Manager, Student Affairs Finance

Department: Finance 

Job Type: Continuing

Full-time/Part-time: Full Time (>=1249 hrs/year) 

Campus: Waterloo 

Reports to: Director, Budget & Planning

Employee Group: Management 

Application Deadline: 10/13/2025 

Requisition ID: 10255 

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier's Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict.  Laurier's Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Position Summary

This position’s responsibility is to be the lead financial resource for the Student Affairs portfolio.  The Student Affairs units include the Office of Student Affairs, the Dean of Students portfolio, Athletics & Recreation, Experiential Learning & Career Development Centre, Development Student Affairs and Student Success and Retention.  The incumbent will provide strategic financial and analytical support and will include monthly monitoring and analysis of the financial operations, budgets, and business plans.  It will include timely reporting and developing business cases for emerging trends and revitalization strategies.

This position provides day to day direction to the Athletics Financial Operations Administrator.

The incumbent is responsible for working with senior leadership in both the Student Affairs team and Financial Resources (Finance) departments to develop and implement the student affairs financial strategy, managing the budget and participating in special projects related to the student experience.

The incumbent does this by:

• Developing and implementing a financial strategy for the student affairs portfolio in alignment with the strategic documents and priorities of the department and Wilfrid Laurier University;
• Ensuring compliance with federal, provincial, and institutional financial policies, procedures, and legislation;
• Developing, implementing, and ensuring compliance with student affairs specific financial policies and procedures;
• Developing, managing, and providing oversight for the student affairs budget;
• Providing quarterly summary reports, and budget projection reports to the Unit Leaders within the Student Affairs portfolio ;
• Assisting the Associate Director, Strategic Operations with special projects;
• Collaborating with all campus partners;
• Leading, coaching, and mentoring the Financial Operations Administrator to ensure that all invoices, journal vouchers, and other financial data is current and correct.

The incumbent reports directly to the Director, Budget & Planning  with a dotted line report to the  Director, Strategic Operations.

The incumbent will work closely with the student affairs management team in addition to other Financial Resources management leaders to monitor, analyze and report on budgets and actual performance.  The incumbent will be required to use complex financial methods to create modelling, scenario, differential, costing, and investment return analysis to help inform recommendations for day-to-day, short and long-term strategic initiatives. The reporting requirements and engagement in financial sustainability initiatives has become an important part of the expectations of the student affairs team.

The position will be required to access highly confidential information that is sensitive for the direction and planning of the university. Review processes may often involve strategic human resource impacts and strategic business case analyses.

There are a significant number of financial processes that are completed at the department level across the student affairs portfolio that are completed by other staff. The manager will work with those individuals to ensure alignment of reporting requirements, compliance to finance processes as well as ongoing review for efficiency and accuracy.

This position has a university-wide mandate and is based at the Waterloo Campus.  The incumbent provides subject matter expertise to all campuses, requiring regular interpersonal interactions and collaboration with departments at the Waterloo and Brantford Campuses, and anticipated involvement in the Milton campus. The manager will be the primary contact with external partners related to the student affairs portfolio for any financial related matters. Special attention is given to ensure equitable service delivery across all locations.

Accountabilities

Financial Strategy

• Develop the financial strategic plan for the student affairs department – ensuring that it aligns and supports the University Strategic Plan as well as the daily operations of the student affairs units.
• Develop and implement the operational plan to execute and support the strategic plan, including the development and implementation of internal policies and procedures.
• Determine the metrics for the operational plan and develop the procedures to collect, analyze, and report those metrics.
• Determine and locate appropriate resources to support the operational plan, including, but not limited to, human resources, financial resources, campus partnerships, and external partnerships.
• Monitor the implementation of the operational plan and ensure that it continues to both support the strategic plan and to meet its objectives. When necessary, realign the operational plan accordingly.
• Provide regular financial updates, annual longitudinal reports, and budget projection reports to the student affairs leadership team.

Financial Operations: Budget and Planning and Expenses

• Develop and provide oversight for the student affairs overall budget.
• Work with internal departments and units to develop their budgets to ensure compliance with the financial strategic plan, policies, procedures and legislation
• Continuously review and monitor all budgets to ensure compliance, complete forecasts, and recommend strategies for improvement.
• Develops and maintains a variety of internal reports on an on-going basis; creates reports and delivers regular financial reporting results to student affairs management and develops financial forecasts to meet operational and strategic planning requirements (short and long term) for the department. The regularity of these reports may vary from quarterly to daily depending on need.
• Monitor and analyze enrolment, revenue, and expense data to forecast current and future budgets.
• Advise the VPSA & the senior leadership team, on issues of financial management, policies, and procedures.
• Responsible for completion of student affairs surveys and other industry benchmarking reports as required
• Liaise between student affairs financial resources departments to ensure compliance, collaboration, and communication.
• Processes budget transfers and journal entries as required

CSSAA and CSS Fees

• Works closely with the Director, Strategic Operations regarding the financial management of the CSSAA (Comprehensive Student Services Administration Agreement)
• Completes CSS (Comprehensive Student Services) fee allocation and budget development process including the tracking and monitoring of reserve spending and commitments.
• Completes required financial reporting as stipulated by the CSSAA
• Attends CSSAC committee meetings

Special Projects: Risk Mitigation and Procurement

• Participate in student affairs special projects to provide financial advice to mitigate any financial risk to Laurier and to ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
• Assist with special projects related to the procurement of goods and services for the student affairs team, ensuring compliance with the procurement policy.
• Lead special projects to improve the financial operations or the budget of student affairs using project management, effective communication, and leadership skills.
• Prepares and analyzes complex proposals and models in support of new business initiatives ranging from short-term marketing strategies to long-term capital investments.
• Creates models and sensitivity analyses to assist in evaluating existing business and new business development initiatives.
• Performs special project business case reports that include qualitative and quantitative analysis for presentation to senior management. The business cases will be based on input gathered from a variety of sources including analysis results and feedback from the university community.
• Participates in various institution-wide projects that require specific attention to financial analysis.

Collegiality and Professionalism

• Assist colleagues within the student affairs team during high-pressure times to ensure that the business activity is completed on time; including, support with events and reports.
• Maintain confidentiality around programs, reports, and budgets.
• Maintain a professional appearance and attitude.

• Stay current on the most recent and relevant best practices, literature, and software, related to the accountabilities and qualifications of the position.
• Ensures that the Director, Budget & Planning as well as all unit leaders within Student Affairs are kept up to date through regular communication.

Qualifications

• CPA designation is required
• Minimum five years of relevant financial, administrative, and leadership experience showing progressive increases in responsibilities.
• Familiarity with the Ontario post-secondary education system (university or college) is an asset
• Self-motivated, goal-orientated individual who is capable of working in a dynamic and challenging work environment;
• Demonstrated proficiency in statistical analysis and data analysis/reporting;
• In depth knowledge and experience in management reporting and budgeting
• Experience developing strategic and operational plans; including, metrics and analyses.
• Relevant experience in developing and implementing budgets; including, forecasting and the development of policies and procedures.
• Applied experience using Millennium FAST is an asset.
• Advanced spreadsheet skills (Excel), and knowledge of other MS office products (Word, Powerpoint) and ERP systems.
• Strong interpersonal communication and team building skills.
• Experience developing and writing informative and concise reports and presentations.
• Experience creating accessible (AODA compliant) and dynamic documents using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Leadership experience with managing staff
• Relevant experience building strong relationships with internal and external partners.
• Experience working under pressure with tight timelines to a successful outcome.
• The ability to work in an agile environment where priorities regularly change.
• The ability to problem-solve under pressure to ensure a successful outcome.
• The ability to self-motivate and experience working independently with little supervision.
• A collegial personality and experience working within and leading a team.

Hours of Work

This is a Full-time, Continuing opportunity. The normal hours of work are 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Flexibility in hours may be required, including evening and/or weekend work due to periods of high volume. When possible, the manager will adjust hours to ensure no more than 35 hours are worked in a week.

Compensation

Level: MG-2B

Rate of Pay: $84,345 - $105,431

Broad salary ranges include a hiring range $84,345 - $94,888, a target range $94,889 - $115,974, and a premium range $115,975 -$131,789.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a resume and cover letter will be required in electronic form.