Vice-President, Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer - Office of Vice President Finance and Administration

Competition Number: 26.08.201
Category: Full-Time Continuing (35 hours per week)
Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Closing Date: The competition will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

Reporting directly to the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Vice-President, Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer (VPFA & CFO) is a key member of the Executive Council and a strategic leader.
As a trusted strategic advisor to the President, the Board of Governors, and the executive leadership team, the VPFA & CFO plays a central role in shaping MacEwan University's future by providing strategic financial leadership that enables institutional growth, advances academic priorities, and strengthens long-term sustainability.
As the University's senior finance executive, the Vice-President, Finance & Administration provides strategic leadership that strengthens financial sustainability, drives enterprise transformation, and enables long-term institutional growth.
This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a broad and impactful portfolio spanning finance, information services, human resources, and facilities and sustainability services. As MacEwan's senior financial executive, the VPFA & CFO will contribute to enterprise-wide strategy, champion operational excellence, lead transformative initiatives, and identify innovative approaches to revenue generation, resource optimization, and long-term financial resilience. With responsibility for financial stewardship, enterprise risk management, capital planning, strategic resource allocation, and the systems that support these functions, the VPFA & CFO will help position the University for its next phase of growth and success.
Working closely with students, faculty, staff, government, unions, and community partners, the VPFA & CFO will help shape an institution with significant momentum, ensuring MacEwan University continues to deliver an exceptional student experience while achieving its bold ambitions for the future.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Success in this role requires more than financial expertise. It calls for a collaborative, forward-thinking leader who thrives in complex environments, builds trusted relationships across diverse constituent groups, and inspires innovation and continuous improvement.
The ideal candidate is an accomplished executive who combines strategic vision with sound judgment, collaborative leadership, and exceptional relationship-building skills. They will bring deep financial expertise, a strong record of leading complex organizations through growth and change, and the ability to serve as a trusted advisor on financial stewardship, enterprise risk, governance, and institutional strategy. They combine strategic vision with exceptional financial acumen and are recognized for challenging assumptions, identifying opportunities, and delivering meaningful organizational change.
They have demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide transformation across finance, human resources, information technology, and other administrative functions, building integrated teams that work collaboratively toward shared institutional outcomes rather than operating in functional silos.
A confident and forward-thinking leader, they inspire trust through integrity, transparency, and accountability while fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and evidence-informed decision-making. They are an effective collaborator who builds strong relationships across diverse constituent groups and thrives in complex, highly regulated environments.
The successful candidate will be passionate about developing people, building organizational capacity, and helping position MacEwan University for continued success and long-term impact.

Experience & Qualifications

Recognizing that no one candidate is likely to meet all of the following qualifications in equal measure, the following experience and qualifications are desirable and will be used in the assessment of candidates for the position:

• Relevant university degree required and Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation highly preferred. Equivalent senior financial leadership experience as the organization's chief financial executive may be considered.
• Significant executive leadership experience leading finance within a large, complex organization, preferably in the post-secondary sector.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise transformation, organizational redesign, technology-enabled modernization, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading finance and administrative functions, including financial stewardship, budgeting, forecasting, enterprise risk management, and organizational transformation. 
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary portfolios that include finance, human resources, information technology and other corporate services.
• Experience providing strategic advice to executive leadership and boards within complex governance environments. 
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary portfolios and build high-performing teams through periods of growth and change. 

How to Apply

To learn more about this opportunity or to request a copy of the Executive Brief, contact Katherine Frank (kfrank@kbrs.ca) or Beth McLennan (bmclennan@kbrs.ca). Completed applications can be submitted online using the "Apply Now" button on the KBRS website: https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/17871607893690000008msq.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
KBRS and MacEwan University will provide support in the recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process, please contact accommodate@kbrs.ca.