As announced in December, we engaged with MMK Consulting Ltd. on a comprehensive assessment of how financial services meet the needs of the Okanagan Campus.
Under the direction of Michael Shakespeare, Associate-Vice President (AVP), Administration and Finance, the objective of the review was to examine the current organization of the financial management function on the Okanagan campus and to recommend a structure that best matched current and emerging needs.
Thank you to the more than 40 participants across campus who took the time to provide their perspective and input, helping shape MMK Consulting Ltd.’s recommendations. We will begin implementing these recommendations throughout the spring as we work towards establishing an integrated-distributed financial services model on the Okanagan campus.
The integrated-distributed model will focus on continuing to empower faculty and departments to determine the support they require, working with financial officers on a day-to-day basis, while the services required to provide the support is centrally coordinated and managed by Administration and Finance.
The primary benefits of an integrated-distributed model are:
- Recruitment and assignment of qualified staff
- Continuous training and development
- Financial services staff mobility and career opportunities
- Improved financial controls
- Consistently applied best practices
The organizational changes are primarily related to reporting paths, but in some cases will involve physical moves to consolidate financial services teams or adjustments to job descriptions and responsibilities, including:
- Two financial director-level positions, reporting to the AVP, Administration and Finance
- A five- to seven-person customer-focused financial planning and operations services team to increase the level of financial support across campus. This team will include current financial services staff, with each individual assigned to serve a portfolio of faculties and/or departments
- Aligning of supply management, accounts payable and payroll processing under a new Payment & Procurement Services team, functioning on a system-wide basis but with local Okanagan presence and leadership
This new model, which has agreement in principle on direction from the Okanagan Executive Committee and the Deans, will improve strategic financial planning capabilities across campus.
All employees directly impacted have been made aware of the impending changes and they will be involved in the process as we take the next few months to establish the new organization, tailor the recommendations, complete a comprehensive implementation plan, and recruit additional staff to round out the finance team complement.
Changes, including how to work with this new integrated team, will be announced as they’re implemented.
The recommendations are fully detailed in the MMK Consulting report, available on the AVP Administration and Finance website.
To read the full report, click here.