Financial and HR Systems Steward (Operations Manager)

Location: anywhere in BC
Type of position: 3-year term position with the possibility of extension
Compensation: $80,000-$94,000 per year
Closing date: March 2, 2021

About us

The BC Libraries Cooperative (BCLC) is a mission-driven non-profit cooperative that helps libraries help people.

Our 200+ members include public and post-secondary libraries and institutions across Canada. We provide libraries and related organizations with the services, cost savings, and support they need to do great work in their communities. We provide a number of online services for our members which include a focus on using open-source technology and systems, as well as expanding work in the field of accessible publishing that supports people in Canada with print disabilities.

The BCLC has a distributed workforce of over 40 people working across three time zones.

For a detailed overview of our work at the BCLC see: https://bc.libraries.coop/about/

About the role

This new role is an opportunity to join a dynamic team in a growing organization that is in the early stages of implementing our new strategic plan.

Reporting to the Executive Director (ED) and working closely with the management team and the Board’s Treasurer, the Operations Manager will be responsible for providing professional financial oversight and advice to the organization in a number of core operational areas. In the role you will lead and manage our financial and HR systems and processes across the organization, lead and ensure relevant reporting and develop business planning for existing and new project and services areas. Working with the management team, you will collaborate on the successful implementation of our strategic operational plans.

Responsibilities include

Management, implementation, oversight and review of financial processes and reporting with a keen eye to efficiencies, improvements and accuracy;
Preparation of organizational budgets;
Consolidation of finance and HR work currently spread across several roles within the Co-op;
Ensure coordination of efforts and management line of sight across the workforce, finance and total compensation dimensions of the organization;
Assess current HR and Finance processes / determine and lead opportunities for renewal, in liaison with the ED, Finance Committee, bookkeeping firm and auditors;
Bring dedicated insight to revenue stream maintenance and development;
Conduct business planning for various Co-op service lines and projects;
Help identify new income stream and granting opportunities for the Co-op’s work;
Work with the ED and other staff on the development of granting proposals;
Determine the scalability of services, including the potential to provide Financial / HR services to Co-op members and partners;
Bring dedicated insight to expense efficiencies;
Review and renew employment and contract templates and recruitment, hiring and retention practices;
Directly support Board, Finance Committee and management team discussions through research and focussed advice;
Assistance to the various service areas of the Co-op in preparing and monitoring service area budgets;
Development of templates and complex budgets for grant applications, as well as reporting spending and results to government and granting agencies;
Preparation of internal financial reports for review by the ED and Finance Committee, as well as regular internal reporting to service area leads;
Preparation of annual financial statements and liaison with auditors, as well as all required filings with Canada Revenue Agency;
Regular liaison with our bookkeeping firm, including working with our bookkeeping and payroll processes;
Key stakeholder for financial processes, systems and software;
Participation in staff meetings, Finance Committee meetings, Board meetings and other meetings as may be required;
Cooperatively facilitate the financial management of a non-profit Cooperative engaged in transformative change.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

4+ years’ experience in financial systems stewardship and HR processes;
Demonstrated bookkeeping and financial systems experience with annual budgets over $5M a year;
Excellent QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel skills;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
Experience working with online finance and payroll systems and tools;
Familiarity and experience with current and emerging HR systems, processes and practices;
Experience with business planning and income stream development;
Experience working with complex grant and reporting requirements for government funders;
Experience and knowledge of, or ability to quickly understand, financial and reporting requirements for cooperatives and non-profits;
Because of the distributed nature of our work, the successful candidate will need to have a strong broadband connection and be comfortable with remote work, (post pandemic work from our Vancouver office will be an option, but not required);
Experience working in an environment with both grant and fee for service revenue streams;
Familiarity with and comfort using different online communications tools including Zoom, Skype and other tools;
Familiarity with General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Preferred but not required

Experience working in the not-for-profit and or cooperative sector;
A degree in a relevant discipline or a professional designation such as an accounting designation (CPA) or HR designation;
Experience with the development of grant proposals for different types of funders;
Experience with charitable reporting processes and systems.

Knowledge required to perform duties

Subject matter expert with an excellent knowledge of current financial process and systems, best practices and trends;
Comfort working in an online environment with a distributed workforce;
Familiarity with Employment Standards, Human Rights and Occupational Health and Safety legislation processes;
Familiarity with revenue stream and business development planning, or a willingness to learn.

Skills and abilities required to perform duties

Attention to detail – As the lead staff member overseeing an annual budget of over $7M, this position requires dedicated oversight of all financial areas of the Co-op’s operations in order to help ensure and maintain the financial health of the organization.
Collaboration – Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, support effective team processes and establish relationships within and outside of the organization.
Integrity – Strong leadership, good judgement, solid ethics, and appropriate care and discretion in dealing with sensitive matters.
Communication – Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written, oral, presentation).
Computer Literacy – Including effective working skills of MS Word, Excel, and adaptability to remote working technology including Zoom, Skype and other tools.
Time Management – Ability to effectively manage time and priorities in a remote work environment.

Personal qualities

The new Operations Manager will play a key role in the organization and will work closely with staff from all services. The ideal candidate will also have a strong commitment to the values and approaches that inform the Co-op’s work. A willingness to listen, adapt and engage constructively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders is key to success in this position.

Although our office is located in Vancouver and our bookkeeping firm in Victoria, we encourage applicants willing to work remotely from anywhere in B.C. Once we are post-COVID, occasional trips to Vancouver and Victoria will be part of the role.

Compensation package

This is a 3-year term position, with the possibility of extension based on available funding and the successful implementation of income generation strategies.
This is a full-time position (35 hours per week). The compensation range is $80,000-$94,000/yr. depending on experience.
The successful candidate will be enrolled in the Municipal Pension Plan, a defined benefit pension plan.
The BCLC has family friendly workplace policies including a generous annual vacation allotment (starting at four weeks and topping out at six weeks), a week’s closure in late December and a flexible work culture that supports staff well-being.
After a 90-day holdback period, there is enrollment in an employer-paid extended medical and dental package for employees and their dependants that includes a health spending account.

We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. We encourage women, people of Indigenous ancestry, people of colour, LGBTQQIP2SA individuals and members of other diverse communities to apply for careers with our organization.

Application process

Interested applicants should submit their cover letter and resume to office@bc.libraries.coop.

When submitting your application please name and save your attachments with your first and last name in the title, such as:

“FirstnameLastname Resume Operations Manager.pdf” and “FirstnameLastname Cover Letter Operations Manager.pdf”.

No phone calls please. Only those candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.

If you have questions about this role, please contact Kevin Millsip at kevin.millsip@bc.libraries.coop

The application deadline is March 2, 2021.

About

Closes: 2 March, 2021