Financial Data Analyst

Job Information
Job Title: Financial Data Analyst 
Job Requisition ID: 61719
Ministry: Advanced Education
Location: Edmonton
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary: Permanent
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: August 29, 2024
Classification: Program Services 4 Market Adjust 
Salary: $2,757.39 - $3,604.17 bi-weekly ($71,937 - $94,068/year)
 

The Government of Alberta is committed to a diverse and inclusive public service that reflects the population we serve to best meet the needs of Albertans. Consider joining a team where diversity, inclusion and innovation are valued and supported. For more information on diversity and inclusion, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/diversity-inclusion-policy.aspx

Ministry of Advanced Education
Responsible for an adult learning system that provides accessible, affordable, and high-quality education for Albertans, the Ministry prepares Albertans for lifelong success through education by approving programs of study; funding public post-secondary institutions and other adult learning providers; providing financial aid for learners; registering and certifying apprentices; supporting academic research and innovation.
 
Our programs and services are driven by 2 outcomes: Albertans have the education and skills required to secure rewarding careers in the current and future labour market to support a thriving economy and society; and Alberta’s high quality adult learning system and professional regulatory environment attract, develop, and retain a skilled and talented workforce.
 
For more information on the Ministry of Advanced Education, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/advanced-education.aspx

The Data Management and Governance (DMG) unit 
The Data Management and Governance (DMG) unit aims to improve the ministry’s data maturity, as follows:

• Develop, implement, and evolve and enterprise-wide data management and governance. 
• Develop, implement, and evolve stewardship of the Department's major administrative datasets. 

Collect and provide oversight of key administrative data from the advanced learning system

Role Responsibilities

Do you geek out about great data? Does your curiosity drive you to find the root of problems? Are you keen to work with partners from all over Alberta? This opportunity may be for you!

The Financial Data Analyst ensures post-secondary institutions provide good data and that Advanced Education generates value from that data. 

Working with the Data Management and Governance team, you will ensure data integrity, improve data systems, and envision ways to add value to data-related functions including collection, validation, analysis, and reporting. This work, in turn, helps build evidence to inform department decision-making and policy development. 

Your strong communication and collaboration skills help you form solid relationships with colleagues across the Ministry and partners at post-secondary institutions across Alberta. These relationships help you solve problems, develop buy-in, encourage compliance, and envision new and better ways to operate.  

Responsibilities:

Ensure operational financial data and tuition data are relevant, standardized, accessible, and usable 

• Understand the data needs indicated by the GoA's and Department's accountability and policy directions, by changes to relevant legislation, and by regular dialogue with post-secondary institution contacts.
• Lead changes to these datasets to meet emerging needs, balancing new requirements with reporting continuity.
• Establish, document, maintain, and enforce data definitions, standards, and business rules.
• Create and manage metadata: define and manage business terminology, allowable values, and other critical meta-data.

Provide expert advice

• Monitor trends and fluctuations in financial performance of post-secondary institutions and brief up as needed.
• Provide researchers, institutions, other colleagues support to correctly interpret operational financial data.
• Work with financial, research, and policy colleagues to develop relevant information products using operational financial data and tuition data.

Guide data system development, enhancement, and maintenance

• Ensure data processes are appropriately automated to maximize efficiency and free staff effort for work requirement human judgment, interpretation, and creativity.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with IT colleagues to ensure clear communication and effective collaboration.

Build strong stakeholder relationships

• Support institution contacts to understand the reasons, methods, and timelines for data submissions.
• Work with institutional contacts to understand their business needs, how to maximize the return-on-investment for the data they provide, and how to improve data quality, processes, and sharing.
• Represent stakeholder interests within the ministry and ministry interests to stakeholders.

Support the Department's data management and governance efforts

• Help to socialize data management concepts with colleagues and stakeholders as appropriate.
• Help data management colleagues understand operational financial data and tuition data elements for the purpose of data modeling, cataloguing, and warehousing.

Please click on this link to view the job description.

APS Competencies

Competencies are essential behaviors in a job. Learn about the Alberta Public Services competencies here: https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf 

Your strengths are in Systems Thinking, Develop Networks, Creative Problem Solving, and Driving for Results. 

Please ensure your cover letter provides concrete examples of how you have demonstrated these competencies in the past.

Systems Thinking: understands and acts with an awareness of the ministry’s culture, business, and environment; the government’s direction and political climate; and stakeholder issues across Alberta’s economic, innovation, and learning systems. Demonstrates strong analytical skills and sound judgment to manage high-profile functions involving sensitive information.

Develop Networks: Developing collaborative environments by focusing on authentic relationships that leverage expertise, ingenuity, and effort from staff and colleagues across the Ministry, Government, and post-secondary system.

Creative Problem Solving: identifies and brings together the right people to solve complex problems and find solutions; seeks out alternative ways to improve complex systems or processes to better achieve desired outcomes.

Drive for Results: plans for and delivers results, from concrete deliverables to process improvements, managing resources effectively, and ensuring attention to detail.

Qualifications

Requirements
All three of the following are required:

• A university degree in a relevant field such as (but not limited to) data science, library science, arts, public administration, or economics 
• a minimum of 4 years’ related experience
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel

Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one-for-one basis.

Assets
Preference will be given to applicants possessing or pursuing an accounting designation. 

Experience with the following will be considered assets: 

• Working with developers to build or fix data systems, 
• Regulatory compliance, or 
• Alberta’s adult learning system.
• Knowledge of
  • Accounting principles and best practices including Public Sector Accounting Standards.
  • Data validation, processing, analysis, and reporting.
• Strong analytical skills and sound judgment to manage high-profile functions and sensitive information.
• Demonstrated ability to ask perceptive questions and pursue root causes so that innovative and effective solutions can be developed. 
• Experience planning for and delivering results, from concrete deliverables to process improvements, managing resources effectively, and ensuring attention to detail.
• Experience adapting to changing conditions while staying focused on long-term outcomes.

Notes

This is a full-time permanent based out of Edmonton   working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Applicants are required to provide a cover letter that outlines in detail their experiences and how that experience relates specifically to the requirements for this position. Applications without an appropriate cover letter or appropriate resume will not be considered.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example: January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three 8 hrs shifts/week). 

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

Links and information on what the GoA has to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - About the Alberta Public Service | Alberta.ca
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.

How To Apply
Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.
 

Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please visit https://www.alberta.ca/job-application-resources#before for more information. Please visit Recruitment Principles, for more information.
 

It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)(https://www.alberta.ca/international-qualifications-assessment.aspx) or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information (https://canalliance.org/en/default.html).

It is recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.


Closing Statement
This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.

If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Shannon Rowe at Shannon.Rowe@gov.ab.ca