Assistant Controller – Budget and Financial Planning

Competition Number: RR 2023 0075
Department: Finance
Section: Corporate Services
Salary: A competitive salary, including a comprehensive benefits package
Close Date: Open until suitable candidate found

The City of Spruce Grove is a fast-growing, dynamic city committed to building and maintaining a fiscally responsible community that serves our residents, attracts visitors and promotes future growth. Through the actions of the Values We Live By, accountability, communication, leadership, integrity and respect are encouraged, while maintaining a work, play balance.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Under the direction of the Controller, Budget and Financial Planning, the Assistant Controller is responsible for providing a comprehensive range of financial services including municipal operating and capital budget preparation, long-term financial planning and collaborative financial support to City departments and internally within the finance team. The Assistant Controller is a supervisory role providing leadership and coaching to the financial planning team, managing daily operations, and ensuring the team understands priorities and is successful at providing a high level of customer service in the coordination, development, and reporting of the municipal budgets and fiscal plans.

The incumbent will lead work in partnership with the Controller – Budget and Financial Planning and the Manager of Corporate Planning in leading the preparation of the annual spring budget adjustment and creation of the annual fiscal plan that is included as a component of the corporate plan. They will provide technical support to interdepartmental committees and work teams as a representative of the Finance department and will support the Controller, Budget and Financial Planning in the enhancement of customer service to internal customers in the organization and policy development and implementation. The incumbent also works in partnership with the Controller – Accounting and Treasury and the Assistant Controller – Accounting and Reporting in the coordination of quarterly budget forecasting, and quarterly reporting to Council, and also supports monthly operating and capital financial reporting to the Corporate Leadership Team and Directors.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.  Budget and Financial Planning

• Work collaboratively with the Controller, Budget and Financial Planning and the Manager of Corporate Planning to lead an integrated approach to Corporate Planning and Financial Planning.
• Provide assistance to the Controller, Budget and Financial Planning in the development and implementation and/or review and update of policies and corresponding procedures.
• Assist the Controller, Budget and Financial Planning in the selection and implementation of financial software, as required.
• Engage in risk assessments related to financial reporting, revenue management, and business processes to ensure appropriate internal controls are implemented and monitored to support the accuracy and completeness of financial reporting and the prevention of fraud and error.
• Responsible to prepare key economic assumptions for the organization, and oversee the update of tax and utility assumptions, calculations, and input templates.
• With the CFO and Controller, Budget and Financial Planning, identify emerging issues that will impact financial planning.
• Work corroboratively with the Controller, Budget and Financial Planning to prepare the annual spring budget adjustment and complete the documentation to support this process.
• Work with organizational managers to enhance budget and forecast processes, and encourage accountability through proper support for reported balances and variances.
• Consult with CFO and Controller, Budget and Financial Planning regarding forecast variances and impacts on reserve balances.
• Assist the Financial Planning team with financial analysis and finalization of department operating and capital budgets, as required, for the preparation of the annual fiscal plan.
• Maintain data for preparation of long-term capital plan by combining information from the TCA register, the Asset Management system (where available) and Corporate Plan business cases.
• Assist with the calculation of utility and tax rates and reserve balances.
• Working with the Financial Planning team, prepare the fiscal plan summary for inclusion in the Corporate Plan document.

2. Accounting and Reporting

• Provide support to the Assistant Controller – Accounting and Reporting where required to prepare the quarterly financial statements, interim and year-end financial reporting, walkthroughs and analysis, and the annual report.
• Responsible for ensuring the approved annual budget is provided to Financial Reporting for upload into GP and support for budget balances and variances is available to assist with quarterly financial statement presentations to the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) and Council.

3. Supervisory Management

• Provide a high level of coaching, training, and mentoring to section staff in the achievement of their goals and projects throughout the year and during the performance management process.
• Manage the daily operations of the Financial Planning team; setting goals and expectations for them, making decisions regarding staffing matters, stressing the importance of teamwork, and ensuring the overall efficiency of services provided.

4. Client and Strategic Support

• Be the Finance representative on internal working groups from time to time as assigned by the Controller, Budget and Financial Planning.
• Represent Finance in meetings with other departments to provide enhanced service and customer support.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Post-secondary degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent.
• Seven (7) to Eight (8) years of related experience, preferably within a municipality.
• Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation is required.
• CPA Public Sector Budgeting/ Financial Reporting training or Controllers Program is an asset.
• Working knowledge of Questica is an asset.
• Project Management training is an asset.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Competitive annual salary
• 4 weeks’ vacation for supervisory positions to start plus an additional thirteen paid days off per year (stat holidays).
• 100% employer-paid Blue Cross Benefit Plan for you and your family, including health, dental, travel and vision care.
• 100% employer-paid Life Insurance including Accidental Death & Dismemberment, dependent life insurance for your spouse and children and LTD.
• Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP)
• APEX Supplemental Pension Plan
• Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Flexible work arrangement options

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The City of Spruce Grove is currently reviewing the salary of this position.

Visit our website at SpruceGrove.org to view the full position description and to apply online.