Chief Financial Officer

This competition is open to members of the public (external competition)

About The Role

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) plays a fundamental role in ensuring the sound stewardship of the Canada Council’s revenues, originated through annual Parliamentary appropriations and other direct sources of funding, as well as strategic oversight of the HR function.

Reporting to the Director and CEO, the Chief Financial Officer is responsible for the overall financial integrity of the Canada Council and all aspects of financial management, reporting and control. As a member of the Senior Management Committee, the Chief Financial Officer provides strategic leadership for the Council's investments in support of the arts sector in Canada in accordance with the Council's mandate and the directions of its strategic plans and ensures the judicious, economical, efficient and effective use of all of the Council's financial, human and information resources to fulfill its mandate in a timely and sustainable manner.

Specific Accountabilities

• Provides strategic leadership, as the Chief Financial Officer, in establishing and managing a corporate management infrastructure to enhance the capacity of the Council to act as a prudent steward of public funds while optimizing impact for both corporate and program purposes within the context of the modern comptrollership.
• Develops and maintains the Council’s relationships and interfaces with government bodies at Treasury Board, Finance and the Department of Canadian Heritage as well as the Office of the Auditor General.
• Directs the development and maintenance of Council services frameworks and mechanisms to provide high quality services in the areas of financial and expenditure management, costing framework, business planning and management, contracting, negotiation, and procurement.
• Represents the interests and concerns of the Council on resource management issues and speaks for the Director and CEO on corporate financial management issues, particularly when conveying the business-specific needs of the Council with respect to financial management.
• Establishes coordinated work plans and effective management costing practices to ensure efficient and economical utilization of financial, material and technical resources for the Council.
• Leads the development, implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement of the Council’s results-focused and integrated business budget planning frameworks and mechanisms, including the identification of planning financial information needs and analytical frameworks.
• Ensure the consistency and relevance of the Investment Committee's efforts, making recommendations on the Council’s annual funding needs from the investment portfolio. Working with the Investment Committee, ensures the effective performance, administration and management of the Council’s investment portfolio, including strategy and manager selection, asset allocation and expenditure policy.
• Leads the preparation and control of the Council’s annual budget process and its alignment to the Council’s corporate priorities and strategic plan, the preparation, attestation, analyses and provision of quarterly and annual financial statements and other financial information, strategies and plans to the Council, Senior Management Committee, Investment Committee, Audit and Finance Committee, and government oversight agencies and other external stakeholders.
• Operates as a true partner with the business units to assure strategic budgeting, and forecasting processes that foster informed planning and decision-making with a consideration to improved financial sustainability. Involved in the development and financial follow-up and reporting of the Council’s Granting Strategy.
• Provides executive oversight for the development and delivery of a suite of transformative policies, processes, practices initiatives and systems to bring fundamental changes to the management of the Council’s workforce and workplace to support and advance the Council’s strategic agenda.
• Acts as a catalyst for sound management practices to ensure that the Human Resources and Organizational Development section functions effectively and efficiently, supporting the Council’s business lines and functional areas; and directs the planning and management of initiatives and activities to fundamentally improve the accountability, transparency, timeliness and predictability for all components of workforce and workplace management across the Council.
  
  

Education

• A graduate degree in commerce, accounting, or finance.
• A Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.
  
  

Experience

• Minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressive experience directly related to the main responsibilities of the position.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant management experience, including leading and supervising employees, and financial and budget management.
• Considerable experience providing strategic and operational advice to senior management and in providing strategic leadership.
• Considerable experience managing within a governance framework.
  
  

Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of the Canadian public sector accounting standards.
• Knowledge of the Financial Administration Act, policies and procedures of the Government of Canada.
• Knowledge of the context of federal government, in which the Council operates as a federal Crown corporation.
• General knowledge of the mandate, activities and programs of the Council, as well as partners in governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations.
• In-depth knowledge of financial management, project and program management, communication strategies, and policy analysis and implementation.
  
  

Skills & Competencies

• A leadership style marked by integrity and an open, flexible, and collaborative approach, as well as capacity to lead and develop teams.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, exercising consistent diplomacy and professionalism.
• Excellent judgment and common sense.
• Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities, and risks.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize large amounts of information, thereby delivering effective strategic advice.
• Ability and skills required to build consensus on sensitive issues.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Ability to manage various and concurrent projects and initiatives while maintaining quality, accuracy, timely, and professional service to meet client needs, deadlines, and budgetary requirements.
• Ability to assess and communicate key findings, including high quality reports.
• Proficient in planning, critical thinking, facilitation, complex problem-solving, team building and negotiation.
  
  

Bilingual Requirements

The position requires the use of both official languages. The requirements for the second official language are as follows:

• An advanced level in reading comprehension (C)
• An advanced level in written expression (C)
• An advanced level in oral interaction (C)
• Important: Please submit your resume and a cover letter clearly demonstrating how you meet the above qualifications for Education and Experience. Please note that selection for further consideration will be based solely on the information provided in your cover letter, resume and application.
  
  

We are committed to providing a workplace that is inclusive and accessible to all. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please contact the Council directly.

For people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or TTY users, please use your preferred MRS (Message Relay Service) or IP service to contact us.

The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the individuals and communities we serve. We invite applications from individuals with any combination of backgrounds, origins, identities, and forms of self-expression. The Council is committed to enhancing the representation of the following groups within its workforce: Indigenous people, Black people, racialized people, Deaf people, people with disabilities, women, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ and gender-diverse communities.

We encourage you to include information on how you identify in the Voluntary Self-Identification section of the application form. This information is used during the recruitment process to enhance representation of historically underserved and marginalized communities, as per the Employment Equity Act and the Council's ongoing commitment to equity. This information is also used for reporting at an aggregate level.

Please note that all persons requiring accommodation and/or assistance in completing the Canada Council’s Careers application process are welcome to contact the Council for support.