COMMUNITY LIVING – FORT ERIE

POSITION SPECIFICATION

POSITION TITLE: Finance Manager

LOCATION OF POSITION Administration

TITLE OF IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Executive Director

PURPOSE OF POSITION: Under the general direction and supervision of the Executive Director, the Finance Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for the financial management of Community Living – Fort Erie (CLFE).

The Finance Manager is responsible for the overall financial health, integrity, sustainability, and accountability of the organization. This includes financial planning, budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, payroll, cash-flow management, funding compliance, internal controls, risk management, audit coordination, and financial policy development.

The Finance Manager provides financial expertise and advice to the Executive Director, Senior Management Team, managers, and Board of Directors to support sound decision-making, responsible resource allocation, effective cost management, organizational sustainability, and the achievement of CLFE's vision, mission, and strategic priorities.

The Finance Manager ensures that financial practices comply with applicable legislation, Ministry requirements, funding agreements, accounting standards, regulatory requirements, and CLFE policies and procedures.

Recruitment Transparency

Community Living – Fort Erie does not use artificial intelligence or automated decision-making tools to screen or assess applicants. All applications are reviewed by human hiring teams within Community Living – Fort Erie. This posting is intended to fill an upcoming vacancy resulting from the retirement of the current incumbent.

Application Process

If you are interested in applying for this position, please contact the Human Resources Manager at [email protected] with your resume to submit your application. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank all applicants for their interest and for taking the time to apply.

STATEMENT OF MAJOR RESPONSIBILTIES:

- The Finance Manager works under the general supervision of and is accountable to the Executive Director. Major decisions and those involving policies are referred to the Executive Director with recommended solutions.
- In collaboration with the Senior Management Team, identify and/or confirm organizational goals and objectives and support the Association's vision through values-driven leadership to achieve success in terms of quality service, sound financial stewardship, organizational sustainability, and responsible growth.
- Provide financial leadership, advice, and recommendations to the Executive Director, Senior Management Team, managers, and Board of Directors to support informed decision-making, effective resource allocation, financial sustainability, and organizational planning.
- Supervise and provide leadership, direction, coaching, and support to the Financial Office Assistant and other finance-related staff, as applicable.
- Participate in committee meetings, strategic planning, special project planning, Senior Management Team meetings, and other ad hoc meetings as required.
- Responsible for planning, developing, organizing, implementing, and directing financial services in accordance with applicable legislation, MCCSS requirements, funding agreements, and CLFE established policies and procedures.
- Responsible for the overall management and day-to-day operations of the Finance Department.
- Promote and ensure the organization's Human Rights Statement and Commitment is followed and respected in all financial and organizational practices.
- Ensure all bookkeeping and accounting functions are carried out accurately, efficiently, and in a timely manner.
- Oversee the General Ledger, ensuring all transactions are accurately recorded, supporting documentation is complete, entries are authorized, and financial records are maintained appropriately.
- Lead month-end and year-end financial processes, ensuring financial records are accurate, complete, reconciled, and finalized within established timelines.
- Ensure payroll is processed and monitored in an accurate, secure, and effective manner.
- Ensure monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports are prepared accurately and on a timely basis and are acceptable to the Executive Director, Board of Directors, various funding bodies, regulatory authorities, and other external stakeholders.
- Prepare and/or oversee all required remittances & returns, including the Annual Information, Charities Information Return, WSIB Reconciliations, T4s, T4 Summaries, and other statutory and regulatory filings.
- Manage all receivables, including grants, pledges, donations, taxes recoverable, contract income, rental income, insurance claims, and other receivables, and ensure appropriate follow-up on overdue accounts.
- Reconcile all bank accounts on a monthly basis and submit completed bank reconciliations to the Executive Director for review and random verification.
- Monitor organizational cash flow and provide financial forecasts to support effective short- and long-term financial planning.
- Be responsible for ensuring adequate and competitive insurance coverage is maintained for the agency and coordinate insurance renewals, claims, and related financial requirements.
- Assist all departmental managers with annual planning and budgeting, consolidate the annual organizational budgets, and prepare the budget for review and approval by the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
- Prepare monthly and periodic financial reports for the Executive Director and Board of Directors and submit required reports, including bingo, tax, statistics, insurance, WSIB, funding, and other reports, to external bodies as required.
- Review monthly financial reports with members of the management team and ensure that all significant budget variances are identified, investigated, corrected where appropriate, and brought to the attention of the Executive Director.
- Monitor program and departmental expenditures and provide financial guidance to managers to support effective budget management and responsible use of organizational resources.
- Monitor funding allocations and ensure expenditures are consistent with approved budgets, funding agreements, and applicable funding requirements.
- Ensure compliance with MCCSS requirements, funding agreements, applicable legislation, regulatory requirements, and CLFE policies and procedures.
- Prepare and submit required financial reports, claims,



schedules, and supporting documentation to funding bodies and other external organizations.
- Liaise with external auditors and prepare for and coordinate the requirements of the annual audit.
- Maintain accurate and complete financial records and supporting documentation required for audits, funding claims, compliance reviews, and organizational reporting.
- Review audit findings and recommendations with the Executive Director and ensure appropriate follow-up and corrective action is completed.
- Establish, monitor, and strengthen effective internal financial controls to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial information and to protect organizational assets.
- When requested, prepare reports for the Executive Director and managers highlighting internal control functions and proposing cost-effective measures that will strengthen internal controls without compromising productivity, service quality, or efficiency.
- Ensure appropriate financial authorization, approval, documentation, reconciliation, and segregation-of-duties processes are maintained.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve financial systems, accounting processes, reporting, technology, and operational efficiency.
- Provide training and guidance to staff and managers in accounting, budgeting, financial procedures, internal controls, and financial accountability.
- Maintain the organization's Pay Equity program and supporting documentation.
- Provide financial analysis, forecasts, and recommendations to support organizational sustainability, strategic planning, and long-term financial decision-making.
- Assist the Executive Director with financial planning and evaluation of new programs, projects, contracts, capital expenditures, and other initiatives as required.
- Maintain professional relationships with external auditors, financial institutions, insurers, funding agencies, government representatives, and other external stakeholders.
- Maintain confidentiality and security of all financial, employee, organizational, and personal information.
- Be knowledgeable of and comply with CLFE's policies, procedures, collective agreement requirements, applicable legislation, funding requirements, and regulatory standards relevant to the position.
- Maintain current knowledge of accounting standards, financial management practices, government funding requirements, legislation, and regulatory requirements affecting the organization.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Executive Director.

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA:

- A recognized accounting designation, such as Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), is strongly preferred.
- A university degree, college diploma, or equivalent post-secondary education in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline is required.
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in accounting and financial management, including demonstrated responsibility for financial operations, budgeting, financial reporting, and organizational financial planning.
- Demonstrated experience in a supervisory or management role.
- Demonstrated experience working with senior leadership and/or a Board of Directors in providing financial information, analysis, recommendations, and strategic financial advice.
- Demonstrated experience with annual budgeting, financial forecasting, cash-flow management, financial reporting, variance analysis, internal controls, and audit preparation.
- Demonstrated experience overseeing payroll, statutory remittances, accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and year-end financial processes.
- Demonstrated experience working with government-funded programs, funding agreements, grants, and compliance reporting is strongly preferred.
- Experience within a not-for-profit, publicly funded, healthcare, developmental services, social services, or community services organization is considered a significant asset.
- Knowledge of the financial and reporting requirements associated with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) and other applicable funding bodies is preferred.
- Knowledge of applicable Ontario legislation and regulatory requirements relevant to the position, including Occupational Health and Safety requirements, WSIB, employment standards, privacy, and other applicable legislation.
- Demonstrated proficiency with accounting and financial management systems, payroll systems, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Excel, including the ability to work with financial data and prepare reports.
- Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to the Executive Director, Board of Directors, managers, employees, and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to exercise sound professional judgment, maintain confidentiality, manage competing priorities, and meet critical deadlines.
- Demonstrated commitment to the philosophy, mission, vision, values, Human Rights Statement and Commitment, and person-centered approach of Community Living – Fort Erie.

Salary Range: $84,000 - $98,000 annually Accommodation Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace. Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process.

HEALTH AND SAFETY:

The Finance Manager is responsible for promoting and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment and for ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act), applicable regulations, and CLFE's Health and Safety policies and procedures.

The Finance Manager shall

- Work in compliance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, applicable regulations, and CLFE's Health and Safety policies and procedures.
- Ensure that workers work in the manner and with the protective devices, measures, and procedures required by the OHS Act, applicable regulations, and CLFE policies and procedures.




- Ensure that workers use or wear the equipment, protective devices, or clothing required by the employer.
- Be familiar with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations applicable to the work and maintain knowledge of potential or actual health and safety hazards within the workplace.
- Ensure workers are advised of the existence of any potential or actual danger to their health and safety of which the supervisor is aware.
- Ensure that every reasonable precaution is taken in the circumstances for the protection of workers.
- Ensure that workers report any contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act or applicable regulations, or the existence of any workplace hazard of which they are aware.
- Promote a workplace culture in which employees are alert to potential health and safety hazards and take appropriate action to prevent incidents and injuries.
- Encourage employees to bring forward suggestions and recommendations that proactively promote and improve health and safety within the work environment and throughout Community Living – Fort Erie.
- Assist in identifying opportunities to reduce workplace incidents, injuries, and lost-time incidents and support appropriate corrective and preventative measures.
- Promote health and safety as a shared responsibility and demonstrate leadership by maintaining safe work practices and encouraging employees to actively participate in maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.

COMPETENCIES: Advocating for others (Level 3) Adapts a presentation or discussion to appeal to the interest and level of others. Will anticipates the effect of one’s words or actions on others’ perceptions of himself/herself. Will take a well-thought-out dramatic or unusual action in order to have a specific impact. Anticipates and prepares for others’ reactions.

Creative Problem Solving & Decision Making (Level 4) Generates multiple alternative solutions. Thinks imaginatively in order to develop creative solutions or options for which there are few or no precedents. Thinks outside the box to identify new solutions.

Evaluates alternative solutions and identifies/acts on the optimum course of action. Is prepared to try out different solutions while maintaining a protected environment. Recognizes underlying issues and the implications of decisions or courses of action.

Developing Others (Level 4): Provides in-depth coaching and invests significant amount of time to help foster thru growth and development of others. Will delegate full authority and responsibility with latitude to do a task in their own way in order to develop specific characteristics, including the opportunity to make and learn from mistakes in a non-critical setting. Will understand and identify training and development needs and establish new programs or materials to meet them.

Encourages others to assess their strengths and weaknesses, career goals and strategies for achieving them.

Fostering Independence in Others: (Level 4): After assessing individuals or employees competence/capability will delegate full authority and responsibility with the latitude to do a task in their own way, including the opportunity to make and learn from mistakes in a non-critical setting. Will assign appropriate resources to employees, individuals and families.

Holding People Accountable: (Level 4): Reviews performance against clear standards or expectations. Addresses performance problems in a timely way by confronting others openly and directly about performance problems and holding them accountable for taking action for improvement. Creates an environment in which all systems and processes support high levels of performance and are used to motivate employees to achieve goals.

Leading Others: (Level 5): Builds a commitment to a compelling vision. Inspires confidence in the mission. Generates excitement, enthusiasm and commitment in people by translating the agency’s vision, mission and values into terms that are relevant to the work being performed.

Has genuine “charisma”, communicates a long-term vision that goes beyond the team and generates excitement. Shapes the efforts of others toward achievement of a common purpose. Takes action to reinforce the vision and ensure processes and practices are aligned accordingly.

Managing Change: (Level 4): Follows through on change initiative. Involves others in the development of the change management plan. Takes specific actions to ensure the successful implementation of the change initiative. Reinforces the change message with own actions and attitudes-models current behaviours. Develops skills and confidence in employees to thrive in the new environment. Publicly recognizes individuals who are demonstrating behaviours consistent with the new way/organization.

Relationship/Network Building (Level 3): Proactively establishes planned networks to address specific issues. Looks beyond own agency to build relationships with other partners in the field and community. Initiates constructive working relationships with others to address immediate needs or specific issues.

Discusses issues or opportunities in the wider environment that may affect or benefit stakeholders. Proactively develops/maintains a planned network of beneficial and senior working relationships both internally and externally.

Resource Management (Level 4): Makes decisions that improve effective utilization of resources for the agency even when own group, department or team must “sacrifice”. This includes utilizing resources to meet current and future agency goals, with a view and tie-in to the tactical and strategic aspects of the business.

Strategic Thinking:(Level 4): Influences strategic direction by foreseeing obstacles/opportunities for the agency and acts accordingly. Defines issues, generates opinions and selects solutions that are consistent with the strategy and vision. Scans, seeks out and assesses information on potential future direction.

Provides direction and communicates the vision to encourage alignment with the organization. Energetically and persistently promotes strategic objectives with colleagues in other departments. Promotes new directions using sound, leading edge conceptual approaches.

Pay: $84,000.00-$98,000.00 per year

Benefits

- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Life insurance
- RRSP match
- Vision care

Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (preferred)

Experience:
- Finance: 5 years (preferred)

Licence/Certification:
- Chartered Professional Accountant (preferred)

Work Location: In person

📌 Finance Manager (Fort Erie)
🏢 Community Living - Fort Erie
📍 Fort Erie