Finance Director

Location: Fort McMurray

Job Type: Permanent, Full-time

Department: Finance

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Job Summary

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Finance Director provides strategic financial leadership and oversight to support the fiscal health, accountability, and long-term sustainability of Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC). The role ensures financial planning and practices align with ATC’s mandate, cultural values, strategic priorities, and commitment to serving First Nations communities.

The Finance Director analyzes, interprets financial and accounting information to assess operating results, monitor performance against approved budgets, and guide informed decision-making. This position leads the development and oversight of annual budgets, long-term financial plans, administers organizational funds, and monitors expenditures to ensure responsible stewardship of resources. Working collaboratively with the ATC’s Board of Directors, senior leadership and program teams, the Finance Director maintains effective financial controls and ensures compliance with funding agreements, organizational policies, applicable legislation and accounting standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze financial and accounting information to assess operating results, budget and prior-year performance, trends, and factors affecting the financial position and performance of ATC and its related entities.
• Develop, coordinate, control annual budgets and financial plans in collaboration with the CEO and department managers, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, funding requirements, and strategic priorities.
• Monitor financial performance, expenditures, investments, and commitments to ensure appropriate resource allocation, meet organizational obligations, and identify emerging financial pressures, funding gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Provide strategic financial leadership for business development, corporate planning, and major organizational decisions.
• Evaluate financial implications, support the development of organizational, program, and financial plans, and advise the CEO and Board of Directors on financial sustainability and strategic growth. Ensure financial planning, performance measures, and resource allocation align with ATC’s strategic objectives.
• Oversee financial operations, including general accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, banking, investments, and the administration and maintenance of accurate financial records.
• Oversee month-end close, journal entries, account reconciliations, and the preparation of timely financial reports. Analyze results against budgets and prior-year performance to identify material variances, emerging financial pressures, funding gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Keep the CEO and Board of Directors informed of the financial condition of ATC and its related entities, including financial results, budget performance, material variances, emerging risks, funding matters, compliance issues, and other significant factors affecting financial performance.
• Develop, communicate, implement, and monitor organization wide financial policies, standards, procedures, and internal controls. Ensure financial practices comply with ATC’s Financial Management Policy, funding agreements, contractual obligations, applicable accounting and reporting standards.
• Oversee financial compliance and reporting, including CRA, annual pension, and lender requirements, ensuring accurate, complete, and timely submissions.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with funding agencies, regulatory bodies, external auditors, banks, lenders, insurance providers, tax advisors, financial consultants, and other professional organizations.
• Lead and coordinate the annual audit and related financial assurance activities, including supporting schedules, reconciliations, documentation, responses to auditor requests, and follow-up on findings.
• Maintain financial records and controls that support ongoing audit readiness and compliance.
• Lead the Finance department, including the supervision and development of staff and oversight of contracted service providers. Establish priorities, provide direction, monitor performance, and build staff capacity in budgeting, forecasting, financial controls, compliance, and financial reporting.
• Perform other duties and assignments as directed by the CEO that are consistent with the responsibilities and accountabilities of the Director, Finance position.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration or a related discipline: a master’s degree is considered an asset.
• Chartered Professional Account (CPA) Designation required.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in financial management, including senior leadership responsibilities for financial operations, strategic planning, and staff supervision.
• Extensive knowledge of accounting principles, applicable financial reporting standards, internal controls, business planning, and asset management.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts, long-term financial plans, cash flow projections, reporting, and financial operations across programs, departments, funding sources, or related entities, including funding agreements, restricted funds, and funder accountability requirements.
• Knowledge of taxation, payroll, pension, and regulatory reporting requirements applicable to ATC and its related entities.
• Experience leading annual audits, coordinating external financial services, and improving financial policies, procedures, systems, and internal controls while supporting employees through organizational and process changes.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to assess complex financial information and risks, aligning plans, performance measures, and resources with organizational priorities, program delivery, and long-term sustainability.
• Strong communication, facilitation, presentation, and relationship building skills to convey financial information and recommendations to diverse audiences and collaborate respectfully with the Board of Directors, senior leadership, First Nations communities, and external partners.
• Experience using Sage 300 and other accounting, payroll, financial reporting, and budgeting applications, with the ability to support system improvements, maintain data integrity, and promote effective use of financial technology.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including advanced Excel skills for financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting, and effective working knowledge of Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience working with First Nations and knowledge of cultures, traditions, and values, particularly Cree and Dene languages, community protocols, and culturally grounded approaches, are considered assets.

Requirements

• Clear Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Check.
• Clear Child Intervention Record Check.
• Class 5 License with a clear Drivers Abstract.
• Availability to travel and work outside of business hours when necessary

Job Types: Permanent, Full-time

Benefits:

• Dental care
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• RRSP match
• Vision care
• Wellness program

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Fort McMurray, AB: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Application question(s):

• We encourage applicants to self-identify to support our efforts to broaden the diversity of applications; however, responses are voluntary and are not necessary to have your application considered by ATC. For the purposes of employment equity, an Indigenous person is someone who identifies as First Nation, Inuit, or Métis. Based on this definition, are you an Indigenous person?
• We encourage applicants to self-identify to support our efforts to broaden the diversity of applications; however, responses are voluntary and are not necessary to have your application considered by ATC. For the purpose of employment equity, members of visible minorities mean persons, other than Indigenous peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour. Based on this definition, are you a member of a visible minority?

Experience:

• Management: 5 years (required)
• Accounting: 8 years (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Class 5 Licence (required)
• Chartered Professional Accountant (required)

Work Location: In person

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