The Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) operates under provincial legislation to protect the financial and legal interests of minors; manage the financial, property and legal interests of adults who are incapable of managing their own affairs; investigate allegations of financial abuse of vulnerable people; and administer the estates of deceased persons. The PGT’s services extend to clients resident throughout the province.
The PGT is responsible for about $285 million of client assets held in trust and trust receipts and disbursements of $145 million annually. The PGT must observe prudent business practices and is bound by fiduciary principles.
Reporting to the PGT, the Chief Financial and Operating Officer works with considerable independence and exerts significant influence across the organization by providing strategic direction and advice to the PGT and Management Team on matters related to the following responsibilities:
- Financial Accounting and Reporting. The preparation and fair presentation of annual financial statements for the estates and trusts administered by the PGT in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards, including the statement of financial position, statement of operations, statement of remeasurement gains and losses and statement of cash flows for the year then ended. Serves as the organization’s expert on accounting issues including the interpretation of accounting standards. Serves as the main contact for the Provincial Auditor’s Office and the Provincial Comptroller’s Office.
- Client Financial Services. The day-to-day management of client financial services involving tens of thousands of financial transactions (receipts and disbursements) annually. Responsible for the design and maintenance of effective internal controls and standards to protect the security and integrity of client assets and minimize to the maximum extent possible any potential for fraud or error. Responsible for the integrity of computerized financial systems that process income and receipts, produce payments, distribute investment income, record asset sales and make cash distributions to clients.
- Investment Services. Overseeing investment management processes for (i) client funds held in a balanced portfolio of fixed income, Canadian equity, US equity and international equity assets (the Common Fund) and (ii) separate investment portfolios held on behalf of individual clients. Responsible for monitoring the performance of the PGT’s external investment managers and investment consultant. Plays a key leadership role on the PGT’s Investment Advisory Committee.
- Tax Services. The preparation of the tax return for the Common Fund, annual tax slips for investment income distributed to clients and tax withholdings for non-resident clients. Overall responsibility for client tax services, including staff and contract resources preparing approximately 1600 tax returns annually for adult clients, deceased estates and trusts.
- Field Services. Managing client field services to identify, inventory and secure clients’ assets and deal with assets appropriately. This includes field services related to the sale or lease of real property and other assets. Maintenance of appropriate controls to ensure the security of physical assets (including cash, securities, jewelry, furniture and other personal property, vehicles, farm commodities and equipment, etc.).
- Corporate Financial Services. The PGT’s operating and revenue budgeting, forecasting and reporting and management of the PGT’s fee account including collection of service fees. The PGT operates on a cost recovery basis.
- Administrative and IT Services. Managing corporate administrative and IT services to address the organization’s needs.
The position has overall responsibility for the work of 12 staff and a number of contractors (including accounting firms, an investment management firm, an investment consultant, a financial institution that serves as custodian of the Common Fund, and a number of individual contractors who perform field services).
This position has a significant risk management role relating to liability and fraud and error prevention and requires a person with the highest professional and ethical standards.
Our candidate of choice will also have superior interpersonal skills as well as demonstrated leadership and problem-solving experience. You will be extremely organized and detail oriented; an energetic and positive individual who enjoys a fast-paced environment with interesting and challenging work. You will be a proactive and strategic planner.
A professional accounting designation with a minimum of ten years relevant experience is required.
We are also looking for the successful candidate to have knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: the preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting standards; individual and estate/trust taxation; investment strategies and management and/or personal financial planning; and developing budgets and managing forecasts and an understanding of government financial policies and processes. The ideal candidate will have previous corporate administrative experience.
We are committed to workplace diversity.
