Director, Financial Operations

Faculty/Department Financial Services Unit Financial Services - Executive Reporting Services Employee Group Out of Scope Collective Agreement Consideration Open to the Public. CUPE 5791 Job Family Category Staff Number of Vacancies 1 Position Summary

Are you a strategic and collaborative financial leader, ready to guide high-performing teams while ensuring strong financial controls and accurate payment, reporting, and risk management practices? Join us as our new Director, Financial Operations!

The Director, Financial Operations provides senior leadership over institutional financial operations, reporting, and decision support within a complex post-secondary environment, ensuring strong financial stewardship, internal controls, and compliance with applicable accounting standards, regulatory requirements, and governance frameworks.

The role is responsible for the effective oversight of core financial operations, including budget administration, operating fund management, transactional financial processes, and specialized financial activities such as research finance, trust, and endowment reporting. This includes ensuring accuracy, integrity, and consistency of financial information used for both internal management and external compliance purposes.

In addition, the Director leads the development and continuous improvement of financial reporting, analytics, and decision support capabilities across the institution. This includes advancing the use of financial systems, data tools, and reporting platforms to improve access to timely, reliable, and actionable financial information for senior leadership and decentralized units.

A key aspect of the role is leading the modernization of financial operations through process improvement, automation, and the implementation of scalable, technology-enabled solutions. The Director is accountable for strengthening operational efficiency, enhancing financial controls, and supporting the transition toward a more integrated, data-driven environment that enables informed decision-making and institutional accountability.

What You’ll Do

Financial Stewardship and Budget Management

• Direct the management and execution of a $400M/Yr operating budget and resource allocation framework, ensuring disciplined financial stewardship and long-term sustainability.
• Ensure effective oversight of core financial operations, including budgeting processes, adjustments, budget surplus management, and other transactional activities, while advancing automation and process improvement.
• Provide leadership and change management to support successful adoption of new tools, systems, and processes across the organization.

Financial Reporting and Compliance

• Provide best-in-class financial analysis and reporting practices, aligned with accounting standards, legislative and regulatory requirements, and internal governance frameworks.
• Ensure effective management of specialized financial operations, including trust and endowment administration and financial compliance reporting.

Financial Systems and Reporting Technology

• Lead adoption and use of technology within Financial Services, including financial systems, reporting platforms, and data tools, to enhance efficiency and reporting capabilities.
• Oversee design and implementation of self-service reporting tools and dashboards, grounded in strong accounting knowledge to ensure accuracy, relevance, and actionable insight.
• Lead initiatives to improve data availability, consistency, and usability, supporting a “single source of truth” for institutional financial information.

Process Improvements and Transformation

• Drive process improvement and automation initiatives to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy and response times and strengthen financial controls across core finance functions.
• Advance the transition from manual, transactional processes to automated, scalable workflows while maintaining strong governance, controls, and compliance.
• Translate business and operational needs into technology-enabled solutions that improve operations, reporting, and decision support.

Financial Advisory and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead the provision of financial advisory services to senior leadership and faculties, with clear accountability for financial analysis, recommendations, and decision support.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and communication across a large, complex, decentralized organization, building trusted relationships and translating complex financial data into clear, actionable insights and recommendations.
• Monitor financial performance, identify variances, and provide actionable recommendations to unit leadership to support effective financial management.

People Leadership and Performance Management

• Lead a multidisciplinary team across budget operations, research finance, accounts payable, and banking within a unionized environment.
• Build team capability in analytics, advisory services, and reporting to support decision-making.
• Foster a culture of rapid response, accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Support and develop staff capabilities while leading change initiatives to implement new tools, processes, and ways of working.

Plus More: Be ready to take on additional related tasks as assigned – your role is dynamic and essential to our success!

Why Join Us?

At the University of Regina, we’re more than just a campus – we’re a community!

Join our team and enjoy:

• Meaningful Impact: Your work directly contributes to creating a better environment for students, faculty, and staff.
• Professional Growth: We support your development, offering opportunities for advancement and learning.
• Work-Life Balance: We value your well-being and know your personal life is most important!
• Dynamic and Inclusive Workplace: We value diversity and inclusivity. You’ll be part of a team that celebrates different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, making every day an opportunity for personal growth.
• Innovation Culture: We encourage fresh ideas and innovative thinking.
• Competitive Compensation: We offer competitive compensation package and benefits to reward your talent. A few of the these benefits include Health/Dental/Vision Benefits, flexible spending account, Defined Contribution Pension Plan, and much more!

If you are ready to join a dynamic team and make a difference, we invite you to apply today!

Position Requirements

What You’ll Bring to this Position

• Undergraduate degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related discipline
• CPA designation required
• Minimum 6+ years of Controller-level experience in accounting principles, financial controls, and compliance frameworks, with the ability to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of financial operations, reporting, and data-driven decision support
• A relevant combination of education and experience may be considered.

Skills That Will Ensure Your Success in the Role:

• Demonstrated ability to lead finance transformation initiatives, implementing automation, and enterprise systems to improve processes, enhance reporting, and deliver measurable business impact in decentralized environments.
• Advanced knowledge of financial management practices, accounting standards, and regulatory/compliance requirements, with proven ability to ensure strong governance and audit readiness.
• Proven leadership capability in complex environments, with experience managing multidisciplinary finance teams and building organizational capacity in budgeting, reporting, analytics, and advisory services.
• Demonstrated ability to provide executive-level financial leadership and build effective relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders, exercising a high degree of tact, discretion, sound judgement, and political acuity.
• Strong analytical capability with demonstrated ability to assess complex financial issues, evaluate alternatives, and develop clear, actionable recommendations that support executive decision-making.
• Advanced proficiency in financial systems and Microsoft Office applications, with experience leveraging enterprise systems (e.g., Banner or equivalent ERP platforms) to support reporting, controls, and operational efficiency.
• High degree of organizational effectiveness, including superior time management, prioritization, and ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment with competing demands.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, with the ability to maintain financial integrity while working at both strategic and operational levels.
• Demonstrated adaptability, flexibility, and problem-solving capability in a continuously evolving organizational environment, with the ability to respond effectively to change and ambiguity.
• Sound understanding of university or public sector environments, including governance structures and stakeholder complexity, is considered an asset.
• Experience working in a unionized environment, with understanding of labour relations principles and operational implications for financial and administrative functions.

Physical Demands Pay Grade OOS 10 Salary Range 128,672.00 - 193,006.00 annually Status Permanent Work Hours Duration (if Term/Temporary) Full-Time/Part-Time Full Time Preference Posting No Preference Target Posting Not Targeted

Additional Information

Contact Information

Job Open Date

06/19/2026

Job Close Date

07/10/2026

Open Until Filled

No

Special Application Instructions We know imposter syndrome can get in the way, but we truly value diverse perspectives. Don’t hesitate to apply – submit your application today!

Safety Statement

The University is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and strengthening a culture of safety across the campus community. All employees share responsibility for contributing to a safe working environment.

Diversity Statement

The University of Regina is committed to an inclusive workplace that reflects the richness of the community that we serve. The University welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals within the University’s employment equity categories of women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, individuals of diverse gender and sexual orientation and all groups protected by The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, 2018.