Director of Finance

RCS is dedicated to “equipping all students to joyfully serve Christ in all aspects of life.” RCS is the educational home for more than 1,100 students from Early Education through Grade 12 across three campuses. The success of RCS is dependent upon a humble reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ and the teamwork of a variety of people who work in harmony to provide the necessary structure and support for a thriving school.

FTE 1.0

Reports to Superintendent

Direct report Finance Manager (and, through the Finance Manager, the Expenditure Analyst and Revenue Analyst)

Team Senior Leadership Team

Work location Primarily on-site, with regular presence at all three campuses

Position summary

The Director of Finance is responsible for the financial stewardship of Richmond Christian School and the Richmond Christian School Society. The Director ensures the School and Society can meet present obligations and future goals through sound planning, financing, internal control and risk management, and leads the Business Office. Working closely with the Superintendent, the Treasurer and the Finance, Audit and Risk Management (FARM) Committee, the Director provides the financial leadership required for the School's strategic plan and campus development, including the elementary rebuild and capital campaign.

Salary Range: 111,000-145,000

Key responsibilities

Strategic financial leadership and capital (20%)

• Leads long-range financial planning in support of the Strategic Plan, the 10-Year School Strategy and the Campus Master Plan.
• Develops and manages the financing strategy for capital projects, including debt financing, lender relations, covenant compliance, construction cash-flow forecasting and project cost reporting.
• Oversees accounting and reporting for capital campaign gifts and pledges, in partnership with the Director of Development.
• Leads the financial structuring, accounting and reporting for PropCo co-ownership and the JAC shared-facility agreement.
• Advises the Superintendent and the Board on the financial implications of strategic decisions.

Budget, tuition and forecasting (20%)

• Prepares the annual operating and capital budgets and multi-year projections in cooperation with the Superintendent, the Treasurer and FARM.
• Recommends tuition, fee and tuition assistance budgets.
• Oversees the Statement of Per-Student Operating Costs (SOPSOC) and secular cost calculations, and monitors the School's funding group status.
• Monitors results against budget and reports variances and forecasts.

Governance and reporting (15%)

• Prepares and presents financial reports to the Board of Directors, FARM, the Investment Committee and the Society, and attends Society meetings.
• Attends meetings of the Board of Directors (ex officio, as provided in the Society's bylaws) and is a lead member of FARM.
• Leads the annual audit and presents the audited financial statements.
• Liaises with the Treasurer on all financial matters.

Controls, treasury, risk and insurance (15%)

• Maintains the system of internal controls, approval authorities and the signing and administrator register.
• Manages banking, cash flow and investments in accordance with Board policy.
• Oversees insurance coverage, renewals and claims, and the School's risk management program.
• Ensures compliance with the requirements of the Canada Revenue Agency, the Ministry of Education and Child Care, BCFSA, WorkSafeBC, SCSBC and other agencies, including pay transparency reporting.

Business Office leadership and systems (15%)

• Hires, leads, evaluates and develops Business Office staff, and builds a team culture where staff feel valued and supported. Ensures cross-training and written procedures so every critical process has a trained backup, including developing the Finance Manager as backup for defined Director responsibilities.
• Oversees accounting operations and the payroll provider relationship, and approves payments and payroll funding within the approval matrix.
• Leads finance systems, data and automation, including Xero, MSM finance settings and Power BI dashboards.
• Leads continuous improvement of purchasing, expense and payment processes, including digital expense submission, card limits, expense categories and payment scheduling, while maintaining sound financial control.
• Maintains a compliance and deadline calendar for recurring obligations, including bank transfers, pre-authorized payment approvals, SCSBC reporting, GST rebate filings and tuition donation receipts.

Service to campuses and departments (10%)

• Leads the Business Office as a service-oriented department that provides timely, practical solutions to campuses and departments within sound financial controls.
• Provides monthly budget-to-actual reports for budget holders that mirror the structure of the approved budget, showing amounts spent and remaining by category, with self-serve access where possible.
• Publishes an annual calendar of Business Office deadlines and a guide to finance processes, shared with staff at September start-up.
• Communicates changes to finance policies, rates and procedures to the Senior Leadership Team and budget holders before they take effect.
• Visits each campus regularly and builds working relationships with principals, operational leaders and their staff.
• Maintains a published Business Office coverage schedule so the office is reliably open and staffed during school hours.

External relationships and contracts (5%)

• Serves as the School's primary contact for banking, audit, insurance, the payroll provider, benefits and pension carriers, and legal support on financial matters.
• Assists with the negotiation and management of third-party contracts and commitments.
• Works with the Superintendent and Senior Leadership Team on the financial dimensions of facilities, compensation and benefits, IT and operations.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications, requirements, skills and abilities

The person

• A committed Christian who affirms the RCS Statement of Faith and upholds the RCS Community Standards.
• Shares the mission and vision of the School and represents it well in public settings.
• A collaborative leader with sound judgment, strong business acumen and a deep sense of stewardship of community funds and assets.
• Approachable and service-oriented; listens to staff and campus leaders before acting, and applies policy consistently and fairly.
• Sees the role as a vocation, and can articulate how the School's finances serve its mission, vision and values.

Education and experience

• University degree and Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation in good standing with CPA British Columbia.
• At least five years of senior financial and management experience, including leading a team.
• Demonstrated experience in capital planning and project finance, such as debt financing, construction cash-flow management or capital campaign accounting.
• Experience leading the audit of a not-for-profit or charitable organization.
• Experience working with volunteer boards; experience in independent schools or the education sector is a strong asset, and not-for-profit experience is an asset.

Skills and abilities

• Strong financial modelling, forecasting and tuition-setting skills, with a firm grasp of SOPSOC.
• Advanced Excel and Power BI skills, and a track record of automating reporting and processes.
• Clear communication with boards, committees and staff, in large and small groups.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion.
• Ability to translate financial information into clear, usable reports and explanations for non-financial leaders.
• Sound judgment about the pace of change, distinguishing improvements worth the effort from those that are not.