Jobs
The Opportunity
This role offers the chance to be part of the leadership team of a unique Canadian charity whose mission—to integrate skilled immigrants into the Canadian economy—has never been more urgent. The National Director & CFO will provide strategic financial support to a national organization that has seen significant growth in the last several years and projects that growth will continue. Candidates from the private sector have a chance to do challenging work in a fast-paced, professional environment while making a powerful and essential contribution to Canada’s social and economic fabric.
The Role
Reporting to Windmill’s CEO, the National Director & CFO is responsible for the leadership and management of all aspects of the organization’s financial health. With the support of the Controller and a current team of 9 finance and loan staff, the National Director & CFO will ensure that the right policies, metrics, and processes are in place to support this fast-growing, entrepreneurial, charitable lender.
The National Director & CFO provides financial and strategic advice and analysis to the CEO, the leadership team, the Finance & Risk Management Committee and the Board of Directors to improve financial performance and the quality of business decisions driving Windmill’s short- and long-term goals. They will also work collaboratively with the Development team to support Windmill’s private donors, government funders and Community Bond investors. It will be important that the National Director & CFO can speak to individuals with a wide financial literacy.
The National Director & CFO will be an essential contributor to the strategy, risk management and success of a charity that lends money to convert the potential of skilled immigrants and refugees into prosperity.
Qualifications and Required Skills
- A university degree and a CPA designation in good standing, with evidence of ongoing learning.
- Ability to understand complex financial concepts and predictive models, and the capacity to determine all potential impacts on the financial operations and health of Windmill.
- Familiarity with accounting for non-profits, financial reporting to public funders, and reporting on charitable donations is an asset.
- Excellent grasp of financial systems and an appetite to advance your team’s adoption of new technologies.
- Demonstrated business judgment, as well as creative and strategic thinking.
- Advanced interpersonal and listening skills to negotiate great decisions with the CEO, peers, direct reports, and board members.
- Advanced leadership and management skills to direct and motivate a group of finance professionals.
- Advanced operational knowledge of strategic and business-planning processes along with the proven ability to effectively lead transformation initiatives.
- Highly developed written, verbal, and presentation skills, crucial to preparing interpretive, analytical, and innovative materials that precisely articulate ideas and opinions.
- Innovative problem-solving skills to develop unique approaches necessary to resolve complex business issues in the context of a mission-based charity.
Candidate Experience
The National Director & CFO must have a minimum of 15 years preferably in financial services, post CPA designation experience, with at least 5 years in a management capacity leading a team of staff. Experience overseeing a loan portfolio in a risk management and compliance capacity is an asset. Candidates from the private sector should have an understanding of the not-for-profit organizations through experience as a volunteer, preferably in a financial capacity such as heading a charity’s Finance and Risk Committee.
The National Director & CFO will be a strategic, creative, and results-driven performer motivated by improving processes, creating efficiencies, reducing risk, and leveraging the finance role to support the mission of an organization.
The Director must be a strong manager experienced in developing the potential of the people who report to them, bringing both confidence and humility to relationships with colleagues, the Board, and key stakeholders. Past work with a wide range of staff and C-suite, including individuals from diverse backgrounds, is vital.
As Windmill undertakes a digital transformation, the Director will bring experience and an affinity for adopting new technologies to advance the efficiency of Windmill’s mission.
The candidate will also bring knowledge of, and appreciation for, the challenges of the immigrant experience, and appreciate Windmill’s values: Passion, Empowerment, Simplicity and Results.
Personal Attributes
The successful candidate is collaborative, entrepreneurial, strategic, high-energy, curious and detail-oriented. They are compassionate, empathetic and care about the welfare of others and believe in Windmill’s mission and values.
Self-confident and able to work both independently and as part of a team, the successful candidate will have a high degree of accountability for their actions and their team’s deliverables. They are curious and innovative, with a natural drive to improve how things are done while respecting the journey of the organization and current staff contributions. Possessing an entrepreneurial spirit, they will enjoy being part of a growing organization. At Windmill this means operating with a sense of urgency and being forward-looking while continually assessing the current financial health of the organization.
Key Accountabilities
Strategic Planning and Risk Management (20%)
- Develop financial data and analysis to support the strategic growth of the organization and provide oversight and guidance to the CEO, leadership team, Board of Directors, and Finance & Risk Management Committee.
- Lead the annual budget planning process for the organization, including the strategic planning around new loan targets, with active involvement from the whole leadership team.
- Lead Windmill’s organizational risk management policies and practices giving particular attention to financial and cybersecurity risk.
- Work cooperatively with the CEO, the National Director, IT and other members of the leadership team and board of directors to ensure the right balance is struck between risk mitigation and entrepreneurial risk taking.
Loan Portfolio (25%)
- Lead the development of loan policies in a way that respects Windmill’s mission, the unique needs of Windmill’s clients, and differentiates Windmill from other financial institutions.
- Ensure Windmill retains the current high repayment rate from their clients and continues to improve Windmill’s efficiency by improving processes, adopting new technologies and A/B testing.
- Analyze Windmill client data by running predictive analytics to determine the health of the loan book and to improve Windmill’s client risk assessment. Look creatively for opportunities to increase access to loans while minimizing risk of default.
Financial Reporting, Analysis & Control (35%)
- Provide accurate and timely financial reporting, and recommendations to the CEO, leadership team, Finance & Risk Management Committee and the Board of Directors and incorporate their insights to support the continuous improvement of Windmill as it grows.
- Lead the annual external audit and take responsibility for implementing recommended adjustments.
- Oversee the highest standard of reporting on all grant and community bond agreements, ensuring interest payments are accurate and received on time.
- Serve as the main point of contact with Windmill’s banking partners, ensuring interest costs and other costs are minimized.
- In conjunction with IT, identify technological upgrades to improve Windmill’s financial systems and processes as it grows.
Staff Management (20%)
- Ensure the highest levels of productivity, collegiality and satisfaction of your team by subscribing to Windmill’s organizational effectiveness tools and practices.
- Advocate for the adoption of new technologies that will improve your team’s work and reduce costs, while helping the team develop the skills and mindset to use them.
- Serve as a champion and liaison for your team with the organization as a whole.
Additional Information
Windmill Microlending is an equal-opportunity employer. Adhering to Canada’s Human Rights Code, Windmill grants equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, creed, colour, gender identity or expression, disability, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, citizenship, ancestry, ethnic origin, age, or place of origin. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
As an active participant in the Federal Government’s 50-30 Challenge, we are committed to building a more diverse, inclusive, and vibrant economic future for Canadians by attaining gender parity and significant representation of under-represented groups on our board and in senior management positions.
Applications from underrepresented groups and immigrants are most welcome.
Location
- Ideally the candidate is located in Calgary or Toronto, although those in other parts of the country will be considered.
- Some travel is expected within Canada.
Why Windmill
In addition to having a compelling and unique product offering for clients and donors, Windmill has an impressive track record of client impact. Windmill’s Client Net Promoter Score is +94, an extraordinary result for an organization in any sector, and 99% of our Google reviews are five stars. In addition, Windmill is a highly collaborative work environment, where staff satisfaction scores are consistently high.
In 2023, The Veritas Foundation, an independent foundation that evaluates the impact of Canadian charities, gave Windmill a 5-star impact rating. For every $1 donated to Windmill, they calculated there is $5.52 in social and economic return created. This compares with the average return range—$2.00 to $2.25—for all 46,000 charities included in the Veritas research. The Veritas Foundation also rated Windmill as the #1 charity in Canada in the poverty alleviation sector.
Demonstrable social impact; a smart, nimble, and dedicated staff; a highly functioning, collaborative leadership team; and high year-over-year growth are but a few of the reasons Windmill is an excellent place to work.
About the Company
Windmill Microlending enables immigrants and refugees to build careers in Canada while reducing poverty and labour shortages. We do this by offering low-interest loans along with career assessment coaching, financial literacy training, and mentorship for newcomers who lack access to mainstream credit.
Since 2005, Windmill has provided over 10,000 loans and supports to newcomers in healthcare, IT, financial services, law, engineering, and many other fields, enabling our clients to triple their incomes. Over the past 7 years, Windmill has grown its loan portfolio from $5.5M to $45M, with a plan to grow it to $150M – $200M in the next 3 years. This growth requires a strategic, experienced and collaborative addition to Windmill’s leadership team.
Windmill is a registered Canadian charity supported by donations and community bonds from the private sector and grants from the public sector.
https://windmillmicrolending.org/