Director of Finance

Experienced Director of Finance contract role supporting municipal financial operations, reporting, budgeting, audit coordination, and strategic financial leadership within a Nova Scotia municipal government environment.

• Interim Director of Finance contract role for approximately one year
• Supporting municipal finance operations during a maternity leave absence
• Hybrid work arrangement may be possible, with on-site work in Inverness County, Nova Scotia, as required

What & Why:

Our client, a municipal government organization in Nova Scotia, is seeking an experienced Director of Finance to provide interim financial leadership and operational support for approximately one year. This role will support the Municipality’s financial operations, accounting functions, reporting requirements, budgeting activities, audit process, internal controls, and senior leadership decision-making during the contract period. This is a senior municipal finance role requiring a candidate who can step into an interim leadership capacity quickly. The successful candidate will work closely with Council, the CAO, senior management, external auditors, and finance department staff to ensure continuity of financial operations, accurate reporting, legislative compliance, and sound financial oversight.

Who:

Our client is a Municipality located in Nova Scotia. The Municipality requires interim Director of Finance services to maintain stability across its finance function during a maternity leave absence. The role will support core municipal finance activities, including financial reporting, operating and capital budgets, audit coordination, cash flow management, reserves, borrowing, debt obligations, internal controls, policy support, and financial analysis for senior municipal decision-makers.

You:

You are an experienced finance leader with strong municipal, public sector, or comparable government finance experience. You are comfortable operating in a leadership role that requires both strategic advisory capability and hands-on financial oversight. You can work independently, manage competing priorities, support senior stakeholders, and provide practical financial guidance in a municipal environment. You understand the importance of compliance, transparency, accuracy, internal controls, public accountability, and clear reporting. You are also comfortable attending Council, Committee, and senior management meetings as required.

Critical experience requirements include:

• Senior finance leadership experience, ideally within a municipal, local government, or broader public sector environment
• Experience overseeing financial operations, accounting functions, and financial reporting
• Experience preparing, reviewing, and presenting monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and reports
• Experience coordinating annual external audits and acting as the primary liaison with external auditors
• Strong knowledge of public sector accounting requirements, including PSAB standards
• Experience supporting operating and capital budget preparation, implementation, monitoring, and reporting
• Experience providing financial analysis, forecasting, reporting, and strategic advice to senior leadership
• Experience managing cash flow, investments, reserves, borrowing activities, and debt obligations
• Experience reviewing, developing, and maintaining financial policies, procedures, and internal controls
• Experience providing leadership, guidance, mentoring, or oversight to finance department staff
• Ability to support Council, CAO, Committee, and senior management reporting requirements
• Availability for an approximately one-year contract assignment

Nice to have:

• CPA designation
• Previous experience as a Director of Finance, Treasurer, CFO, Controller, Deputy Treasurer, or senior municipal finance leader
• Nova Scotia municipal finance experience
• Knowledge of the Nova Scotia Municipal Government Act
• Prior experience in an interim, contract, or maternity leave backfill role
• Experience working in a smaller or rural municipality where the finance leader is both strategic and hands-on

Compensation:

Hourly contract rate to be confirmed based on experience, availability, work arrangement, and overall fit.

Next Steps:

If this opportunity aligns with your municipal finance leadership experience and you are confident in your ability to support financial operations, reporting, budgeting, audit coordination, and senior stakeholder advisory requirements in an interim capacity, we would like to hear from you. Please apply with your updated resume, and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss next steps.

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