Controller & Chief Accountant, City of Toronto

Toronto is Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the largest city in Canada and fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is home to more than 2.

9 million residents and is an international leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, and innovation. The City consistently places at the top of international rankings due in part to investments championed by residents and businesses.

Toronto is led by City Council and its directions are carried out through the work of a very professional public service.

Canada’s biggest city is a montage of distinct neighbourhoods, all sharing a sense of urban pride in Toronto’s energy, diversity, and productivity.

A global financial capital, Toronto has a thriving downtown that offers residents and visitors a full program of theatre, ballet, art, music, dining, shopping, professional sports, and lakefront recreation.

The City has world-class universities, schools, hospitals, centres of innovation excellence, and parkland. Toronto and the surrounding Golden Horseshoe are home to head offices and entrepreneurial enterprises in virtually every sector of the economy.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller and Chief Accountant provides leadership and promotes excellence in overseeing the Accounting Services and Financial Control Division.

The Controller sets the overall strategic direction for the division by establishing goals, objectives and priorities that align with strategic directions and Council priorities.

An effective leader, the Controller and Chief Accountant has enterprise-wide ownership and responsibility for accounting and financial reporting, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and transparency in financial operations across all aspects of the organization.

The Controller and Chief Accountant is one of the executive sponsors for the Financial Systems Transformation Project (FSTP) which is a multi-year, multi-division program to re-engineer the City’s core business processes, integrate the City’s core financial systems, and build a sustainable business platform within a modern policy framework.

The ideal candidate will showcase a deep understanding of Public Sector Accounting Standards (PSAS) along with 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in accounting, finance, and key corporate service functions, preferably within the public sector.

A professional accounting designation (CPA) is required together with experience and the ability to understand complex financial and management matters and communicate them in plain language to a broad stakeholder group.

Having a solid understanding of the long-term implications of decisions and working towards a comprehensive and coherent management and control framework is important.

Experience and a high degree of political acuity in both internal and external settings, along with the ability to influence peer level leaders to support modernization and transformation initiatives will set you up for success.

The City of Toronto is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act, 2019 and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers Berndtson and the City of Toronto throughout the recruitment, selection and / or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.