Senior Financial Specialist

Staff - Union

Job Category

CUPE 2950

Job Profile

CUPE 2950 Salaried - Senior Financial Spec 1a (Gr8)

Job Title

Senior Financial Specialist

Department

Finance | UBC Information Technology | Office of the Comptroller | VP Finance and Operations

Compensation Range

$4,739.00 - $5,102.00 CAD Monthly

Posting End Date

August 6, 2026

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Ongoing

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

The Senior Financial Specialist is responsible for providing accounting, budgeting and variance reporting support to multiple units within the Office of CIO and UBC IT portfolio. The incumbent provides meaningful, timely and accurate information on the financial status of these units. Duties include analyzing and acting on diverse and complex financial issues, preparing and reviewing budgets for various operations and programs, preparing financial reports, interpreting UBC financial policies and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and making decisions and providing advice based on the interpretation, preparing financial documentation for entry into the Financial Management Systems (Workday) and Budget System (Adaptive), and reconciling expenditures and revenues for programming and operating budgets.

Organizational Status

The Senior Financial Specialist reports to the Associate Director, Finance IT. The incumbent in this position works in regular contact with UBC IT Senior Leadership Team and IT managers and staff within the department and interacts with many other units at UBC including Procurement Services, Library and other Financial Officers across UBC as it relates to billing and collections for billed services. While working primarily independently, the Senior Financial Specialist is part of a group of finance staff within the UBC IT Finance team who support each other to ensure financial data is consistent and accurate across the portfolio.

Work Performed

Accounting

• Oversees and performs day-to-day accounting functions, ensuring that transactions are processed accurately, in a timely manner, within specific deadlines, and according to UBC accounting policies and procedures.

• Determines cost distributions for all transactions.

• Compiles and creates client invoices in accordance with service agreements from data in IT Services financial and other systems.

• Reconciles Workday general ledger to IT Services shadow systems, source documents and internal reports monthly and resolves discrepancies.

• Maintains and reconciles accounts receivable records and prepares analyses of receivables as required.

• Processes vendor invoices and other claims for payment ensuring payments are made in accordance with UBC policies and controls, and are made in accordance with vendor agreements and/or UBC purchase orders.

• Sets up and maintains purchase, blanket and standing orders. Ensures that spending against orders is appropriate and within authorized amounts.

• Works with clients to clarify questions and inquiries regarding billings, accounts receivable, collections and delinquent accounts.

• Maintains and interprets service and maintenance agreements with clients, including generating contract renewals and confirmation notices.

• Prepares and provides information to auditors.

• Identifies and submits requests for new vendors to be set up in Workday and IT Services systems.

• Conducts credit checks on new vendors, as required, within established guidelines.

• Creates and maintains records of IT Services assets, as required.

• Prepares financial statements and other information to managers and other staff.

Variance Reporting

• Produces variance reports of revenues, expenditures and other key financial information. Produces periodic financial reports and variance explanations to assist managers in the control of funds.

• Obtains explanation or clarification for key variances from project, service or departmental managers, as directed by Associate Director, Finance IT.

• Prepares summary financial and operational information.

• Prepares detailed and summary variance reports.

• Collects various financial and operational data to be used in the variance review.

Budgeting

• Works with managers to develop their operating and capital budgets and cash flow statements.

• Explains budget schedule, processes, procedures and requirements (including budget targets) to department managers.

• Prepares budget working papers.

• Contributes to IT Services budget planning, including the design and preparation of the working budget reports and working templates.

• Assists in identifying potential problems with the budget process and the department's ability to meet its schedule.

Financial Systems

• Participates in identifying financial system requirements and contributes to developing, testing and installing enhancements and upgrades to existing systems and system replacements.

• Contributes to identification of enhancements to WD, and participates in their development and testing.

• Maintains/updates client records on IT Services shadow systems (A/R tracking on Excel spreadsheets, Pinnacle Voice Billing system).

• Reviews process improvements to systems and procedures.

• Drafts and maintains standard operating procedures and manuals.

Administrative Support

• Recommends or implements solution collaboratively with other IT Services Accounting and Budgets and Administration staff.

Other

• Performs duties, as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position is responsible for ensuring all financial information in Workday (UBC Human Resources and Financial Management System) is accurate, appropriate and substantiated by backup.

Information and recommendations must be accurate and provided in a respectful, timely, clear and supportive way. Errors could result in inaccurate long-term financial planning, over/under expenditures, overpayment or non-payment of invoices, incorrect departments/units being charged and delays in payments. Such errors could adversely impact the reputation of the department’s services and the University. Poor handling of complaints can damage guest and supplier relations and as a result, repeat business and supplier contracts may be lost. Failure to keep confidential information secure could lead to breaches of privacy. Failure to maintain and organize records could result in a loss of audit trail.

Supervision Received

Works independently with minimum supervision under the general direction of the Associate Director, Finance IT. Establishes own priorities in accomplishing work. Receives detailed instructions on the assignment of new duties and thereafter, only on new or complex problems.

Supervision Given

None. Formally trains new staff and student workers (as needed) on financial procedures and processes.

Minimum Qualifications

High school graduation, plus Diploma in Accounting or Payroll CPA Level 2, plus four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

General business training equivalent to a two-year business/financial management diploma preferred

Demonstrated experience in performing detailed reconciliations and a proficient understanding of accounting principles.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to work independently and must have strong organizational skills.

Familiarity with UBC Financial Management Information System and UBC accounting, purchasing and travel policies & procedures preferred.

Attention to detail and ability to maintain high degree of accuracy with thorough knowledge of UBC policies, Accounting Principles and CRA regulations is critical.

Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and ability to work proficiently with various operating software (e.g. Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access, etc.)

Ability to multi-task, work under pressure and prioritize work to meet deadlines. Ability to adapt to changing priorities.

Strong teamwork and collaboration skills are required.

Ability to exercise tact and discretion.

Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Experience working in the IT industry is an asset.