Accounting & Finance | Senior Accountant, Pensions - FT

The Senior Accountant, Pensions is a key contributor to Pension Services, responsible for ensuring the integrity and compliance of the University of Victoria’s pension plans. This role oversees financial reporting, investment monitoring, and governance support for the Combination Pension Plan, Money Purchase Pension Plan, Staff Pension Plan, and Supplemental Benefit Arrangement. With a dual reporting structure, the incumbent collaborates closely with the Manager, Endowment and Pensions Accounting on financial reporting matters and with the Director, Pension Services on pension operations, ensuring alignment with UVic’s financial and retirement objectives.

Objectives:

• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of pension plan financial information by overseeing financial transactions, implementing robust financial controls, and calculating plan performance metrics (e.g., rates of return).
• Serve as a subject matter expert in pension accounting, internal controls, financial reporting, and tax compliance, providing strategic guidance to senior leadership, auditors, governing bodies, and plan actuaries.
• Support investment governance by maintaining investment policies, monitoring external fund managers for compliance, and collaborating with investment consultants on strategic portfolio decisions.
• Prepare and oversee financial reporting obligations, including audited financial statements, tax filings, and regulatory submissions.
• Develop and manage the Pension Services budget, ensuring alignment with financial sustainability goals.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to the Pensions Accounting Associate.

Working conditions:
Due to the critical nature of the financial reporting deadlines, this position must be able to act independently and effectively under pressure and be able to quickly and accurately evaluate financial results and correct complex problems (or contribute to these). Trade offs often need to be made between timelines and level of accuracy.

This position requires a level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, economics or related field and must have a chartered professional accounting (CPA) designation plus minimum 6 years of relevant accounting experience, including preparing financial statements. 

Experience with record keeping and financial reporting for pension plans and institutional investments would be an asset. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities include:

• Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive and respectful working and learning environment.
• Thorough knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, financial controls, legislation (eg: Income Tax Act, Pension Benefit Standards Act, etc.) and their application to pension plan financial accounting and reporting.
• Experience with and interest in institutional investments.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for effective interaction with senior management, external service providers and plan members.
• Advanced proficiency in financial software, spreadsheets, and databases, with strong administrative and organizational abilities to meet strict deadlines.
• Ability to work independently with initiative and sound judgment, while also collaborating effectively to build positive working relationships.