About Musqueam
We are traditional hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking people. Today, we are a strong, growing community of over 1,300 members. We live on a small portion of our traditional territory, known as the Musqueam Indian Reserve, located south of Marine Drive near the mouth of the Fraser River. The name Musqueam relates back to the River Plant, the name of the plant is məθkʷəy̓. There is a story that has been passed on from generation to generation that explains how we became known as the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) - People of the River Plant. We have always moved throughout our territory using the resources it provides for fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering. We remain distinct and our cultural practices are strong, despite the devastating impacts of residential schools, colonial laws banning our ceremonies, and other attempts to assimilate our people. Our lands and waters continue to support our cultural and economic practices while serving as a source of knowledge and memory, encoded with our teachings and laws. To learn more about Musqueam, please visit www.musqueam.bc.ca
Position Summary
This is a senior accounting role responsible for financial month-end, quarter-end, and year-end reporting, bank reconciliations, balance sheet reconciliations, preparing audit files, reviewing and interpreting internal policies, and assisting with annual budgeting in support of the Housing Department. A core focus of this role is the reconstruction and cleanup of historical housing and mortgage records, including rebuilding reconciliations from mortgage initiation, sourcing supporting documentation where records are incomplete, and resolving balance discrepancies arising from a prior accounting system migration. The role also supports member equity interest determinations, including calculations for estates and other member-specific situations, and helps shape policy decisions on the treatment of mortgage-related costs and inputs to equity calculations going forward. The Senior Accountant will serve as a mentor to staff members, assisting in training and development.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Produces month end financials, quarter-end, and year end draft financial statements, variance analysis and other reports as directed.
- Administers government fund revenue and cost variance.
- Monitors annual revenue and expenditures against budget, Band objectives, and funding agreements and analyze the financial implications of department activities.
- Develops initial year end forecasts of revenues and expenses for review and input from program administrators and senior finance staff.
- Manages chart of accounts, general ledger transactions and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Oversees A/R, A/P procedures and GL reconciliations with sub-ledgers.
- Prepares bank reconciliation statements.
- Conducts detailed review of historical financial reporting and related working papers to ensure current statutory reporting is accurate and prepares and reconciles statutory reporting.
- Reconciles G/L to programs’ databases, monitors and assists with financial models for Housing to set foundation for Housing Authority.,
- Maintains capital assets models and accounts amortization expenses.
- Assists in annual budget preparations and variance analysis.
- Maintains data integrity in accounting systems and advises on the organization’s IT needs to meet financial reporting requirements.
- Reviews band policies and apply them to housing accounting processes; ensures accurate application of internal policies to financial information through detailed review and interpretation and supports the development of policy positions where current guidance is incomplete.
- Reconstructs historical mortgage and housing records from inception, including sourcing supporting documentation from internal and external parties where records are incomplete; reconciles historical working papers and source documents to current balances and identifies and explains variances.
- Investigates and resolves opening balance and transaction discrepancies resulting from the prior accounting system migration, ensuring historical records are complete and accurate.
- Calculates member equity interests for estates and other member-specific determinations, including identifying which costs and payments are included in each calculation.
- Works across multiple accounting systems, including Acumatica, and adapts quickly to system-specific workflows and data structures.
- Assists with training and mentoring of junior staff with financial reports.
- Develops and maintains effective working relationships with colleagues, administrators, and outside agencies.
- Other related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Knowledge of accounting principles, practices and applications.
- CPA designation (or equivalent) with a diploma or university degree in accounting or business
- 5–8 years progressive accounting and finance experience, preferably in Housing or Property Management; demonstrated exposure to historical record cleanup, accounting system conversions, or reconstruction of incomplete records is strongly preferred.
- Fund accounting/not-for-profit experience are assets
- Demonstrated problem-solving ability in ambiguous situations with incomplete information; able to construct reasonable reconciliations where source records have gaps and willing to roll up sleeves to drive long-running cleanup projects to completion
- Ability to work with multiple accounting systems and learn new ones quickly; experience with Acumatica is a strong asset
- Ability to understand and work with complex general ledger structures and journal entry postings
- Ability to analyze and synthesize data to communicate key high-level messages.
- Prior experience with integrated financial software
- Proven proficiency in MS Office applications including Excel and Word.
- Flexibility to respond appropriately to changes and a desire to work in a growth-oriented environment
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Demonstrates a learning attitude
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Ability to handle multiple competing priorities simultaneously with limited supervision required
- Good organizational skills; able to meet established reporting deadlines.
- Strong working knowledge of accounting principles, practices, procedures, and operations
- Strong sense of honesty, integrity, ethics; ability to maintain strict confidentiality with sensitive information
- Attention to detail and accuracy
- Ability to use tact and good judgment in dealing with sensitive and complex issues
- Results and service oriented
- Creative thinking and innovation skills; has demonstrated initiative carrying out roles
- Ability to develop a strong understanding of internal Musqueam approval procedures
- Good people skills; team player and respectful to staff and external agencies
- Successful Criminal Records Check
- Valid BC Driver’s License
Working Conditions
- Work is performed in an office environment
- May require additional hours of work and/or flexible hours of work from time to time
Why work for Musqueam?
Our success as a leader as a First Nations Government is built on the traditional teachings of our people, initiative and dedication of the Musqueam Indian Band. Providing a highly engaged traditional government that is member focused.
- Competitive salary
- Training and career development
- Drug and alcohol-free environment
- Business casual environment
- Community fitness and gym access
- Comprehensive group benefits plan and pension plan
- Centrally located with free parking; free onsite gym and class access; close to nature trails at UBC and along the Fraser River.
