Director of Finance, Victoria (CLOSED)
About Our Place Society
Our Place Society ("Our Place”), established in 2007 and located on Pandora Avenue, was founded on progressive and inclusive Christian values and principles through the amalgamation of Victoria’s two most active social organizations serving the region’s most vulnerable population.
Our Place has grown from a unique inner-city community centre to one of Greater Victoria’s largest social services agencies with a $20M+ budget, 300+ staff, and nine locations serving Greater Victoria’s most vulnerable citizens, including people struggling with homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use issues, the working poor, and the impoverished elderly. Individuals and businesses provide 50% of the financial support for its programs and services, and key government funders include the Provincial government, BC Housing, Island Health, and the City of Victoria.
Our Place provides over 1,000 meals every day plus snacks, 400 units of housing plus transitional shelter spaces, hot showers, education, job skills, health care, addiction recovery services, donated clothing, counselling and outreach services, and a 60-bin storage facility. Most importantly, it provides a sense of hope and belonging to neighbours in need.
Mission: Our Place offers Greater Victoria’s most vulnerable citizens a place to call their own, where we live, share and grow together.
Vision: Nourishment, hope and belonging for all.
Values: Unconditional Love – We are an organization founded on progressive and inclusive Christian values and principles. We believe that everyone should experience unconditional love in a non-judgmental way.
For more information visit Our Place’s website.
The Opportunity
Director of Finance
Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Finance is a proactive and strategic member of the Our Place leadership team. With a visionary and transformational approach, they plan, organize, control, manage, and direct the provision of all financial services for Our Place and its related Foundation.
Specifically, the Director provides or oversees the provision of budgeting, financial accounting, analysis and reporting, and supervising the two-person team of day-to-day accounts payable and payroll services staff. Due to limited resources, the Director is occasionally required to be a “working manager,” serving as back-up in any of the functions within the accounting and finance department. In addition to supporting the CEO and leadership team, the Director will provide timely reports to the Finance & Audit Committee and Board, as required.
The new Director of Finance will be set up for success—this vacancy has opened due to the retirement of a long-serving and accomplished incumbent who has offered to overlap with the new leader to optimize their onboarding. The new Director will also be stepping into an organization that enjoys a strong financial position, sophisticated team of leaders, positive reputation with stakeholders and funders, and a recent track record of growth—since 2020, Our Place has nearly doubled its revenues primarily through the expansion of its housing programs.
Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Financial Management
Oversees the daily operations of the finance department, and is responsible for all aspects of financial accounting, cash flow projections, budgeting and budget compliance, analysis, and reporting.
Ensures compliance with all financially-related legislative requirements, including reporting and remittances.
Develops and maintains financial controls and procedures to ensure all aspects of accounting and payroll administration meet established policies, information is accurate and reliable, and assets are appropriately safeguarded.
Leads the continuous modernization of the organization’s financial operations and related systems.
Grant Proposals, Revenue Contracts, and Donor Funding
Assists the Director of Philanthropy to complete grant proposal applications.
Ensures all necessary financial and operational information is accurately completed prior to submitting proposals to granting agencies.
Assists with the negotiating of funding contracts.
Ensures grant and revenue contract reporting is accurate and on time.
Meets with funding representatives to determine administrative and financial requirements.
Contract and Insurance Administration
Secures and administers the Society’s insurance program and ensures that limits are adequate.
Serves as the primary contact for all insurance issues.
Ensures contracts meet all financial and legal requirements.
Ensures safekeeping of all contracts and insurance policies.
Other
Serves on committees as required.
Creates, implements, and ensures adherence to a financial record retention system throughout the organization.
Represents the Society externally to government agencies, funding agencies, and the general public.
Performs other related duties as required.
Essential Qualities and Experience
Our Place welcomes all credibly experienced leaders to apply, however, considering the seniority and authority of this position, they will prioritize candidates who have:
Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles, including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for not-for-profit organizations.
The ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, statements, and projections.
A professional accounting designation (CPA) or bachelor's degree in business or related field in addition to five years of accounting experience; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
A minimum five years of progressively more responsible accounting, budgetary control, and administrative management experience—ideally with a knowledge of non-profit, community-based programs and services.
Good working knowledge of information systems (software and hardware), and specifically of automated financial and accounting reporting systems.
A demonstrated ability to think proactively.
Sound analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Demonstrated supervisory skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage and operate computerized accounting and payroll systems.
Excellent interpersonal communication and organizational skills, and the proven ability to work in a team environment.
Search Process
Our Place’s Director of Finance opportunity is a strategic leadership role and is budgeted to pay competitively within the sector, depending on experience.
The search process may include conventional longlist, shortlist, and committee interview stages. We will request for finalists to offer comprehensive references and to complete a thorough background check.
We expect to complete our first review of applications by May 13, 2022, and will consider rolling applications.
Mosaic Search aims to inclusively consider candidates. Due to the expected volume of inquiries, however, we can only commit to responding to candidates whom the client instructs us to proceed with in this process.
Our Place is an equal opportunity employer. They value the diversity of the communities they serve, and are committed to engaging and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce. Our Place welcomes applications from First Nation, Inuit, Métis, New Canadian, differently-abled, and LGBTQ2S communities.
Applications (cover letter and curriculum vitae) or nominations for the Director of Finance opportunity with Our Place should be submitted in confidence to: info@mosaicsearch.ca
You are also welcome to email:
Dave Namkung (dave@mosaicsearch.ca) or
Jane Hill (jhill@mosaicsearch.ca) with any related questions.
