Senior Budget Officer

About Us

MacEwan University is where caring faculty help people connect their passions to their future paths. Located in the heart of Edmonton's diverse and dynamic downtown community, and on the traditional lands of Treaty 6 First Nations and homelands of the Métis people, MacEwan is known for exceptional undergraduate learning. With its dedication to teaching excellence, informed by scholarly research, innovation, and creative activity, MacEwan provides an exceptional collaborative and supportive learning environment with a commitment to human rights, environmental sustainability, and opportunities for community engagement. We are committed to creating an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community for all peoples, cultures, and identities.

Our comprehensive undergraduate university offers 55 programs to more than 21,000 full- and part-time students in business, communications, community and human services, design, fine and performing arts, health, humanities, natural science, nursing, public safety, and social science. Through a wide array of experiential learning opportunities, and strategic relationships in the community, we partner with others to produce graduates of stature. Along with a robust grounding in their chosen disciplines, MacEwan students are given durable life skills that prepare them to take on the world.

Opportunity

MacEwan University is seeking a Senior Budget Officer for a full-time continuing opportunity with the Budget and Resource Planning department.

The Senior Budget Officer is responsible for providing budget and planning leadership and support to all departments, schools, and faculties across the university, facilitating the adoption of best practices and strengthening alignment with university’s financial goals and priorities. You will work collaboratively with leaders and budget officers on all budgetary matters, quarterly forecasts, compliance, coordination of the annual strategic budget process, and support for the development of the three-year financial plan.

Key responsibilities include:

Budget and Resource Management

• Serving as the budget officer for the central university department, responsible for budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and analysis of grants, tuition, fees, and other key financial drivers.
• Supporting capital project budgeting and forecasting, including expenditure projections and forecasting of capital contribution funding.
• Understanding the business operations of the university, Alberta’s post-secondary funding model and its respective financial accounting impact, including modelling the financial impact of changes in legislation, regulations, and policy;
• Supporting effective workforce management and its alignment with the organization’s strategic objectives by analyzing changes to staffing costs (step increases, cost of living adjustments, and collective bargaining agreements) and managing vacancies on an aggregate level; and
• Working with collective bargaining teams to provide financial modelling and costing information during collective agreement negotiations.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and financial planning processes, tools, and systems.

Reporting, Analysis, and Compliance

• Preparing complex, detailed financial analysis and reports that accurately report the university's financial operating and capital budgets throughout the annual budget development cycle to ensure a comprehensive, cohesive, and accurate representation of the university’s approved budget plan;
• Overseeing the consolidation of the university’s three-year financial plan, which is critical to maintaining financial accountability and alignment with institutional budgetary goals; and
• Ensuring accurate and timely reporting and monitoring of the university’s overall salary and benefits budget, which includes oversight of departments, schools, and faculties to ensure financial accountability and alignment of individual position budgets with institutional budgetary goals.

Leadership and Relationship Management

• Supervising, training, and coaching staff, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement and learning;
• Prioritizing, assigning, monitoring assignments and projects to ensure efficiency, deadlines, and requirements are met by balancing and adjusting workloads or shifting resources; and
• Delivering both positive reinforcement and constructive feedback to support employee development and performance, escalating concerns to the Director when necessary.

Project Management and Financial Reporting

• Reviewing the financial information for all non-capital projects to ensure they are properly reported, monitored, and kept up to date; and
• Ensuring non-capital budget and forecast data are accurately maintained and integrated with the University's financial and operational systems.

Skills

You will have:

• Advanced knowledge of financial administration, monitoring, forecasting, costing, and budgeting concepts and best practices;
• Understanding of regulatory, legislative, and compliance reporting, including the Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS);
• The ability to communicate professionally and effectively on sensitive and confidential matters;
• The ability to synthesize financial and non-financial data to assess operational performance and effectiveness;
• The ability to assist in the preparation of briefing materials that translate financial data into meaningful insights for decision-makers;
• The ability to present financial information and concepts, both verbally and in writing, to various audiences across all levels of the university, including those without financial backgrounds;
• Strong analysis and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate business requirements into workable processes;
• Excellent organization and time management skills with the ability to establish priorities, manage multiple demands, and meet deadlines;
• The ability to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, especially during peak times of year;
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively to meet objectives and provide a high level of service to internal and external stakeholders; and
• Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office to create and manage complex spreadsheets in Excel.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in ​business, finance,​ accounting, or a related field.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience in progressively responsible accounting positions in medium or large organizations.
• Completion or near completion of a CPA designation.
• Experience preparing and overseeing budget and forecast submissions in a complex environment.
• Experience working with financial information systems, reporting tools, and software such as Excel, Power BI, Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), PeopleSoft or similar systems.
• Experience in a post-secondary or public sector environment would be considered an asset.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Benefits 

When you become part of the MacEwan University team, you will enjoy a competitive salary. Our total compensation package includes:

• Competitive base pay
• Generous vacation time
• Secure pension plan
• Flexible benefits package
• Continuous learning culture
• Opportunities for career growth

How to Apply

To apply, please head to our MacEwan University Opportunities Page, select the job opportunity and click Apply Now. If you require assistance, please contact us at careers@macewan.ca.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties when submitting your application, please try submitting through a different browser (i.e., Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc.). If the issue persists, please send a screenshot of the error message to careers@macewan.ca so we can assist and ensure your application is received.

This position is included under the MacEwan Staff Union Collective Agreement.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement

MacEwan University is committed to fostering the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion within our community, and we are dedicated to removing barriers that have been historically encountered and are currently experienced by some members of our society. We welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, visible minorities, women, persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, and members of all equity-deserving groups. We believe that the diversity of our students, staff, and faculty serves as a strength of our institution and benefit to society. We are committed to ensuring full and inclusive participation for all in our community.

Accessibility Statement

We strive to provide an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, beginning with the hiring process. If you require accommodation, we want to ensure you have the support you need to showcase your abilities. Please contact humanresources@macewan.ca and we will support you to the best of our ability.