Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Finance

General Accountability

Is accountable for managing financial operations and accounting activities to ensure the effective control and stewardship of the financial resources appropriated to three client departments.

Organization Structure

This is one of three positions at the third managerial level reporting to the Executive Director, Finance, Corporate Systems and Management Practices Division. The others are the Director, Corporate Planning and Performance Reporting; and the Director, Corporate and Management Practices.

Specific responsibilities of the five positions reporting to the Director, Financial Operations and Accounting Services, are as follows:

Manager, Reconciliation, (staff of 5) directs the monthly reconciliation of the salary budgets, the general ledger, financial records, central accounts and other control accounts; identifies and investigates variances and corrects accounting transactions; and leads special projects relating to financial control initiatives with internal and external stakeholders.

Manager, Accounts Payable, (staff of 12) manages the acquisition card program; manages accounts payable activities and administers the Payment at Year End process; reconciles departmental bank accounts with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) records; and reviews the Receiver General Interface Program.

Manager, Travel, (staff of 4) interprets the Financial Administration Act and Treasury Board travel and relocation policies and guidelines; provides advice and direction to client managers and employees; and directs the processing of travel claims and relocation expenses.

Manager, Contracting and Procurement, (staff of 10) manages contracting and procurement processes; advises managers on policies and procedures related to contracting and procurement processes to ensure compliance with government regulations; participates in bid-evaluation teams; and supports the Treasury Board Secretariat's inter-Branch contract review committee.

Manager, Public Debt, (staff of 5) manages the forecasting and calculation of financial data affecting the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investment Fund, including analysing and ensuring compliance with provincial borrowing levels from the Fund; and prepares financial statements for contingent liabilities, domestic swaps, circulating coinage, international accounts and the Exchange Fund.

Nature And Scope

The Branch provides financial and administrative services to three client departments: the Department of Finance, which is responsible for the development of federal policies relating to the broad fields of government spending, taxation, borrowing and debt management; the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), which is responsible for ensuring the effective and prudent management of the Government of Canada's financial, and information and technology resources; and the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada, which is responsible for human resources management throughout the Public Service.

In this context, the Director is responsible for developing and implementing accounting policies, procedures, systems and processes for the cost-effective control and reconciliation of client departments' accounts. The incumbent ensures that integrated approaches are used in developing and maintaining accounting and operational policies and is responsible for ensuring that policies and practices are up to date and reflect current Government of Canada financial management policies, principles and practices.

The Director is responsible for the management and control of the accounts payable and receivable systems. The multi-client environment poses many challenges to the incumbent, as each department has unique business needs. The Director must find solutions to a wide variety of problems, such as resolving operational issues with the Receiver General program and ensuring the proper reconciliation of accounts with PWGSC systems. The incumbent plays a critical role in identifying and managing associated financial management risks and ensures proactive and effective control over these issues.

The Director is accountable for the financial management of the public debt-including domestic debt and foreign marketable bonds-to ensure proper accounting controls and reporting arrangements on behalf of the Canadian government. The incumbent directs the maintenance of accounting transaction records for Department of Finance activities, including the production of circulating coinage, the Exchange Fund, international financial transactions, equalization payments to the provinces and other statutory payments.

The Director is responsible for forecasting, recording and reporting on the activities related to the CPP Investment Fund; preparing the Department's annual CPP Investment Fund forecast of funds available to the provinces; reporting results to Social Development Canada and the provinces; transferring funds to the CPP Investment Board for investments; and monitoring provincial borrowing levels to ensure that borrowing authorities for CPP investments are not exceeded.

The Director is responsible for managing the contracting and procurement processes, as well as the employee travel and relocation programs for the client departments; advising senior managers on related policies and procedures to ensure proper compliance with government policies, regulations and standards; and sitting on the TBS inter-branch contract review committee.

The Director maintains effective working relationships with senior officials in the client departments, other government departments, the CPP Investment Board and officials at the provincial government level to discuss and resolve financial operations and accounting matters; and represents client departments to officials from other government departments, central agencies, the Bank of Canada, provincial governments and other stakeholders to obtain information and to defend the Department's financial management policy position.

Specific Accountabilities

1. Directs the development, implementation and management of accounting policies, procedures and processes for internal operations and accounting activities to ensure financial management and control in three client departments.
2. Directs the reconciliation and accounting operations activities to support the corporate comptrollership functions in client organizations.
3. Directs the development and implementation of the financial management framework for the administration of the public debt file to ensure proper control and reporting on behalf of the government.
4. Directs the maintenance of accounts and transaction records for contingent liabilities, domestic swaps, circulating coinage, international accounts and exchange funds to ensure the proper assessment and monitoring of the state of domestic government financial transactions.
5. Directs the resources and activities of the Finance Directorate, serving three distinct client groups, and contributes to the effective management of the Corporate Services Division.

Evaluation Rationale

Director, Financial Operations and Accounting Services

Know-How

F

Specialized knowledge of policies, concepts, principles and processes in the fields of accounting, contracting, procurement, travel and administration of the public debt; specialized knowledge of the principles and approaches for developing operational policies to forecast and account for the public debt; specialized knowledge of procedures to meet the financial and administration needs of client departments; in-depth knowledge of the departments' programs, other related government programs and central government accounting to ensure that financial transactions are managed and monitored effectively.

II

Operational and conceptual management of the formulation of the Department's financial policies, accounting operations and related administrative management functions in support of departmental programs, goals and objectives.

3

Successful achievement of objectives requires the incumbent to advise senior officials in client departments and other jurisdictions on appropriate courses of action regarding accounting practices with respect to the administration of the public debt.

460

High number reflects the solid expertise required in a number of departmental policies and programs to manage the operation of a specialized activity involving a number of government organizations, including other levels of government.

Problem Solving / Thinking

E

Thinking is done within clear objectives and defined principles and practices to develop policies and to define operational directions that will guide the client departments in their financial management relationships with other departments and other levels of government related to their financial management agreements.

4

Analytical constructive and evaluative thinking is required to develop financial management policies and procedures involving the management of the Government's central funds.

(50) 230

Higher percentage reflects the role of the position in the Department to solve problems involving a wide variety of financial management issues across a number of organizations; and to identify, recommend and support new administrative policy directions for the Department.

Accountability / Decision Making

E

Reporting to the Executive Director, and within clear objectives and broad practices and procedures, is accountable for coordinating and developing accounting and other administrative operating policies; interpreting government accounting, travel, contracting and procurement policies; and developing sound accounting practices to ensure that client departments have coherent and sound financial management policies and practices.

2P

The position has a primary impact on all activities undertaken by the Directorate. The proxy used to represent these activities is a budget of $317,000 (constant).

230

High number reflects the impact of the position on the overall financial management activities of the client departments and the position's latitude to develop accounting practices to meet individual client control and reporting requirements.

Summary

Figure: 4 – M – 1 - Text version

Benchmark Number: 4 – M – 1

Director, Financial Operations and Accounting Services

The subject position is at the third managerial level reporting to the Executive Director, Finance, Corporate Systems and Management Practices Division, and there are 2 peer positions at the same reporting level.

Reporting to the Director, Financial Operations and Accounting Services are 5 Managers.

Linear organisation chart:

Executive Director, Finance, Corporate Systems and Management Practices Division

• Director, Corporate Planning and Performance Reporting
• Director, Corporate and Management Practices
• Director, Financial Operations and Accounting Services
  • 5 Managers for :
    • Reconciliation
    • Accounts Payable
    • Travel
    • Contracting and Procurement
    • Public Debt