FINANCIAL PLANNING
BUDGETS, FORECASTS AND ANALYSIS

FUNCTION DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this function is to ensure that the ministry's financial resource requirements are met by providing professional and quality budgeting and forecasting processes and services. 

Typical activities include:

Directing a team of managers and professionals responsible for coordinating the preparation of the ministry’s:

• Annual expense and revenue budgets in concert with 3 year fiscal targets including briefing material for the Minister and Deputy Minister for use at Standing Policy Committee, Treasury Board and Committee of Supply.
  
  
• Quarterly forecasts of expense and revenue to the department's Senior Executive, Minister and senior officials at Alberta Finance.
  
  
• Regular financial updates to the department's Senior Executive including identifying major cost pressures and surpluses.
  
  
• Development and maintenance of a ministry budgeting and forecasting system.
• Development and maintenance of ministry budgeting and forecasting policies and procedures.
  
  
• Financial Analysis and Results for the Ministry's Annual Report and preparation of briefing material for the Minister's appearance at the Public Accounts Committee.
  
  
• Specialized financial reports and analysis including Expense and Revenue Variance Explanations for Alberta Finance and Auditor General's Office.

POSITIONS

CLIENTS/STAKEHOLDERS

Internal Stakeholders:

• Treasury Board, Standing Policy Committee, Committee of Supply, Public Accounts Committee
• Alberta Finance - Office of Budget and Management
• Auditor General

External Stakeholders:

• Minister and Deputy Minister
• Executive Committe
• Senior Managers and various program managers

EXPERTISE REQUIRED

• Extensive knowledge of financial management, including generally accepted accounting principles, and their application in a large automated environment.

• Very good understanding of Ministry's and Government's Business Planning, budgeting and forecasting processes, policies and procedures.

• Very good understanding of financial systems used in a large organization as well as knowledge of business related software such as Peoplesoft/IMAGIS, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Cognos and nVision.

• Very good understanding of financial variance analysis, forecasting techniques and models and analytical review techniques.

• Indepth knowledge of Government of Alberta policies and procedures in all aspects of Finance and Administration and the application of these policies in different circumstances.

• A thorough knowledge of the Ministry's programs, policies, procedures and delivery processes including legislation, regulations and policies in order to provide advice and solutions from a financial perspective.

UNIQUE FEATURES

• Most activities are performed under very strict timelines which can change quite frequently.

• Most briefing material is prepared for the department's Senior Executive and the Minister and must be presented in a very concise, accurate yet high quality and professional manner.

• Identifying and resolving funding and cost pressures with the department's Senior Executive and Senior Managers can be very challenging as time frames are very tight and the financial assumptions can be rather soft.

• Coordinating the Ministry Budgeting and Forecasting requirements on a timely and accurate basis can be very challenging as the deadlines are very tight and must be met.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation and problem solving skills are required given the "sensitivity" of many budget and forecasting issues.