Manager, Financial Strategy in Kingston upon Thames

The Manager, Financial Strategy is a key contributor to the City's financial leadership, providing forward‑looking financial analysis and advice that supports informed decision‑making and aligns fiscal strategy with corporate priorities and community needs.

The Manager, Financial Strategy focuses on the analytical and advisory work that sits ahead of and alongside those functions: multi‑year financial modelling, growth and capital funding strategy, and the financial structuring of major corporate initiatives.

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and operating as a corporate resource across departments through the Corporate Management Team, the role concentrates on integrated long‑term financial planning, growth‑related funding strategies, capital funding and financing strategies, and the financial structuring of major projects and programs.

It provides dedicated strategic finance capacity in support of long‑term financial sustainability and sound financial stewardship across the corporation.

The position is designed as a senior individual contributor role rather than a divisional management role.

The role is intended to complement, not duplicate, existing finance positions.

The Chief Financial Officer and the Director of Finance retain accountability for statutory treasury duties, the corporate budget process, accounting and financial reporting, external audit, taxation, and day‑to‑day treasury and investment operations.

We support the Chief Administrative Officer in providing strategic leadership and corporate direction for the City.

Our team leads enterprise‑wide initiatives, coordinates corporate priorities, supports Council's strategic vision, and works across departments to drive innovation, organizational performance, governance excellence, and continuous improvement in service delivery.

What you'll do

• Long‑Range Financial Planning and Fiscal Sustainability
• Assess the long‑term financial impact of new programs, service changes, and major initiatives, and advise on their effect on fiscal sustainability.
• Identify financial risks and opportunities across the corporate portfolio and recommend strategies to address them.
• Support the development and refinement of financial policies governing reserves, debt, and funding, in coordination with the Finance department.
• Growth Funding and Capital Financing Strategy
• Lead financial analysis and strategy related to growth funding tools, including Development Charges, Community Benefits Charges, and parkland dedication and cash‑in‑lieu.
• Develop capital funding and financing strategies for major projects and programs, evaluating the appropriate mix of reserves, debt, grants, development‑related revenue, and other sources.
• Prepare cash‑flow forecasts and funding models for significant capital programs to inform decisions on timing, affordability, and risk.
• Provide financial input to growth‑related studies, master plans, and development agreements.
• Strategic Financial Advisory and Project Support
• Serve as a dedicated financial advisor to the Corporate Management Team and project teams on complex initiatives, reducing reliance on external consultants for financial strategy work.
• Develop business cases, funding strategies, and financial scenario analyses for major corporate projects and capital investments.
• Provide strategic financial advice on partnership, procurement, and financing arrangements as required, in coordination with Finance and Legal Services.
• Translate complex financial analysis into clear options and recommendations for senior leadership and Council.
• Analysis, Modelling, and Reporting Support
• Build and maintain financial models, scenarios, and sensitivity analyses to support corporate decision‑making.
• Prepare financial implications, analysis, and supporting material for corporate reports and presentations, in coordination with the relevant departments.
• Monitor legislative, provincial funding, and economic developments that affect the City's growth and major initiatives.
• Collaboration and Corporate Contribution
• Work collaboratively across departments and with the Finance, taxation, and treasury teams to ensure alignment and avoid duplication of effort.
• Contribute financial expertise to corporate committees, steering groups, and special projects.
• Bring forward analytical tools and approaches that strengthen the City's financial decision‑making and support a culture of continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• University degree in finance, business administration, accounting, commerce, economics, public administration, or a related discipline.
• Several years of progressively responsible experience in financial and business strategy, long‑range financial and business planning, or capital financing.
• Strong analytical and financial modelling skills, with the ability to structure complex problems and develop sound, evidence‑based recommendations.
• In‑depth knowledge of municipal finance, growth funding legislation, and capital financing, including the related provincial regulatory framework.
• Business‑minded with the ability to build creative financing and business models within the municipal context.
• Sound judgment in a politically sensitive, public‑sector environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex financial information clearly to Council, senior leadership, staff, and residents without reliance on jargon.
• Ability to work effectively across departments and to build trusted working relationships, including with arm's length agencies and external partners.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliverables concurrently and to meet deadlines.
• Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Accommodations are available at all stages of the recruitment and selection process to support a barrier‑free experience for all candidates in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

If you require any accommodations, please let us know.

All personal information will be handled in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).

The City of Kingston may utilize artificial intelligence (AI) assisted tools throughout the recruitment process. All final hiring decisions are made by qualified municipal staff.

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