Opportunities Manager, Federal Agreements & Financial Strategy

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) is leading the transformation of the early years and public education system in Nova Scotia. We are doing this by designing an innovative curriculum facilitating excellence in teaching and learning ensuring an inclusive education experience and working closely with our partners in early learning and education. This will provide children students and families with a strong foundation for success. This department is a perfect fit for those that want to be part of the future of early learning and public education in the province by supporting student learning in a progressive and responsive policy environment.

The Early Years branch is looking for a strategic financial leader to support one of Nova Scotias most significant public service transformations.

As the Manager Federal Agreements and Financial Strategy you will lead work at the intersection of federal-provincial agreement management financial strategy funding model development reporting audit readiness and sector sustainability.

You will help ensure early learning and child care investments are well planned responsibly managed clearly reported and aligned with provincial and federal commitments. This includes managing financial and reporting requirements under federal agreements supporting action plans and audits developing funding models ensuring alignment between funding approaches policy direction and system outcomes and providing senior leaders with clear advice on financial risks funding pressures and implementation options.

This role works closely with federal partners senior leaders finance colleagues policy and program teams service providers not-for-profit organizations and community-based partners. You will help translate complex funding and accountability requirements into practical approaches that support a growing and evolving child care sector while maintaining alignment with policy intent and system performance expectations.

This is a strong opportunity for someone who brings financial discipline sound judgement relationship skills and a practical understanding of how public funding decisions affect providers families communities and long-term system sustainability.

• Lead financial strategy planning and analysis forecasting expenditure tracking and analysis for early learning and child care initiatives supported through federal-provincial agreements in close collaboration with Financial Advisory Services
• Coordinate and oversee federal agreement requirements including financial reporting progress reporting action plan support audit coordination carry-forward planning compliance tracking and issue resolution.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with federal government partners to support agreement implementation information sharing reporting and timely resolution of financial or accountability matters.
• Lead the development costing implementation and refinement of funding models that support affordability access inclusion quality workforce stability provider sustainability and responsible stewardship of public funds.
• Provide expert advice to senior leaders on financial risks funding pressures agreement obligations policy options operational impacts and decisions with sector-wide implications including ensuring alignment between federal agreements policy direction and system level outcomes.
• Work with program policy finance and data teams to align funding approaches with government commitments sector needs operational realities and measurable outcomes ensuring alignment across policy funding performance and operational considerations
• Support the preparation of briefing notes reports Treasury Board submissions Memorandums to Executive Council presentations correspondence and other decision-making materials.
• Strengthen financial controls business processes reporting tools documentation data quality and accountability practices related to federal funding and sector investments.
• Work with not-for-profit community-based and sector partners to understand provider realities and support practical funding approaches reporting processes and implementation supports.
• Identify financial operational reporting and sector risks and develop mitigation strategies that support public trust sustainability and effective service delivery.
• Support structured financial decision-making including documentation of assumptions risk and funding model decisions to ensure consistency and traceability.

To be successful in this role you have a relevant university degree in accounting finance business administration public administration economics social policy or a related field along with progressive experience in financial strategy funding model development budgeting forecasting reporting audit coordination agreement management or public sector accountability.

You have experience developing implementing managing or evaluating funding models ideally in a public sector not-for-profit community service education early years or human services environment. You understand how funding decisions affect service providers families communities workforce stability service access and long-term system sustainability.

You have experience managing complex funding agreements contribution agreements transfer payment arrangements or intergovernmental agreements. You understand the importance of clear reporting financial controls performance measures audit readiness documentation and compliance with agreement requirements.

You are comfortable working with financial data budgets forecasts expenditure plans briefing materials and decision documents. You can translate complex financial and policy information into clear advice for senior leaders and practical guidance for program teams and partners.

You bring sound judgement strong communication skills relationship-building ability and the capacity to work in a fast-moving environment with high public accountability and multiple partners.

• A professional accounting designation such as CPA is preferred.
• Experience working with federal government partners on reporting financial planning audits action plans compliance issue resolution or agreement implementation.
• Experience managing federal-provincial agreements contribution agreements transfer payment programs or major public funding agreements.
• Experience developing costing implementing or evaluating funding models.
• Experience working with not-for-profit organizations service providers boards operators or community-based delivery partners.
• Experience supporting a newly developing growing or transforming sector through funding policy operational guidance stakeholder engagement or change management.
• Experience with financial modelling scenario planning expenditure forecasting cost analysis risk analysis or program costing.
• Knowledge of early learning and child care education community services human services or another publicly funded service delivery system.

We welcome candidates with diverse and transferable experience. Applicants who do not meet the exact education requirement may still be considered if they clearly demonstrate an equivalent combination of education training and experience.

Equivalent experience should show substantial depth in financial analysis accounting funding administration compliance monitoring internal controls agreement management or a closely related area.

EC 12 -

$3929.22 - $4911.52

Based on the employment status and union agreement the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan Health Dental Life Insurance General illness Short and Long Term Disability Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings click here: Benefits for government employees.