Lead Finance Specialist - Funding Partnerships

Title: Lead Finance Specialist - Funding Partnerships

Employee Working Location: Partially Virtual / Hybrid (Canada)

Employment Status: Permanent Full-time

The Canadian Red Cross (Red Cross) - an inspirational not for profit organization, helps people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and supports them in strengthening their resilience. As a Canada's Best Employers 2026 , we are committed to having an accessible, diverse, inclusive, and barrier-free work environment.

The Lead Finance Specialist (Funding Partnerships) provides specialized financial leadership and oversight for major funding-partner agreements that support Domestic Emergency Management programs and services. This role is responsible for maintaining a consolidated financial view of agreements that span multiple operational functions, ensuring effective financial planning, monitoring, reporting, compliance, and stewardship across funded activities.

As the primary finance lead for designated funding-partner agreements, the role serves as a key advisor to the Director, Finance - Domestic Emergency Management and works closely with functional finance partners, program leaders, and partnership stakeholders. The Lead Finance Specialist supports informed decision-making through financial analysis, forecasting, risk management, and reporting, while promoting consistent financial practices and ensuring compliance with organizational and funding-partner requirements.

In this role, you will:

Funding Partner Financial Management

• Act as the primary finance contact for assigned major funding-partner agreements
• Maintain consolidated oversight of agreement budgets, forecasts, expenditures, commitments, and recoveries across multiple functions and business areas
• Monitor funding utilization and identify emerging risks, including overspending, underspending, funding lapses, and compliance concerns
• Support agreement lifecycle activities, including proposal development, budget revisions, financial forecasts, and close-out activities
• Provide financial advice and recommendations to support effective management of funding agreements

Financial Planning, Reporting and Analysis

• Prepare, review, and coordinate financial reporting required by funding partners
• Ensure reporting is accurate, complete, timely, and reconciled to organizational financial records
• Perform variance analysis and identify trends, opportunities, and risks requiring management attention
• Develop dashboards, performance reports, and financial summaries to support leadership oversight
• Support development and monitoring of budgets for funded initiatives and programs
• Develop forecasts and financial projections, and monitor key cost drivers
• Provide recommendations on resource allocation, funding strategies, and reforecasting activities

Compliance, Controls, and Financial Stewardship

• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, funding-partner requirements, and applicable financial standards
• Monitor financial activities for eligibility, accuracy, and adherence to funding conditions
• Ensure funding-partner reporting obligations and deadlines are met
• Maintain documentation, approval evidence, prepared-by/reviewed by records, and audit trails that demonstrate compliance with internal controls and funding-partner requirements.
• Support internal and external audits, reviews, and funding-partner assessments
• Identify financial risks and control gaps, and recommend mitigation strategies

Business Partnering and Continuous Improvement

• Build strong working relationships with operational leaders, finance partners, and partnership stakeholders
• Collaborate across functions to support effective financial management of funding agreements
• Support program and finance stakeholders in navigating competing priorities, changing response requirements, and high-volume reporting deadlines.
• Provide financial guidance and support to program teams and leaders
• Communicate financial risks, opportunities, and recommendations to support informed decision-making
• Influence outcomes through collaboration, relationship management, and strong business partnering
• Develop and maintain standardized tools, templates, and processes that promote consistent financial management and reporting across funded programs
• Evaluate existing financial processes and recommend improvements to enhance efficiency, transparency, and compliance
• Support implementation of financial system enhancements and reporting improvements
• Document processes and maintain guidance materials related to funding-partner financial management
• Contribute to continuous improvement of reporting standards, approval workflows, dashboards, and financial guidance materials for funded programs.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

A successful Lead Finance Specialist (Funding Partnerships) will:

• Maintain accurate and timely financial reporting for all assigned funding agreements
• Provide clear visibility into funding utilization, forecasts, commitments, and financial risks
• Proactively identify and address potential funding compliance, lapse, or overspend issues
• Establish a consistent and trusted approach to funding-partner financial management across Domestic Emergency Management
• Deliver insightful analysis that supports effective operational and financial decision-making
• Build trusted relationships with program leaders, finance colleagues, and partnership stakeholders
• Improve processes and controls that strengthen financial stewardship and reporting quality
• Effectively balance multiple funding agreements while maintaining high standards of accuracy and accountability

What we are looking for:

• 8-12 years of relevant experience in finance, FP&A, accounting, program finance, or financial management
• Post-secondary education in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

  CPA designation considered an asset

• Experience supporting grants, contribution agreements, restricted funding, or large externally funded programs considered an asset
• Strong analytical, financial modelling, and problem-solving skills
• Experience working in a matrixed environment with multiple stakeholders
• Effective communication, influencing, and business partnering capabilities
• Proficiency with financial systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications

Working Conditions :

• As we work with and support people (managers, colleagues, beneficiaries/customers, volunteers, donors and external partners) and communities in Canada and around the world, applicants whose first language is not English may be required to perform the responsibilities of the role in English.
• Eligibility to work in Canada: At this time, we welcome applications from candidates eligible to work in Canada. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, we encourage you to carefully review your visa to find out whether you are eligible to work in the job you are considering applying for. Refer to our FAQ for more information.
• If you are selected for this role, you will be required to complete a successful pre-employment screening process which includes a satisfactory Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC).