About the Organization

The Canadian Housing Acquisition Fund (CHAF) is an independent, non-profit organization advancing affordable housing through investments, partnerships, and cutting-edge approaches to community ownership.

Founded by leaders from the community housing sector and supported by expertise in finance, investment, and governance, CHAF works to strengthen the non-market housing sector and expand affordable housing opportunities across Canada.

- Location: Within Canada, with a strong preference for candidates based in Ontario, Quebec, or British Columbia. Hybrid work arrangements are available, with occasional national travel.
- Language: English required; French considered an asset.
- Reports to: Chief Financial Officer
- Employment type: Permanent, full-time
- Compensation: $140,000 – $160,000 per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications, plus benefits package.

About the Role‍
The Director, Finance & Controller is responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and effectiveness of CHAF’s financial management and reporting. The role provides oversight of the accounting function and leads financial reporting, technical accounting, loan and investment accounting, budgeting and forecasting (FP&A;), financial controls, treasury oversight, audit coordination, government funding and contribution-agreement compliance, administration fee oversight, and management of external finance support.

Working closely with CHAF’s leadership and internal teams, the Director ensures that financial information is accurate, timely, well documented, and useful for organizational decision-making. The role will also contribute to the development of financial policies, systems, and processes that support CHAF’s growth as a national organization. CHAF’s Finance function is intentionally lean: the Director works with the CFO, a Senior Accountant, and a standing external finance support provider, operating on a cycle of monthly accounting and controls with a formal quarterly close and reporting.

The Director provides financial oversight and direction to the accounting function, including reviewing work performed by the Senior Accountant and the external finance support provider, and ensuring appropriate controls and processes are in place. The role is not primarily transactional; it focuses on financial oversight, analysis, controls, planning, and decision support.

The successful candidate will combine strong technical accounting knowledge with sound judgment, analytical ability, and a practical approach to building effective financial infrastructure in a growing organization.

‍
Key Responsibilities

‍Financial Close, Reporting & Technical Accounting

- Oversee monthly accounting controls and reconciliations, and lead the formal quarterly and year-end close process, including Director review and sign-off of financial information for accuracy and completeness.
- Oversee the preparation of quarterly financial statements, the monthly financial flash/dashboard, and management reporting from QuickBooks Online (QBO), CHAF’s official general ledger, in accordance with applicable accounting standards and CHAF policies.
- Analyze financial results, identify material variances and emerging issues, and provide recommendations to leadership.
- Establish and maintain appropriate financial controls, approval processes, and segregation of duties.
- Lead technical accounting and recommend accounting policies for CFO approval, including the treatment of repayable and forgivable loans, investments, government contributions, restricted funding, and administration fees.
- Oversee loan and investment accounting, including monthly reconciliation of service provider loan-servicing data to QBO, portfolio rollforwards, and investigation of exceptions.
- Oversee quarterly expected credit loss (ECL) calculations, impairment rollforwards, and portfolio disclosures,



and prepare material judgments for CFO review and approval.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

- Lead CHAF’s annual budgeting process, including financial inputs to the Annual Work Plan and multi-year plan, and maintain quarterly rolling forecasts.
- Develop cash-flow forecasts and monitor liquidity, financial commitments, and projected funding requirements.
- Provide financial analysis to support organizational planning, operational decisions, and long-term sustainability.
- Work with leadership and internal teams to monitor performance against approved budgets.
- Forecast administration fee revenue, investment income, and funding availability, and model the impact of loan deployment and repayments on fee sufficiency.

Accounting Oversight & Finance Operations

- Provide oversight and direction to the accounting function, including the work performed by the Senior Accountant.
- Review key reconciliations, journal entries, financial schedules, and accounting outputs prepared by the accounting team.
- Establish accounting procedures, documentation standards, and review processes to ensure consistency and accuracy.
- Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, efficiency, and financial controls.
- Manage the external finance support provider for AP/AR, expenses, payroll processing support, bank reconciliations, and routine bookkeeping, including scope, service levels, quality, cost, and designated backup resources.
- Oversee weekly payment and bi-weekly payroll cycles, including dual approvals, vendor master controls, and resolution of exceptions.
- Administer QBO, including the chart of accounts, general ledger structure, user permissions, and access controls, and lead finance systems and process improvements.

Audit, Tax & Funding Agreement Compliance

- Lead the year-end close and annual financial statement audit for the March 31 fiscal year end, and serve as CHAF’s primary financial contact with external auditors.
- Prepare the financial portions of the Quarterly and Annual Progress Reports and other contribution-agreement reporting to the Government of Canada, meeting required deadlines.
- Oversee tax filings and other statutory financial reporting, working with external advisors where appropriate.
- Oversee payroll controls and review payroll-related reconciliations, remittances, and reporting to support accuracy and compliance.
- Ensure financial records and supporting documentation are maintained in accordance with applicable requirements.
- Monitor compliance with accounting standards, tax requirements, funding agreements, and internal financial policies, including maintaining the obligations register and compliance calendar.
- Oversee administration fee management, including origination and assets-under-management fee calculations, reconciliation to portfolio records, operating reserve monitoring, and validation of eligible expenditures.

Treasury & Financial Risk

- Oversee cash management, banking relationships, account structures, and liquidity, including daily cash monitoring, weekly short-term cash-flow forecasts, and monthly treasury and liquidity reporting.
- Establish appropriate controls over payments, banking activities, and the movement of organizational funds.
- Support the CFO in implementing CHAF’s Cash Management Strategy, including restricted and designated account controls, permitted investment of undeployed funds, and forecasting of loan advances and repayments.




- Monitor financial risks and recommend measures to protect CHAF’s financial resources.
- Support financial risk assessment for organizational initiatives, contracts, funding arrangements, and other material commitments.

Governance & Strategic Financial Support

- Prepare financial reports, analysis, and recommendations for CHAF’s leadership, Board of Directors, and relevant committees.
- Support Board and committee discussions relating to financial performance, budgets, forecasts, audit matters, and financial risk.
- Advise leadership on the financial implications of strategic and operational decisions.
- Contribute to the development of CHAF’s financial infrastructure, policies, and systems as the organization grows.
- Support financial analysis, modelling, and due diligence for new partnerships, funding arrangements, and growth initiatives.
- Strengthen business continuity by documenting key procedures, cross-training with the Senior Accountant, and maintaining tested backup coverage so that no critical finance process depends on a single person.

Required Qualifications‍

- Bachelor’s degree or diploma in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
- CPA designation or significant progress toward the CPA designation is strongly preferred.
- Eight or more years of progressive accounting and financial management experience, including experience overseeing financial reporting, controls, or an accounting function.
- Strong knowledge of Canadian accounting standards and financial reporting requirements, including technical accounting for loans, investments, and expected credit losses.
- Demonstrated experience with financial statements, monthly, quarterly, and year-end close, budgeting, forecasting, and cash-flow management, preferably using QuickBooks Online.
- Experience developing and implementing financial controls, policies, and procedures.
- Experience managing or reviewing the work of accounting staff and external accounting or bookkeeping service providers, including service levels and performance.
- Experience coordinating external audits and working with auditors, tax advisors, and other professional advisors.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to translate financial information into clear recommendations for non-financial leaders and Board members.
- High degree of accuracy, discretion, and professional judgment.

What the Organization Offers

- An opportunity to contribute to a growing national organization advancing affordable housing across Canada.
- A key financial leadership role supporting the development of CHAF’s organizational infrastructure and long-term capacity.
- The opportunity to work at the intersection of housing, investment, finance, and community impact.
- Exposure to complex financial activities and partnerships across the affordable housing sector.
- A collaborative and entrepreneurial team environment.
- Competitive compensation and benefits.
- Flexible hybrid work arrangements and opportunities for national engagement.

To Apply
To apply, please submit a single file containing your letter of intent and resume to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Applicants are encouraged to visit CHAF’s website to learn more about the organization, its mandate, and its work. Candidates are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with the role of the Canada Rental Protection Fund and the broader housing context in which CHAF operates.

CHAF is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and others who contribute to the diversity of our organization.

Pay: $140,000.00-$160,000.00 per year

Work Location: Remote

📌 Director, Finance & Controller (Canada)
🏢 Canadian Housing Acquisition Fund (CHAF) | Fonds d’acquisition de logements canadiens (FALC)
📍 Canada