Manager, Project Finance

Role: Manager, Project Finance

Reporting to: Director, Project Finance

Employment type: Temporary Full-Time (9-12 months)

Location: Remote within Canada

Website: https://www.ngen.ca/

NGen’s Mission

Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen Canada) is the industry-led, non-profit organization leading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. It aims to foster collaboration among manufacturers, technology companies and researchers to drive innovation, enhance productivity, and improve global competitiveness. NGen provides funding, resources, and expertise to facilitate the development and adoption of cutting-edge technologies and manufacturing processes.

To enhance Canada’s overall economic prosperity, NGen’s mission is to:

• Position Canadian companies as global leaders in the application of leading technologies to manufacturing products and/or processes;
• Create the most competitive advanced manufacturing supply chains in the world, and;
• Develop the world’s most talented advanced manufacturing workforce.

Overview of Role

As an integral contributor to the project process, the Manager, Project Finance requires technical project management experience, financial expertise in project development, funding, monitoring, risk identification, mitigation, and reporting, along with knowledge of the manufacturing sector. While demonstrating strong ethics, integrity and avoiding any conflicts of interest, the incumbent links Project Management and Finance to ensure compliance with the Master Project Agreement and NGen financial policies.

Externally, the Manager, Project Finance represents NGen with stakeholders and partners across a range of manufacturing sectors. 

Internally, the Manager, Project Finance works with:

• The broader NGen team in the establishment of the NGen Technical Program Portfolio, including mechanisms to analyze and report on portfolio risks and to develop corresponding mitigation plans.
• A team of Project Monitoring Officers to support and oversee the financial performance of projects in their delivery against defined projects plans, milestones, and deliverables.

Role Responsibilities

Project Development & Screening

• Conduct financial due diligence on project applicants;
• Conduct the review of project applications, financial workbooks, and project financial forecasts.

Project Monitoring & Risk Reporting

• Support discussions with the Project Monitoring team to ensure that project and financial risks/issues are identified, and corrective actions/mitigation plans are in place;
• Work with the projects and partners in monitoring project forecasts and adherence to milestones and deliverables to ensure alignment with project objectives;
• Work with the Program Director on corrective actions and Project Change Requests to ensure they are closed promptly;
• Support the review of project portfolio forecasts, projections and metrics, as required. 

Claims Facilitation

• As a liaison between Finance and Project Monitoring, address claims related questions.
• Escalate claims-related concerns to companies relating to non-compliance, non-responsiveness and unspent/unaccounted for advances.
• Support the claims dispute resolution process to ensure prompt payment of project claims. 

Desired Skills and Experience

• CPA accreditation.
• 5-10 years of experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Strong financial management skills: financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting, risk management, financial reporting, strategic planning, and cash flow management.
• Project accounting experience.
• Experience in new product development cycles, including an understanding of Technology Readiness Levels/Manufacturing Readiness Levels (TRL/MRL) concepts.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience forecasting and budgeting at a department or project level. Comfortable consulting with a variety of stakeholders, including government agencies, public sector organizations, large corporations, and external industry groups.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills; experience presenting to senior stakeholder groups.
• Ability to effectively and independently manage change and shifting priorities.
• Solutions focused approach/mindset committed to delivering an exceptional customer experience.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to develop innovative solutions.
• Work independently with limited guidance and quickly understand complex situations/issues/tasks.
• Work to tight deadlines in a high-pressure environment.