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Opportunities

Vice President, Corporate Services & Chief Financial Officer

Civida

Status: Open Location: Edmonton, AB

The Organization

Established in 1970, Civida is the largest provider of community and affordable homes in Edmonton.  In partnership with the community and all levels of government, it aims to develop, support, and improve the lives of the families and individuals it serves. Through partnerships, investments, and a customer-centric approach, Civida is dedicated to its mission of providing safe, affordable homes while positively impacting the wellbeing and stability of its customers and its communities.

Guided by a Board of Directors, Civida’s services include property management, benefit program administration, property development, community partnerships, fundraising, policy research, and advocacy. The organization prizes sustainability, excellence, engagement, and innovation in all it does, striving for its vision: Everybody’s Home. As an organization created under the Alberta Housing Act, it is also driven by the requirements of several regulations and pieces of legislation.

For more information, visit Civida’s website.

The Opportunity

Reports to:Chief Executive Officer
Direct Reports:Director, Finance
Director, Information Technology
Director, Procurement
Location:Edmonton, AB.

Mandate

Reporting to the CEO, the Vice President Corporate Services & Chief Financial Officer will play a critical role in developing and leading the financial (including real estate), procurement and information strategies for the organization. The Vice President Corporate Services & CFO will be responsible for overseeing all fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities for the organization, in conjunction with the CEO. They will oversee and develop financial strategies, long-term financial plans, and related metrics to enable Civida’s strategic and operational plan.

As a key member of the Executive Team, the Vice President Corporate Services & CFO will provide strategic guidance to other members of the Executive team, the Board of Directors and the Senior Leadership Team. They will build relationships based on trust and integrity, ensuring that teamwork is fostered throughout the organization.

This position will foster and champion a collaborative and innovative culture, present solutions and options to address complex business challenges, and provide strategic leadership to all divisions of the organization.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Leadership

  • Manage and provide leadership and direction for all corporate services, including finance, financing and borrowing, investing, information technology, IT project management and procurement;
  • Investigate, develop, and review proposals for new opportunities in the areas of property development, and real estate;
  • Oversee the effective planning and management of all Civida commercial leased and owned properties;
  • Work closely with the Executive Team to create a clear strategic vision for the organization;
  • Advise the Executive Team and Board of Directors on relevant business and environmental trends;
  • Provide mid-term and long-term financial planning and direction on Civida’s operating budget, capital expenditures, and business development;
  • Attend monthly Board meetings and annual Board strategic sessions and advise on the risks and opportunities facing the organization.

Financial Leadership

  • Oversee the accounting and reporting of very large revenues and expenditures;
  • Work closely with conventional and sector banks to obtain minimum financing rates for “New Build” and acquisition projects;
  • Have a deep understanding various programs offered by the CMHC to maximize financial opportunities for Civida;
  • Oversee the timely and accurate preparation of month-end, quarter-end, and year-end financial statements;
  • Regularly monitor and report on the actual to budget and actual to forecast results;
  • Monitor, track, and analyze the progress of all lines of business, including leading the development and management of key performance indicators;
  • Present Civida’s consolidated financial results to the Executive Team, the Audit and Finance Committee, and the Board of Directors on a quarterly and annual basis;
  • Work with key advisors and stakeholders to obtain financing, when required;
  • Advise the CEO and the Board on acquisition opportunities, or the capital development of major assets;

People Leadership

  • Lead, mentor, and grow a team of high-performing individuals who will work together to establish Civida as a national leader in affordable housing, ensuring that Civida has the technical skills necessary to execute business-critical projects;
  • Foster a culture of innovation, transparency, and accountability in the Finance, Lending, Information Technology, Procurement and IT Project Management teams;
  • Foster a positive work environment that supports communication, collaboration, and inclusion;
  • Ensure high performance and high engagement from staff under their purview;
  • Promote an entrepreneurial and innovative mentality at all levels of the organization; and
  • Evaluate and monitor the performance of direct reports, ensuring that their performance is aligned with the goals of the organization.

First-Year Deliverables / Measures of Success

Success in the first year will be determined by the candidate’s ability to:

  • Build strong relationships with and gain the trust of the Executive Team, the Board of Directors, all levels of government, conventional and sector banks, and all other interested parties;
  • Evaluate Civida’s current financial state, creating and communicating a strategic plan accordingly;
  • Determine where the organization lacks the necessary technical skills to meet business needs and adjust the team accordingly; and
  • Identify growth opportunities for the organization.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will have the following:

Education:

  • A CPA designation or equivalent professional accounting designation;
  • A graduate degree in Business Administration is preferred;

Experience:

  • 10+ years as a senior level financial officer;
  • Experience working with budgets exceeding $100,000,000;
  • Experience in banking, financing, real estate, housing, or construction related is a strong asset;
  • Experience in the not-for-profit sector is an asset;
  • A track record of providing strategic advice from finance and risk management perspective;
  • Experience managing and successfully completing simultaneous projects while keeping the organization’s strategic focus in mind;

Competencies and Attributes:

  • Extensive knowledge and understanding of the theories, strategies, and processes pertaining to finance and information technology;
  • A solid understanding of Civida’s mandate, programs, and policies;
  • Strong consultation, facilitation, consensus-building, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills;
  • Effective leadership, communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills;
  • The ability to develop strong working relationships with governments, lending institutions, social housing partners, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to accomplish objectives;
  • Exceptional business acumen;
  • Ability to respond appropriately in pressure situations with a calm and steady demeanor;
  • High level of integrity, confidentiality and accountability;
  • The ability to anticipate and avoid problems, and solve problems effectively and efficiently when they do arise;
  • Strong attention to detail;
  • The ability to communicate complex technical issues to non-technical audiences across all levels of the organization;
  • Experience building highly functioning teams that add significant value to the organization;
  • The proven ability to develop and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with staff, key stakeholders and contracted professionals;
  • Strong computer skills in Excel and PowerPoint; and
  • The ability to learn and master internal systems such as Yardi, as required.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Civida is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse team benefits and is essential to service excellence. Civida welcomes applications from all qualified individuals and encourages women, members of racialized communities, indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity to confidentially self-identify at the time of application.  In accordance with provincial legislation, accommodation will be provided by Mullen and Civida throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

Application Instructions

If this opportunity excites you, please send a resume and cover letter to connect@mullenleadership.com with the job title and organization name in the subject line of your email.

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