounting designation such as the Certified Professional Accountant (CPA).
Experience
- Seven (7) years of related progressive experience working in a public sector finance environment that includes general knowledge of all operations.
- Management experience in a unionized environment and the ability to supervise, mentor and coach, direct reports in keeping with sound personnel management practices, to build and maintain a healthy and productive work environment.
- Experience working with internal and external stakeholders in a political environment.
- Experience in municipal policy development with a good working knowledge of relevant Ontario legislation.
Preferred Experience
- Experience working in a municipal finance environment.
- Experience working with internal and external stakeholders in a political environment.
- Experience in municipal policy development with a good working knowledge of relevant Ontario legislation as well as financial legislation, regulation, and practices.
- Able to manage, guide and lead employees to ensure appropriate financial processes are being used.
- A solid understanding of financial statistics and accounting principles
- Leadership and decision-making skills.
Knowledge/Skill/Ability
- Thorough working knowledge of the Municipal Act, Development Charges Act, Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure Regulation, Occupational Health and Safety Act, investment and debt management, provincial/federal funding programs, property taxation, auditing principles and practices and other related legislation or regulations.
- Demonstrated ability to plan strategically and act decisively to translate strategic initiatives into concrete action plans on a timely basis.
- Strong financial and business management skills and effective problem-solving skills.
- Advanced knowledge of modern accounting theory, principles and practices, internal control procedures, public finance, public sector accounting board (PSAB) standards, and fiscal planning.
- Strong analytical skills ensuring accuracy with large volume and diversity of work, ability to model financial data, planning and forecasting skills.
- Demonstrated attention to detail, ensuring accuracy with large volume and diversity of work.
- Demonstrated advanced discretion, sensitivity, conciliation, negotiation, motivation, and/or persuasion skills.
- Strong public engagement skills and demonstrated excellence in customer service by establishing departmental and corporate standards, providing clear expectations to staff, adhering to the standards, and showing leadership and guidance about a strong customer service ethic to staff and customers.
- Strong leadership skills to build an inclusive and productive environment that promotes collaboration and teamwork, sets performance standards, provides relevant feedback and coaching, demonstrates desired competencies, resolves performance problems constructively, holds staff accountable, and promotes learning, networking, succession planning and personal growth.
- Demonstrated flexibility and organizational skills in dealing effectively with shifting priorities, based on urgency and importance.
- Excellent interpersonal, organizational, communication, research, and time management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and engage staff in a unionized environment.
- Advanced computer proficiency including thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office, sophisticated enterprise accounting software, spreadsheets and database management, and the ability to work through the complexities of data upload, data extraction and preparing complex reports.
- Maintain an elevated level of tact, diplomacy, confidentiality, and always conduct oneself in a professional manner.
Preferred Knowledge/Skill/Ability
- Thorough working knowledge of the Municipal Act, Development Charges Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, investment and debt management, provincial/federal funding programs, property taxation, auditing principles and practices and other related legislation or regulations.
- Thorough working knowledge and experience with a full financial suite.
- Knowledge of Financial software including Vadim iCity, PSD Citywide and FMW Software.
Other Requirements
- Possess and maintain a valid Class ‘G’ driver’s license, in good standing and reliable vehicle to use on corporate business.
- Obtain and maintain satisfactory vulnerable sector Criminal Record Check (CPIC).
Note: Above duties are representative of a typical position and are not to be construed as all-inclusive.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
Internal
Regular communication with all Finance Department staff, other municipal departments, and Township Council.
External
Taxpayers/ratepayers, vendors, auditors, provincial ministries, other municipalities, and agencies.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Normal office environment working conditions apply.
- Will be required to attend meetings outside of regular office hours.
- May be seated for long periods (3-4 hours).
- At certain times of the year there are strict deadlines to meet which may cause extra workload or additional work hours.
Note: The foregoing is intended to outline the general description of duties and responsibilities for this position. It is not intended, nor should it be interpreted as a complete description. Loyalist Township reserves the right to amend this position description at any time.
Loyalist Township values a diverse workforce and looks to attract and retain people who will work together to provide excellent service to our residents, visitors, business partners, and each other. If you are looking for a rewarding opportunity to work with a team of professionals dedicated to promoting the quality of life and prosperity of our community, come join us!
In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Loyalist Township is pleased to accommodate the individual needs of applicants with disabilities within the recruitment and selection process. Please contact the Human Resources team at hr@loyalist.ca or 613-386-7351 ext. 149 if you require accommodation.
