Job Specification

Purpose :

- To develop and implement a financial management and internal control framework for the ministry and to provide advice, guidelines and support to senior management and program managers on the application of directives, procedures and guidelines to ensure effective ministry financial management systems and internal corporate controllership and financial reporting.
- To coordinate, oversee, and monitor financial policies, tools, systems and procedures that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the ministry's financial reporting.

Key Responsibilities :

Accounting and Controllership Advice and Expertise
- Provides advice, guidance and recommendations to ministry staff/senior management regarding all aspects of financial controllership/internal control, public sector accounting and financial reporting in accordance with Public Sector Accounting Board Standards and OPS accounting policies and guidelines including: internal control implications of program proposals and design, appropriate application of ministry and OPS policies, procedures and guidelines, and central agency directives, resolution of internal control issues, ministry Certificate of Assurance development, and Delegation of Authority frameworks, transfer payments procurement, and contract management.
- Provides advice and establishes quality assurance standards with respect to third party service providers/services provided and consumed through service level agreements, memoranda of understanding, and related documentation.
- Provides advice and recommendations in the development of responses to identified controllership/business process risks, recognizing costs/benefits; resource allocation and the organization's risk appetite.
- Provides advice to management in the development and implementation of financial accountability and controllership functions required to meet audit findings/requirements, and corporate and industry standards.
- Develops, implements and maintains the financial management and internal control framework for ministry, including policies, guidelines and procedures to reflect ministry-specific needs, in compliance with corporate/central agency directives.
- Oversees and analyzes controllership policies, tools, systems and procedures that ensure financial control and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the ministry's financial/operations processes
- Works with Central Agency and ministry staff to address and resolve issues related to programs and initiatives, and to negotiate joint strategies and solutions.
- Analyzes new/proposed corporate/ministry policies being developed or implemented, and identifies issues, assesses ministry impacts, assesses accountability and financial controls, identifies possible enhancements, and makes recommendations.
- Researches and summarizes new accounting standards required to be implemented and identifies, analyzes, and evaluates accounting policy choices and alternatives, including the impact on financial results and recommendations
- Leads and/or participates in various projects relating to the implementation of accounting and financial reporting standards, and development and operationalizing of processes and methods.
- Reviews and provides advice and recommendations in the development of financial tracking and reporting systems and on central agency reporting requirements (i.e. Public Accounts), ministry ad-hoc and specific reports, including financial statements for internal reporting.

Internal Control Risk Assessment and Oversight
- Acts as the primary contact on matters relating to the controllership function for the program core business, ensuring financial processes and administration comply with Government and ministry financial policies and standards.
- Utilizes appropriate business and risk assessment and management and oversight methodologies (e.g. through the use of the OPS operations risk and control guide and tools) to identify, monitor, evaluate and report risks to senior management, develop and adopt risk management and mitigation strategies to ensure that financial and operational risks are considered in ministry decision making processes.
- Provides advice, recommendations and maps ministry financial and business processes to identify activities and required controls in the assignment of ownership/responsibility for identified risks.
- Oversees the implementation and maintenance of a ministry operations risk management approach that incorporates review of financial implications and operational risks in ministry decision-making processes.
- Participates in key re-organization activities to identify controllership risks and implications
- Provides advice and/or performs consolidation for ministries, agency (e.g., annual report) etc.

Communications, Monitoring, Training, and Assurance
- Develops and maintains a relationship with OSS to support system integrity (e.g. IFIS, certificate of performance requirements), and to resolve service issues.
- Develops and maintains a relationship with the Ontario Internal Audit Division to support operational reviews (e.g. annual audit plan, Certificate of Assurance, fraud risk) and supports the provincial Auditor General during the annual audit of the ministry's public accounts by exchanging information and coordinating the implementation of required corrective actions.
- Advises senior program managers on the application of financial management best practices, in line with corporate and ministry policies, procedures and guidelines; and on the mitigation of financial risk.
- Develops and implements training materials and communication tools to advise managers and staff of central agency/ministry financial policies and procedures, changes to financial system and impact of corporate initiatives.
- Prepares and provides training to ministry clients regarding Treasury Board accounting instructions and impacts in IFIS, such as reporting requirements, accrual accounting, controllership polices and the correct handling of transfer payments, encumbrances, tangible capital assets, capital leases etc.
- Leads and/or participates in a range of controllership-related projects (e.g. defining exceptions for Certificates of Assurance, business process mapping, delegations of authority).

Financial Reporting
- Evaluates and modifies ministry reporting requirements that support the various stakeholder needs within the ministry to include the application of generally accepted accounting principles, legislative reporting requirements, and the public's need for transparency in reporting.
- Coordinates and monitors the implementation of financial accounting policies, procedures, and systems within the ministry.
- Prepares Public Accounts submissions (including organization consolidation, if applicable) to central agencies and liaises/negotiates with the Office of the Auditor General and Treasury Board to complete Public Accounts audit.
- Maintains ministry IFIS user matrix, including overseeing segregation of IFIS responsibilities within the ministry.
- Provides Tangible Capital Asset setup, write-down, disposal and depreciation support and guidance for the ministry.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Government financial management, including capital accounting knowledge, reporting and internal control principles, policies and practices and generally accepted accounting principles for public sector organizations, including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Public Sector Accounting and Board (PSAB)
standards, and Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) internal control standards, normally acquired through professional accounting studies, in order to interpret and provide advice, guidance and expertise on financial management, accounting, reporting, the internal control standards, develop and implement an internal control framework for the ministry, provide controllership oversight, and to respond to and implement audit and other findings requiring change.
- Accounting, auditing and financial principles, concepts, and best practices in the areas of financial management, variance analysis, controllership and risk management (e.g. entity level controls, operations controls, and IT controls) to provide expertise in support of branch programs and financial processes, and to develop recommend and implement financial processes, systems, and standards.
- Ministry operations risks, corresponding controls and monitoring activities to support annual audit planning and assurance activities.
- Operations risk management principles, practices, standards, methodologies and current trends, to provide oversight, advice and expertise regarding the ministry's exposure to financial and business process risk.
- Ministry programs and organizational structures, to develop internal control frameworks that meet specific ministry business requirements and respect relevant legislation and corporate directives; provide controllership oversight and related advice; identify impact of new/updated legislation, policies directives and procedures on ministry program controls; and identify/recommend solutions to areas of risk.
- Oral, written, and persuasive communication skills to consult with and guide directors and program managers and other staff on financial/controllership/procurement issues and processes, make presentations to client managers, to promote effective financial management through training, and to prepare and present briefing notes, business cases, financial reports/data to senior management and central agencies.
- OPS financial and related systems (e.g. IFIS) to monitor financial data to assess accuracy of data, the effectiveness of financial control practices, to interpret data to meet reporting standards and requirements, identify areas of risk, and to asses overall system effectiveness within the controllership framework.
- Specialized computer applications (e.g. audit software) to identify discrepancies in large quantities of data, determine areas of risk, and provide effective controllership oversight.
- PC computer operations and standard word-processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation applications to maintain and analyze information and produce reports and presentations.
- Project management skills to establish/document the ministry's operative control strategies and structures in identified risk areas and to participate in strategic and operational planning/implementation of concurrent controllership projects.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Advisory, stakeholder management and negotiating skills to provide advice to senior management clients regarding accounting, reporting, controllership and risk management strategies to meet business objectives and accounting/ reporting requirements; influence corrective action; advise on risk assessment strategies and processes; and recommend action in response to audits.
- Influencing skills to advise on and promote effective accounting, reporting, controllership and business practices within the ministry (e.g. in making recommendations to senior management or in training).
- Presentation and persuasion skills to provide explanations of complex risk issues and recommend mitigation strategies; to discuss the implications of audit findings with clients and senior management; and to recommend changes to financial controls, policies and procedures to ensure appropriate protection of assets.
- Negotiation skills to participate in a variety of controllership-related projects with and for stakeholders; and to promote cost-effective control measure to address requirements.
- Interpersonal skills to build and maintain effective working relationships with counterparts in other ministries, central agencies and the Office of the Provincial Controller to support horizontal, collaborative approaches to problem-solving.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analyzing and problem-solving skills to:
- Develop effective internal control methodologies and approaches for the ministry and to identify and analyze ministry financial control and accountability issues.
- Assess current controllership and accounting and reporting practices and policies for overall effectiveness in terms of ministry and corporate requirements; and to provide oversight to the controllership and accounting and reporting function.
- Assess implications of and changes to corporate directives/policies on reporting and public sector accounting standards, ministry programs and control requirements and recommend changes; identify areas of risk and drive mitigation strategies and options; and provide input to changes in corporate policies.
- Develop performance measures and indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the ministry's internal control framework.
- Review policy proposals, assess impacts and issues, and provide added value analysis.
- Conduct in-depth research and analysis of legislation, complex data, emerging trends and other related matters to develop the foundation for the internal control framework, address emerging trends and risks, and provide advice to senior management for developing and implementing optimal financial controls.
- Analyze, interpret, assess financial information requests, and formulate and provide recommendations to management.
- Analyze, interpret, and assess financial reports from ministry program areas, prepare submission of ministry's consolidated financial statements.
- Evaluate financial performance, assess cost effectiveness, and advise on accounting requirements for reporting.
- Analyze financial issues/problems, variance reports and funding shortfalls and formulating and recommending solutions.
- Conduct research and analysis of legislation, complex data, emerging trends and other related matters to assess and recommend improvements to the ministry's accounting and financial reporting practices; assess emerging trends and risks; and provide advice to senior management for optimal financial accounting and reporting.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Developing and implementing the ministry's internal control frameworks and policies/practices, financial reporting formats, tools and data analysis techniques.
- Advising and reporting to ministry management on public sector accounting and reporting requirements and accountability, financial controllership and accountability, and overseeing compliance with government standards, policies and directions, to prevent fraud and ensure optimal control and protection of ministry assets.
- Providing analysis and advice in support of the ministry's financial controllership function.
- Reviewing ministry policies, processes, and practices to ensure they include financial and internal control processes and promote accountability and risk management.
- Coordinating and providing the training of ministry management and staff on internal control policies and best practices, modern controllership and risk management principles/practices, and the delegation of authority procedures.
- Preparing in-depth reports on controllership oversight.

Has latitude to: advise senior management on perceived risks or issues concerning financial accounting and reporting, control/accountability; determine effective and optimal means of ensuring accurate and complete financial reporting, ensuring and enhancing financial controllership within the Ministry; interpreting government policies and guidelines regarding accounting, reporting and financial management and applying their intent to ministry-specific policy/procedure development; and providing oversight to the controllership function.
Decisions are guided by: risk management principles and practices; government financial management and internal control principles, policies and practices; generally accepted accounting principles for public sector organizations (e.g. code of ethics, PSAB); and the strategic directions of the ministry strategic and business plans.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Ministry senior managers and staff, to implement and evaluate financial accounting, reporting, controllership policies and compliance and financial controls and processes, and to conduct training sessions.
- Senior officials and managers in Central Agencies and other ministries to exchange information, resolve financial/controllership issues, provide input to and act as the primary linkage regarding financial policy developments.
- Managers and staff in shared services division and Treasury Board to discuss accounting, reporting and controllership issues and requirements.
- Internal auditors and external audit firms, to define audit objectives and discuss audit findings and recommendations.
- Office of the Auditor General to resolve issues and provide implementation status related to recommendations and ministry responses.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides technical guidance to financial staff on controllership, accounting and reporting matters (e.g. interpretation of polices and controllership framework on delegation of authority, risk assessment, and Certificate of Assurance).
- Provides technical advice and guidance to other ministry managers and staff regarding corporate and ministry policies for financial management, internal control, reporting and risk management.
- Liaises with senior management and provides advice and recommendations to meet program area's business objectives, assess adequacy of organizations' risk profile and control strategies to assist in reducing risk.
- Provides training and mentoring to new staff.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Frequent requirement to work beyond normal business hours; frequent last minute, unexpected assignments (e.g. requests from central agencies, financial management strategies) tight deadlines, competing demands, and priorities.
- Regularly required to prioritize competing work demands to meet tight deadlines.
- Frequent conflicting work demands while managing concurrent multiple projects that frequently change in scope.

Mental / Sensory :

- Frequent periods of concentration and focused reading, listening, writing and speaking during the provision of advice on financial matters; frequent shifts in direction and focus.
- Frequently provides advice/instructions on policy and guideline interpretation and application.
- Frequent periods of synthesizing information quickly when responding to requests and questions from stakeholders.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.