Controller – Budget and Financial Planning

ABOUT US

The City of Spruce Grove is a fast growing, dynamic city committed to building and maintaining a fiscally responsible community that serves our residents, attracts visitors, and promotes future growth.

The “Values, We Live By” are accountability, communication, leadership, integrity, and respect while we work towards maintaining a work/play balance.

We are an organization that cares, an organization that is committed to our city and committed to you. The City of Spruce Grove is committed to public service, where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best work. We believe that by working together in a spirit of collaboration and respect, we can achieve great things.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Controller – Budget and Financial Planning leads the development and implementation of fiscal strategy and policy for the City of Spruce Grove that supports strong sustainability of the City’s fiscal resources into the future. The incumbent also leads the City’s Budget and Financial Planning processes and deliverables.

The Controller – Budget and Financial Planning provides leadership to the Senior Financial Analyst, Assistant Controller – Budgeting and Financial Planning and the team within, to ensure strategic and effective budgeting and financial planning.

The Controller – Budget and Financial Planning is accountable for developing the utility budget and utility rate modeling, municipal operating and capital budgets, asset life cycle modeling, cash management, investment portfolio, restricted reserves management and debt management.

For proposed new strategies and approaches, the incumbent is accountable for preparing Requests for Decision that will seek City Manager and Council approval, as required. The incumbent is accountable for ensuring the strategies, and the associated financial impact, are reflected properly in all financial documentation going forward.

This position works closely with the Director of Finance, and Controller – Accounting and Revenue Services to enhance corporate and regional long-term planning. This position reports to the Director of Finance.

This is a full-time, permanent position. The annual salary range is $ 114,714.60 – 136,354.40.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Development and Implementation of Fiscal Strategy and Policies
• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of the elements within fiscal strategy and policy for the City of Spruce Grove that support strong sustainability of the City’s fiscal resources into the future.
• Develop alternative approaches to achieve desire fiscal strategy objectives.
• Fiscal strategies must be implementable/achievable and realistic given the City’s level of resources, investments debt limit, and tax strategies.
• Fiscal strategies and policies must consider the current political environment in which the City operates.

Leadership of Budgeting and Financial Planning
• Work collaboratively with the Controller – Accounting and Revenue Services, all the Assistant Controllers, as well as with the Corporate Leadership Team (City Manager and the General Managers), Organizational Leadership Group (Department Directors) to lead an integrated approach to Fiscal Strategy, and Corporate and Financial Planning.
• Lead the development of the annual budgetary process.
• Provide strategic leadership on long-term financing strategies, investments, reserve fund management, and debt management.
• Identify and monitor emerging issues that will impact budgeting and financial planning.
• Consult with the Director of Finance, Controller – Accounting and Revenue Services, Assistant Controller – Budgeting and Financial Planning, and Assistant Controller – Accounting and Reporting regarding forecast variances and impact on reserve balances.
• Work with the Director of Finance to contribute advice and guidance to the Corporate Leadership Team and participate in Management Team/Corporate Leadership Team meetings as required to support the Corporate Planning process.
• Oversee the calculation of the recommended tax rate and reserve balances and provide guidance to Corporate Leadership Team.
• Overall responsibility for the Asset Lifecycle Plans that support Asset Management, as they tie to the determination of lifecycle reserve balances.
• Oversee the work of the Budget and Financial Planning team during budget analysis, determination of financial implications, preparation of the annual budget, and completion of all financial information to be included in the budget document.
• Stakeholder and strategic support to the organization related to budgeting and fiscal planning.

Long Term Capital Plan
• Oversee the preparation of the long-term capital plan, as well as supporting enhancements to the Capital Planning process and associated detailed capital management reporting.
• Lead the Capital Plan strategy development for the organization, to ensure the plan remains funded, funding sources are used effectively.
• Collaborate extensively with Directors in the development of the Capital Plan, to ensure the Plan accurately reflects City capital requirements.
• Ensure the City’s work to update Offsite Levy rates and Utility Rates accurately considers planned capital investment that aligns with the long-term capital plan information.
• Lead any associated Capital Plan policy development.

Supervisor Management
Supervise a team that is charged with delivering the position accountabilities.
• Ensure the team understands and aligns with the City's strategic and corporate plans as well as values and guiding principles.
• Develop the team to grow in their competencies and knowledge/experience, to continue to enhance their contribution to the organization. This can include through coaching, training, and mentoring, as well as through cross-training of staff.
• Set and guide the achievement of team goals and projects throughout the year, and during the performance management process.
• Oversee the creation of the work plans for the Budget and Financial Planning work group, that aligns with the broader goals of the Finance Department.
• Provide supports to the team in managing the daily operations of the Budget and Financial Planning work groups.

Client Support and Strategic Management
• Engage with City staff counterparts across the organization to establish relationships, understand their business and their budget and financial planning priorities and challenges, and determine how best to support those areas.
• Engage with counterparts across the region, and provincially to establish a network from which advice and information sharing can be sought.
• Establish relationships with relevant grant funding entities, such as the Federal and Provincial Government.
• Be the Finance representative on internal working groups and meetings with other departments, that require strategic fiscal insight, as assigned by the Director of Finance.
• Prepare, in consultation with other sections and/or departments, operating and capital initiatives for submission to the corporate plan.
• Lead the operational processes in the Budget and Financial Planning section and implement improvements to enhance systems, workflows and service delivery.
• Oversee the development and implementation and/or review and update of internal Budget and Financial Planning policies and corresponding procedures.
• Champion continual improvement of the Budget and Financial Planning process through education of managers on financial matters impacting their budgets.

Other Duties
• Understand and adhere to City policies, procedures and standards, whether written or implied, as amended from time to time.
• Provide leadership for Health and Safety by making every reasonable effort to ensure the health and safety of staff within the section. Understand the safety incident reporting requirements.
• Act as a steward of the City's Corporate Culture through empowerment and support to staff.
• All employees shall act in a safe manner at all times and will report any unsafe conditions, procedures or acts for the benefit of the City. Continual adherence to the City Safety Policy is mandatory.
• It is the responsibility of the employees to keep current on WHMIS and other safety-related procedures.
• Perform other job-related duties

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Post-secondary degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent.
• Minimum of ten (10) years related experience of which at least five (5) years must have been in a leadership position.
• Extensive knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and public sector accounting standards.
• Strong knowledge of, and experience in implementing, internal controls.
• Experience in leading, coordinating, and preparing materials for year-end financial statement audits, preferably public sector.
• Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent collaborative negotiation and problems solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively and professionally with all levels within the organization and externally.
• Ability to effectively transfer ideas, concepts, and information into effective and efficient strategies.
• Ability to develop, implement and evaluate innovative plans.
• Ability to work independently as well as within a multifaceted team environment.
• Strong customer service orientation and the ability to build positive, productive business relationships.
• Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy in interpersonal dealings which are difficult, highly sensitive and confidential and may involve exposure to the media or public criticism.
• Ability to analyze and interpret administrative procedures, regulations, legal documents, and legislation.
• Enhanced knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint.

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS:
• National Advanced Certificate in Local Authority Administration.
• Leadership Development Program Certificate or equivalent.
• Experience in a leadership position working for a municipality.
• CPA Public Sector Budgeting training or equivalent.
• Experience in presenting to Council or similar type Board of Directors.

COMPETENCIES:
Thinking & Acting Strategically - Forward-thinking. Sees the big picture and imagines the future. Links long-range visions, strategies, and concepts to daily work. Aligns personal actions and initiatives with customer needs, and with organizational priorities and direction. To think and act strategically requires an understanding of our organizational direction, as well as the internal and external factors that influence decision-making.

Building Influential Working Relationships - Strengthening and developing working relationships and strategic alliances that are founded on ethics, trust, and guided by our corporate values of respect, leadership, accountability, communication, and integrity.

Optimizing Performance & Results - Reaches for excellence for oneself, one’s team, and the organization. Determined and focused on achieving outcomes that align with organizational goals. Creates goals and priorities that maximize resources while using an enterprising, resourceful approach to deliver outcomes and achieve customer expectations. Maintains accountability for results.

Growing Talent & Workforce Capacity - Honouring the individual differences that make each person unique. Being curious and committed to listening, reflecting, and learning. Developing individual and workforce capabilities to enhance the organization’s capacity to accomplish strategic goals, enhance program and service delivery, and provide an exceptional customer/client experience. Contributes to a learning and teaching culture.

Fostering Innovation & Steering Change – Creates an environment for transformation. Advances the City through improvement based on innovation and guides the associated change. Uses the skills, attitudes and behaviours needed to produce new or improved programs and services to meet current and future needs of our customers, our organization, and our community.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
• Criminal Record Check Clearance.
• Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
• Monday to Friday.
• Hours of Work: 8:30am to 4:30pm.
• Overtime may be required.
• Travel may be required.
• Working in an office environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Sitting, standing, walking, climbing, stairs, kneeling, manual dexterity, visual acuity/color vision.
• Lifting to 5kg (11lbs).

IMPACT AND MAGNITUDE OF JOB (SCOPE):
• Lead a team of fifteen 5 full time permanent employees.
• Assist the Director of Finance with the management of capital and operating budgets.

WHY WORK FOR US?

• Competitive annual salary
• Pension
• Medical & Dental Benefits
• Life Insurance
• Wellness Initiatives
• Work/Life Balance
• Recognized General Holidays
• Leave Options
• Flexible Work Arrangements
• Perks
• Positive Work Atmosphere
• Employee Awards
• Volunteer and Fundraising Opportunities
• Professional Development

Company

City of Spruce Grove

Location

Corporate Services - Finance - Budget and Financial Planning

Opening Date

Jul 09, 2025

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