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Director, Financial Services JD POSITION DESCRIPTION Position Title Director, Financial Services Classification Under Review Branch Financial Services Position # FIN201 Reports to Executive Financial Officer Date Updated June 2019 PROGRAM AND STRUCTURE Legislative Assembly staff provide non-partisan services to the institution of Parliament and its elected members in the areas of procedural advice, administrative support and information services. The Legislative Assembly is an autonomous employer, separate from the administrative framework of government ministries and agencies, which operates under the authority of the Constitution Act and the Legislative Assembly Management Committee Act. The Financial Services Branch supports the Legislative Assembly through the provision of advice and services on budgets, financial management and planning, accounting, reporting, policy, processes and controls, public disclosure of MLAs’ compensation and expenses, and administrative procedures. POSITION SUMMARY Reporting to the Executive Financial Officer (EFO), the Director, Financial Services (Director) is responsible for leading the Financial Services branch and for delivering effective financial services and strategic advice for the Legislative Assembly. The Director has a staff of approximately twelve employees including professionally designated accountants, financial operations staff, and policy and project specialists. The Director has responsibility for: leading the development of operating and capital budgets; forecasting and financial reporting including annual financial statements; public disclosure of MLA compensation and expenses; ensuring that the Assembly has strong systems of financial controls, policies, and processes; developing and communicating financial policies and procedures; providing strategic financial and operational advice and analysis to the executive team, MLAs, Assembly staff, and constituency assistants; ensuring that Financial Services provides a high level of professional services; maintaining and implementing financial accounting and related software solutions; ensuring vendor payments and employee/MLA reimbursements are made in a timely and controlled manner; providing support to constituency offices including lease and insurance contract review services; and coordinating the Assembly’s enterprise risk management strategy. RESPONSIBILITIES The Director leads and directs the long term strategic activities and day-to-day responsibilities of the Financial Services’ Branch and its staff, which includes the following: Legislative Assembly Job Description Page 1 of 5 Director, Financial Services • Directing a team of twelve staff composed of professionally designated accountants, financial operations staff, and policy and project specialists. • Leading the development of the annual operating and capital budgets for the Legislative Assembly including: providing templates, instructions, and advice to branches; consolidating branch budget requests; performing budget analysis; providing strategic insight and advice to the executive team; preparing budget materials for review by the Legislative Assembly Management Committee (LAMC) and LAMC’s Finance and Audit Committee (FAC); and implementation of the budget as approved by LAMC. • Directly developing and managing the budgets for Financial Services, General Centralized Expenses, Members’ Indemnities and Allowances, and Members’ Constituency Support which account for approximately 57% of the Assembly’s entire $81 million budget. • Developing and implementing a strategic plan for the Financial Services branch and significantly contributing to the strategic plan for the Assembly as a whole. • Providing strategic advice to the Executive Financial Officer (EFO), other members of the executive team, and other branch leaders on a wide range of organizational, financial, and business issues. • Presenting complex and strategic information to the executive team, FAC, and LAMC in support of the EFO when required, and addressing questions at these presentations. • Establishing, implementing, and maintaining financial, accounting, and administrative policies and processes to ensure that the Assembly is following best practices, has adequate controls, and is complying with legal and accounting standards. • Develops and coordinates monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, forecasts, and variance analyses including required reporting to executive, LAMC, branch heads, and the Ministry of Finance. • Preparation of the Assembly’s stand-alone annual Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis, in accordance with Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAB), which are audited by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG). • Oversees the quarterly disclosure process including preparation of quarterly public disclosure reports on MLA compensation, MLA travel expenses, constituency office expenditures, parliamentary committee expenditures, and executive travel and compensation to ensure that accurate and timely reports are made available to the public. • Oversees the preparation of reports such as Members’ compensation report, Ministers’ salary report, employee salary and travel reports, and supplier payment reports for the BC Public Accounts • Establishes and maintains an effective relationship with the OAG and contracted internal auditors including coordinating the annual audit processes and the internal audit plan. Ensures that audits are completed efficiently and that recommendations are reviewed, considered, and implemented in an effective and timely manner. • Performs systems and process analysis as necessary and produces reports and provides recommendations to branches to improve processes and efficiencies. • Develops and maintains the Legislative Assembly’s financial systems including accounting software (Microsoft Dynamics GP) and work-flow software (DocuWare) to ensure that all financial transactions are properly captured, controlled and reported consistent with approved Legislative Assembly polices and business requirements. • Managing the implementation of new Financial Services’ software solutions and processes including planning, resourcing, procurement, contract management, implementation, and training. • Ensuring that branch vendor payments, employee reimbursements, MLA allowances, and MLA travel claims are processed and paid in a timely, accurate, and efficient manner following a rigorous control process. Legislative Assembly Job Description Page 2 of 5 Director, Financial Services • Managing, paying, and reconciling MLA allowances including the constituency office allowance, in- constituency travel allowance, the capital city living allowance, and other allowances. • Overseeing accounting, real-time expense reports, vendor payment process on behalf of the 87 MLA constituency offices, ensuring vendor payments and employee reimbursements are processed and paid in a timely, accurate, and efficient manner following a rigorous control process. • Overseeing the budget monitoring and forecasting support services to Members and their constituency assistants. • Provides accounting and process support to the revenue generating functions of the Assembly including the Parliamentary Gift Shop, the Parliamentary Dining Room, and precinct leases. Ensures that all revenues are received, deposited, and accounted for appropriately. • Provides ongoing advice to MLAs, constituency office staff, and Legislative Assembly staff with respect to financial systems, controls, accounting and reporting, transaction processing, and associated policy and procedures. • Providing expert advice to MLAs and constituency assistants in regards to the Members’ Guide to Policy and Resources (the guide), and proactively ensuring the guide is updated when required. • Continuously improving financial support services provided to Members, branch staff, and constituency offices including developing and sharing new tools, training videos, guides, and information on a regular basis. • Delivering recurring and ad-hoc training sessions and presentations to Assembly staff, MLAs, and constituency offices. • Managing Financial Services’ content on the Assembly’s website, intranet site, and Constituency Office Portal to ensure that it is timely and a useful tool for users. • Preparation of complex briefing notes, financial analysis, and other strategic documents as required by the Assembly’s executive team, FAC, or LAMC. • Overseeing the Assembly’s enterprise risk management strategy to strengthen the control environment and internal controls and to identify risks and mitigating strategies and ensuring that Financial Services has an adequate business continuity plan. • Working collaboratively with the Assembly’s Payroll Office to ensure accuracy in Payroll accounting, reporting, and tax compliance and to support the implementation of new system implementations and upgrades. • Managing contracts as they relate to the Financial Services department and providing contract review and support services as they relate to constituency office leases and insurance. • Contributing financial expertise to cross-organization projects and initiatives. • Liaising with counterparts in other jurisdictions to leverage and share best practices. • Completing other priority projects and deliverables, regularly with short notice and in a time constrained environment SELECTION CRITERIA Education, training and experience: • Professional accounting designation (CPA) with at least 10 years of progressive accounting, financial reporting, risk management and
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