Senior Financial Analyst

Role Responsibilities

The Ministry of Education has an exciting opportunity and is looking for a Senior Financial Analyst within our Funding Analysis and Analytics Branch, to join our team.
 

The Senior Financial Analyst leads, manages, and is responsible for providing comprehensive funding allocations, fiscal analysis, interpretation, and operational services for the Ministry and its stakeholders. Working within the parameters of relevant Government and Ministry policies and guidelines, the Senior Funding Analyst oversees the provision of technical, analytical, and consultative services to all levels of Ministry representatives and stakeholders. Reporting to the Manager, Funding Analysis and Analytics Branch, the Senior Funding Analyst works in a team environment and within the parameters of relevant legislation; Ministry and government policies, guidelines, and business practices; and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to complete timely and accurate school authority budget allocations and profiles. These documents and projections are critical inputs to Executive Team decision-making and support the coordination, compilation, and consolidation of Ministry budget and financial submissions to Alberta Treasury Board and Finance.
 

The Senior Financial Analyst provides comprehensive fiscal analysis, and cost modeling services, as well as assisting with the preparation and presentation of the operational expenditure forecast model to the Director, Executive Director, and Assist Deputy Minister. This position also analyzes financial situations and develops corresponding options, solutions, and recommendations. The Senior Funding Analyst is relied on to apply fiscal analysis expertise as part of the senior management decision-making processes.
 

Responsibilities:
 

1.  Fiscal responsibility is ensured and the requirements of the provincial ECS to Grade 12 education system are met through appropriate management of approved operating targets for school authorities.
 

• Plans and forecasts a funding model to help identify funding framework implications, and grant rates.
• Analyses demographic and financial data to determine trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Develops and maintains processes and systems to track spending to ensure expenditure targets are not exceeded.
• Schools and Early Childhood Service Operators; and the three-year Business Plan.
• Coordinates, reconciles, and manages budget profiles.
• Assesses the environmental situation and its impact on the educational and political environment, identifying strategic, operational, and political opportunities, risks and threats in the areas of funding, fiscal health and external factors.

Role Responsibilities Continued

2.  Comprehensive and complex financial, analytical, and consultative services are provided to support effective Ministry financial operations.
 

• Provides financial analyses and information as requested by senior Ministry officials (e.g., relationship between school authority funding costs and expenditure levels, identification, and interpretation of cost drivers, etc.).
• Analyzes data and financial submissions, identifying risks and developing options as appropriate and providing recommendations.
• Analyzes complex issues and compares jurisdictional models to funding model for adequacy, equitability, and sustainable education funding.
• Provides guidance, expertise, and recommendations to assist and influence Ministry representatives and stakeholders to make financial decisions.
   

3.  Support and provide guidance on the completion of a number of key Department year end activities.
 

• Develop, review, and reconcile funding profiles, detailed grant calculation sheets, and commitment.
• Letters confirming school authorities funding allocations for release confirming what they are expected to receive in the upcoming school year.
• Facilitate the ability to assist clients to prepare and submit their enrolment projections; and foster collaboration between school authorities in order to create centers of excellence and encourage best practices.
• Compiles and reconciles enrolment submissions for accuracy and completeness, conformance with guidelines, and justification and reasonableness of requests.
   

4.  Provides advice, consultation, and input relating to complex financial issues to clients and stakeholders.
 

• Coordinates provision of training and supports to Ministry representatives relating to the Funding Framework.
• Provides advice and assistance to business areas with respect to school authority grant allocations.
• Respond to school authority inquiries regarding the eligibility and allocation of operational funding.
• Collaborates with Sector and Ministry staff to promote coordination and integration of functions and activities.
• Identifies and researches best practices, promoting adoption of innovative approaches to meet.
• Requirements of Sector, Ministry business areas, and external clients and stakeholders.
   

5.  Contributes and provides support to operation of Funding Analysis & Analytics Branch.
 

• Serves as resource for the branch.
• Represents Funding Analysis and Analytics Branch on Ministry and cross-government working groups, committees, and initiatives as required.
• Provides support and input to development of policies and standards relating to data integrity, privacy, security, standards, sharing, repository, and retention.
• Works with information technology standards committees within the GoA to ensure integration and consistency of standards.
• Completion of Action Requests and Briefing Notes as required.
   

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

Qualifications

Requirement:
 

University graduation (in Economics, Finance, Statistics or Computer science) as a major is preferred plus four years related experience; or equivalent as described.
 

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of:

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.
   

Master's degree in related discipline with focus on research and analysis would be a strong asset.
 

The Senior Financial Analyst requires a detailed knowledge of:

• The Education Funding Framework and Funding Manual.
• Statistics and measurement concepts.
• Ministry and Government policies and standards relating to relevant information technology applications and security.
• Relevant Acts and policies (i.e. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Education Act.
• Alberta Education Business Plan, confidentiality policies relating to the release of information).
• Ministry business activities.
• Data collected and stored in all Alberta Education information systems, including the Corporate data warehouse.
• Data analysis and data modeling.
• Proficiency with Microsoft excel and Adobe acrobat.
   

The Senior Financial Analyst must have:

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced technical skills to extract, analyze and format information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to direct multiple projects and priorities in an increasingly complex environment.
• Excellent consultation and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to service excellence.
• Strong organizational skills, including ability to prioritize responsibilities in a client focused environment.
• Leadership skills.
• Effective communication and presentation skills.
   

The Senior Financial Analyst must be able to:

• Translate technical lingoes into plain English.
• Communicate effectively with education stakeholders.
• Lead and coordinate projects having a division or Ministry focus.
• Provide consultation and advice to management and non-technical staff relating to solutions for business information requirements.
• Manage and supervise internal and contracted staff if required.
• Maintain current awareness of evolving methodologies, technologies, and tools for business intelligence and reporting.
• Respond to ad-hoc requests in a timely manner.
• Work independently as well as contribute within a team environment.
• Demonstrate initiative and creativity relating to assigned responsibilities.

Notes

This is one (1) permanent, full-time position working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
 

This position is based in Edmonton. We require you to attach a Cover Letter with your application explaining your qualification and suitability for this role.
 

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies across the Government of Alberta, at equal or lower classification and salary.
 

The final candidates for this position will be asked to undergo an academic and reference check and provide a suitable security screening and may be asked to complete a written exercise and/or assessment.
 

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies across the Government of Alberta, at equal or lower classification and salary.
 

For more information on the Government of Alberta (GoA) hiring process, visit https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-hiring-process.aspx.
 

Links and information on what the GoA has to offer to prospective employees:
 

• Working for the Alberta Public.
• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages- working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Pension plans: Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) – https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.