Plan Group - 37 Jobs
Ottawa, ON
Posted yesterday
Job Details:
Full-time
Management
The Finance Manager will be based in Ottawa and fully embedded within the Project Delivery team, acting as a key business partner to project leadership. This role is responsible for ensuring strong financial control, visibility, and performance across assigned projects.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Planning & Cost Control
- Ensure projects remain within approved financial targets
- Develop and maintain project budgets (baseline and revisions)
- Monitor actual costs vs. budget, including variance analysis
- Track commitments (subcontracts, purchase orders) against approved budgets
Forecasting & Financial Visibility
- Provide forward-looking financial insights and early warning indicators
- Prepare monthly Cost-to-Complete (CTC) and Estimate at Completion (EAC)
- Update project margin forecasts
- Identify risks and opportunities impacting profitability
- Support scenario analysis (best case, downside, stress scenarios)
Cash Flow & Liquidity Management
- Prepare and continuously update project cash flow forecasts
- Monitor client billing, cash collections, and supplier/subcontractor payments
- Optimize working capital, including receivables (DSO) and payables (DPO)
Financial Reporting & Compliance
- Ensure accurate reflection of project performance in financial statements
- Apply revenue recognition methodology (percentage of completion – POC)
- Validate earned value and progress measurement with operations teams
- Ensure compliance with IFRS/GAAP standards and internal policies
Margin Protection & Commercial Support
- Analyze financial aspects of contracts (pricing, escalation, penalties)
- Track and value variations, change orders, claims, and backcharges
- Support the commercial team in negotiations
- Ensure all changes are reflected in budgets, forecasts, and revenue recognition
Risk Management
- Identify financial risks, including cost overruns, delays, and market fluctuations
- Quantify and track risk provisions
- Maintain risk registers with probability and financial impact assessments
- Support development and execution of mitigation strategies
Reporting & Stakeholder Communication
- Produce monthly project financial reports, including cost vs. budget, EAC, margin analysis, and cash flow
- Participate in project review meetings and executive/board reporting
- Maintain strong audit trails and high-quality documentation
Pre-Commitment Financial Controls
- Validate financial aspects of subcontracts and purchase orders prior to commitment
- Ensure alignment with budgets and forecasts
- Track committed vs. incurred costs
Systems & Data Integrity
- Ensure accurate and effective use of ERP systems (Microsoft D365) for cost tracking, revenue recognition, and commitments
- Maintain data integrity and coding structures
Business Partnership
- Act as a trusted advisor to the Project Director and operational teams
- Challenge assumptions related to productivity, schedule, and costs
- Support key decision-making (e.g., make-or-buy, acceleration strategies, claims approach)
Team Leadership
- Lead and mentor cost accountants and related support roles
Qualifications & Experience
- Recognized accounting designation or degree in Finance or a related field
- 8–10 years of progressive experience in financial management within large-scale construction projects
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop actionable solutions
- Solid understanding of financial reporting, audit processes, and quality assurance practices
- Proven ability to assess complex financial data, identify risks, and recommend mitigation strategies
- Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to drive adherence to financial controls across stakeholders
- Experience with governance frameworks, risk management, and financial controls in project environments
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey financial concepts clearly and concisely
- Strong interpersonal skills, with a track record of building collaborative relationships across operational and support teams
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Frequently Asked Questions
This role is based in Ottawa and embedded within the Project Delivery team.
The role ensures strong financial control, visibility, and performance across assigned projects, acting as a key business partner to project leadership.
Responsibilities include budgeting, cost control, variance analysis, tracking commitments, cash flow forecasting, and ensuring accurate reflection of project performance in financial statements.
The role applies revenue recognition methodology (percentage of completion) and validates earned value and progress with operations, ensuring IFRS/GAAP compliance.
Candidates should have 8–10 years of progressive financial management experience within large-scale construction projects and hold a recognized accounting designation or degree in Finance.
Yes, the position leads and mentors cost accountants and related support roles and acts as a trusted advisor to project leadership.
The Finance Manager partners with the Project Director and operational teams, challenging assumptions and supporting key decisions on productivity, scheduling, and costs.
