Financial Analyst II Full-time Job

Main Purpose and Function

Financial Analysts are responsible for managing general corporate business functions associated with the delivery of the organization’s operating budget for a select group of departments. These positions work closely with business unit managers and financial staff to identify and recommend operational, business process and financial management issues that can result in cost savings and efficiencies. They develop business cases, conduct financial and analytical work and review overall financial and non-financial performance with departments. The positions initiate changes in budget management policies and practices, systems and business processes to assist the City’s Business Units in effectively managing their financial and business functions. The positions review all Council reports to ensure they have sound business cases and funding strategies. Key to these positions to ensure that the City’s operating budget maximizes service levels by minimizing the utilization of resources within the City.

  

Specific Duties/Responsibilities

• Working with department managers and finance staff, conduct comprehensive reviews of departmental budgets to identify funding needs and opportunities for savings that may affect wage or salary rates, employment, working conditions and promotional opportunities
• Provide recommendations to senior management for efficiency gains, based on an extensive knowledge of departmental budgets and operational issues driving the budget expenditures, that may affect wage or salary rates, employment, working conditions and promotional opportunities
• Provide objective analysis of department budget submissions including funding requests and suggested budget adjustments and make recommendations to senior management on their appropriateness that may affect wage or salary rates, employment, working conditions and promotional opportunities
• Develop departmental budgets based on Corporate guidelines and provide support to department finance managers
• Responsible for research, preparation and presentation of reports to Council
• Analyze the processes, practices and procedures of similar organizations to identify best practices and develop benchmark standards that can be applied within the City of Vancouver
• Lead or participate in business process reviews of City units, including provision of recommendations regarding City processes to identify opportunities for improvement that lead to financial or position savings
• Conducts studies and makes recommendations regarding resource allocation such as performance measurement and benchmarking of City services, structural reviews of departments, departmental methods, and business processes, both from a systems and financial perspective, that may affect wage or salary rates, employment, working conditions and promotional opportunities
• Conduct financial, cash flow and economic impact studies of expenditure programs
• Analyze budgets, performance indicators, business plans and on-going financial results of Departments
• Prepare and review financial and administrative policies
• Development and analysis of business cases for proposed projects, including cost benefit analyses to justify spending proposals
• Conduct forecasts, economic analysis, financial modeling and policy development
• Manage relationships with other departments and external organizations
• Develop and implement public consultation campaigns, including public opinion surveys, print publications, and web publishing
• Develop analytical tools and reports utilizing the City’s ERP system and provide coaching and training to other users based on the Financial Analysts “super user” status
• Key member of the team developing the SAP modules for budgeting (PS/IM and BW/SEM) or other similar products
• Some responsibility for capital budgeting for cross training purposes and vacation relief
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned

 

Minimum Position Requirements

Education and Experience:

• A degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics or Finance and a professional accounting designation
• A commitment to maintaining and improving job related skills on a timely and continuous basis
• 3 to 5 years experience in budgeting, administration, and finance including the operation of all accounting functions, for a large multi-unionized organization preferably within the public sector
• Considerable financial systems experience preferably with integrated business software (ERP) such as SAP
• Considerable cost accounting or equivalent business evaluation experience, including cost distribution modeling and business process analysis
• Good working knowledge of generally accepted accounting practice as they relate to local government including PSAB
• Experience in preparing a variety of statements, statistics, reports, and complex spreadsheets using arithmetical calculations with speed and accuracy
• Experience initiating business process improvements and developing and maintaining operating and capital budgets
• Experience writing reports to a Council or Board of Directors

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Extensive knowledge of City of Vancouver culture, policies, operations and procedures
• A solid general understanding of municipal finance, budgeting and accounting practices
• Knowledge of public administration and business practices in effect at other local and more senior governments and in private industry, such as program evaluation, business process review, organizational theory and reengineering techniques
• Extensive knowledge of computer and enterprise systems
• Strong computer competency in office productivity tools
• Strong enterprise systems skills, preferably SAP, and the ability to extract relevant information for analytical purposes
• Superior verbal and written communication, and advanced presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as a member of a team
• Ability to effectively represent the City at all levels of civic administration as well as with customers and clients outside the organization
• Ability to lead and assist in building cross-functional teams, and work effectively in a matrix structure outside the City’s regular organization
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks with competing priorities
• High productivity in application of superior research and analytical skills
• Proven problem-solving and issue resolution skills in a complex business environment
• Ability to consider all options / maintain neutrality to provide sound business advice
• Ability to gather relevant information from variety of sources (e.g. interviews, internal and external documents) in objective and analytical manner
• Extraordinary customer service skills and the ability to work effectively with employees across the organization
• Ability to maintain professionalism, objectivity, confidentiality, tact and diplomacy

 

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 – 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite.  At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

 

Business Unit/Department: Finance & Supply Chain Mgmt (1150) 

Affiliation: Exempt 

Employment Type: Regular Full Time 

Position Start Date: April 2025 

Salary Information: Pay Grade RNG-091: $111139 to $138924 per annum

Open Positions: 2

 

Application Close: March 23, 2025

Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the worlds most liveable and environmentally sustainable cities. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, reconciliation, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.