Senior Financial Officer

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

Candidates will be asked to answer screening questions for each essential and asset criteria (education and experience). Candidates will have to provide concrete examples, for each screening question demonstrating how they meet this criteria. Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the qualification is met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. Résumés will be used as a secondary source to validate your answers to the screening questions. Failure to clearly demonstrate in your answers how you meet the screening criteria may result in the rejection of your application.

Note: A cover letter will not be required as the screening questions will be used for screening purposes. Your résumé and responses to these questions will be used to evaluate your ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Work environment

The PPSC is a federal government department responsible for the prosecution of criminal offenses under federal jurisdiction. Our organization consists of approximately 1,000 employees in 11 regional offices with the PPSC Headquarters in the National Capital Region. The PPSC handles the prosecution of all Criminal Code offences in the territories as well as offences under all other federal legislation, such as the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, and the Fisheries Act. Most Canadians still do not think of us when they think of drug prosecutions, environmental protection or food safety, or prosecutions related to violence against family members in Canada’s North.

The opportunity is located at Place Bell, one of the tallest buildings in Ottawa that was significantly renovated to accommodate a main level shopping concourse with a number of businesses, located at 160 Elgin Street (street is nicknamed “Sens Mile”). This office complex is situated in downtown Ottawa next to the Rideau Canal, Rideau Shopping Centre, Parliament buildings, National Arts Centre, City Hall, and home to a number of stores, parks, fitness facilities, restaurants, and bars. We are conveniently located close to public transportation and highways making it easy to commute from all points across the city.

The Finance Team, led by the Chief Financial Officer, works closely with the Chief Federal Prosecutors, Counsel and their Business Coordinators in the different regions across Canada and in Headquarters to provide quality services in the following areas of expertise: expenditures, revenues, planning and forecasting, cost recovery, financial policies, internal and external reporting, quality assurance, account verification, internal control, procurement, and acquisitions. By providing diversity and inclusion it is the perfect work environment for both cross-functional personalities and independent workers. We strive to offer our employees the opportunity to try different areas of expertise as well as share their ideas, assist in the implementation, master new skills and grow in their career.

Intent of the process

The immediate need is to staff 2 positions on an indeterminate basis.

A pool of candidates may be established and may be used to staff similar positions on an indeterminate or specified period (including term, acting, assignment or secondment) basis.

Positions to be filled: 2

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

Education:
• A degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in accounting, finance, business administration, commerce or economics AND experience related to positions in the Financial Management Group; or

Occupational Certification:
• Eligibility for a recognized professional accounting designation. The recognized professional accounting designations are Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified General Accountant (CGA).

The courses for the specialization must be acceptable and must have been taken at a recognized post-secondary institution, but not necessarily within a degree program in the required specialization.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
• Recent and significant experience* in one or more of the following areas:
o Financial Planning
o External Reporting
o Internal Resource Management
o Financial Management Advisory Services
o Accounting Operations
o Financial Systems
o Financial Policy
o Costing
o Internal Controls
• Recent and significant experience* extracting, compiling and analyzing financial information and preparing reports in order to make recommendations.
• Recent and significant experience* interpreting and applying financial policies, directives and procedures.

*Recent and significant experience is defined as cumulative experience whose complexity and diversity are associated with the performance of the duties for at least two of the last five years during which these activities were core duties, and not occasionally performed.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Bilingual - Imperative (BBB/BBB)

Information on language requirements

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.

For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

Knowledge:
• Knowledge of roles, supporting guidelines and standards on the Policy of Financial Management within the Government of Canada.

Competencies:
• Strategic Lens
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Results Driven
• Client Service Orientation
• Demonstrating Integrity and Respect
• Communication (written and oral)

Abilities:
• Ability to plan, organize and prioritize workload to meet deadlines.
• Ability to identify and analyze problems of a financial nature and recommend solutions.
• Ability to develop training material.

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Asset Experience:
• Experience developing or improving business processes related to finance.
• Experience in accounts payable and receivable.
• Experience using the Government of Canada Travel System HRG.
• Experience in salary recovery.
• Experience using an automated salary management tool.

If you indicate that you meet any of the asset experience, you may later be required to provide additional information that explains how you meet.

Operational Requirements:
• Ability and willingness to work overtime on short notice.
• Ability and willingness to travel on occasion.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

Candidates must check their email accounts frequently as there may be new communication regarding this process. Responses provided after the indicated deadline may not be accepted. Candidates must include in their application a valid email address that is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users; some email systems block these types of email. Ensure to check/view your spam folder regularly.

Please note that your overall conduct and communications, including email correspondence, throughout the entire process may be used in the assessment of qualifications and competencies.

Proof of Canadian Citizenship and education credentials must be available upon request. Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca/.

Please note that candidates (including employees of the Public Service) will not be considered to be in travel status or on government business and that travel costs will not be reimbursed. Consequently, candidates will be responsible for travel costs.

In order to be able to manage the number of applicants in this selection process, the organization may decide to use top-down or random selection or any other additional qualification to determine the number of candidates who will be considered further in the evaluation.

Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position.

Meeting criteria such as asset qualifications, operational requirements or organizational needs is desirable and may be a deciding factor in choosing the right fit. Asset qualifications could be applied at any step of the selection process.

A written test may be administered.

An interview may be administered. Interviews may be conducted in person, by phone, or by videoconference.

Reference checks may be sought to validate information and/or to obtain further information.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.