Director, Corporate Accounting

Why join us?

Are you looking to join a dynamic pension plan that embodies the strong values of its 500,000 members and is an industry leading global investor?

If so, we would love to tell you our story.

At OMERS we put our people first and are proud to embrace the diversity of thought and leadership that comes from having locations in Toronto, London, New York, Singapore, Sydney and other major cities across North America and Europe.

Our culture is truly one of a kind. We get stuff done, and have fun doing it! We take great pride in contributing to the communities where we live with an ever-constant eye to the global investment markets.

We are recruiting for an accomplished Director, Corporate Accounting who will report directly to the Vice President, Financial Reporting.

In this role, you will lead the Corporate and Investment Accounting teams, who are responsible for legal entity accounting and reporting, the consolidation of business unit financial information and our group-wide payroll accounting function.

This individual will drive enhancements in key processes, deliverables and technical insights, and will nurture and develop the immediate and broader Corporate Finance team.

A positive mindset and can-do attitude, coupled with empathetic and experienced leadership skills, will be paramount to the incumbent's success.

You will be excited by the opportunity to drive meaningful change and will foster a collaborative and supportive environment to encourage and engage with team members, both within the team and across the OMERS organization.

In this role you will be a key member of the Corporate and Financial Reporting leadership team, supporting the rollout of various finance-wide policies and initiatives.

Our ambitions are high : we aim to be the best corporate finance team in the Canadian pension industry.

As part of this role, you will be responsible for :

Leading the corporate legal entity financial reporting function, responsible for certain subsidiary accounting and internal and external reporting processes, including select external audits;

review and oversight of various legal entity financial statements.

Leading the corporate investment accounting function, which facilitates the consolidation of investment results and reporting on associated insights;

reconciliation of data and provision of operational support across the business units; a key interface with OMERS Business Unit Finance Teams.

• Leading the payroll accounting function, responsible for all payroll accounting and reporting across the global OMERS organization, supporting various internal and external deliverables.
• Supporting the payroll team on a key process improvement initiative; reviewing, dissecting and improving the current processes with a key focus on efficiency and resiliency of future state.
• Reviewing the team's financial statement note disclosures and other key internal and external reporting.
• Researching, documenting, and reviewing conclusions with respect to complex accounting issues to develop our enterprise-wide accounting policies, with particular focus on financial instruments;

presenting to senior leaders on issues and recommendations.

• Liaising with internal and external auditors for fieldwork and accounting matters relating to the above functions.
• Supporting the teams in the adoption of a new accounting system, and thereafter identifying and implementing ongoing system and process improvements.
• Keeping abreast of technical accounting and reporting requirements in accordance with International financial reporting standards (IFRS), and other bases, as needed.
• Ensuring the maintenance and continuous improvement of process documentation and strong internal controls over financial accounting and reporting.
• Guiding, coaching, assessing, rewarding and developing a team of strong professional accountants to encourage personal and professional growth and development.

This role has 3 direct reports.

Contributing as an experienced leader on the Corporate Finance leadership team towards our collective goals

To succeed in this role, you have :

• 10+ years of experience leading successful teams of accounting professionals.
• A strong understanding of reporting under IFRS, with particular technical expertise in financial instruments, including financial derivatives.

Experience with Section 4600 of the CPA Handbook would be an asset.

• Strong accounting acumen and practical application skills.
• Experience with the processes and mechanics of financial accounting and reporting in a multi-business, international, complex enterprise.
• Experience with leading, motivating, mentoring and coaching a team of professionals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A post-secondary degree in business, accounting, or finance, with a CPA designation.
• Experience with Oracle and Workiva would be an asset.

And you demonstrate :

• A self-starting and proactive attitude.
• A dedication to accuracy and timeliness.
• A willingness to understand the detail when needed, yet balanced with the ability to see the big picture.
• An innate solution-orientation, with the ability to take complex inputs and generate and communicate practical outcomes.
• An adaptable mindset, energized by new opportunities and challenges.
• A people-first focus with a desire to develop meaningful, positive relationships across all levels.
• A teammate mentality coupled with empathetic and servant leadership.
• A sense of optimism and a desire to deliver excellence.
• A desire to drive debate, to speak candidly and to listen thoughtfully.
• A continuous improvement mindset.

Our story :

Founded in 1962, OMERS is one of Canada's largest defined benefit pension plans, with $128.6 CAD billion in net assets as of December 31, 2023.

OMERS is a jointly-sponsored pension plan, with more than 1,000 participating employers ranging from large cities to local agencies, and over half a million active, deferred and retired members.

OMERS members include union and non-union employees of municipalities, school boards, local boards, transit systems, electrical utilities, emergency services and children's aid societies across Ontario.

Contributions to the Plan are funded equally by members and employers. OMERS teams work in Toronto, London, New York, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Singapore, Sydney and other major cities across North America and Europe - serving members and employers and originating and managing a diversified portfolio of high-quality investments in public markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate.

OMERS is committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities in which we live and work. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a barrier-free recruitment and selection process.

At OMERS inclusion and diversity means belonging. How we create a sense of belonging is through our employees and our vast network of Employee Resource Groups.

Whether you are passionate about gender, pride, or visible minorities, we have groups that are focused on making a difference in all of our lives.