ELISE DOWNEY
WINNIPEG,MB
Summary
Strategic CFO skilled in public sector finance, known for guiding board governance and aligning financial strategies with educational objectives. Expertise in managing complex budgets, ensuring compliance, and mentoring teams to achieve operational excellence and foster a positive work culture.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
SECRETARY TREASURER/CF0
RIVER EAST TRANSCONA SCHOOL DIVISION
07.2020 - Current
- Key member of senior administrative team responsible for the overall leadership and management of the financial, legal, insurance and business services for the division
- Leads annual budget process for senior administration and board of trustees; includes drafting proposals for balanced budget, internal and external communications once budget is approved and facilitates annual public budget consultations/presentations
- Ensures budgets are monitored while balancing allocation of resources; reports regularly to senior administration and board of trustees
- Administered accounting, financial and education records, purchasing, payroll, budgets, maintenance, and transportation.
- Met provincial requirements for annual audits, March year-ends, annual budgets, and compensation disclosure reports.
- Supported the ratification of all six unions' collective agreements and three non-union agreements to the board's negotiations committee and liaised with the Manitoba School Boards Association, costing all options and presenting increases to the board for approval.
- Guided board operations and governance during board proceedings as corporate secretary.
- Facilitated annual identification of board priorities and provided regular updates to the board to ensure alignment on strategic objectives.
- Collaborated with the board to create a 3-year strategic plan and co-created the annual plan and strategies with the senior administration team.
- Mentored direct reports in goal setting, fostering excellence, and celebrating team successes to enhance departmental performance.
- Presents annually to teachers interested in becoming administrators in the leadership team series on RETSD's finances and divisional policies and procedures
- Liaises with provincial departments, contractors, land developers, and architects for large capital projects
- Responded to all information access requests as FIPPA coordinator, maintaining compliance with the Act.
- Ensures compliance with the Public Schools Act
- Closing two multi-million-dollar land deals; including negotiations of both transactions with the province, legal counsel and land developers/owners
- Championed creation of a Managers and Directors team to improve communication, transparency, and understanding of operations within the division.
- Championing changes to cyber security via the implementation of Multi-Factor Authentication to reduce risk of cyber-crime and ensure the division met the requirements to reinstate cyber insurance
- Overhauling a volatile work environment in the transportation department by initiating a climate assessment, developing and implementing recommendations, mentoring and coaching of Director and Assistant Director, analyzing job descriptions and functions, and fostering a positive work culture
ASSISTANT SECRETARY TREASURER
RIVER EAST TRANSCONA SCHOOL DIVISION
09.2018 - 07.2020
- Controller for the division and assists in providing financial and operational leadership in the accounting, payroll, and purchasing departments.
- Coordinated professional development for finance and payroll supervisors and organized a professional development day for all division secretaries in 2019.
- Facilitated one on one meetings to assist principals and vice-principals understand their school budgets.
SECRETARY TREASURER
SUNRISE SCHOOL DIVISION
03.2014 - 09.2018
- Led finance, transportation, maintenance, human resource, purchasing, and ICT departments as a key member of the senior administration team.
- Advised Board of Trustees on financial and legal matters, ensuring informed decision-making on critical issues
- Lead annual budget process including facilitation of public budget consultations
- Coordinated and led all school board finance and audit committee meetings and participated in policy committee meetings
- Managed annual audits and supported auditors by supplying all necessary documentation.
- Implemented solutions for 2014 MNP report including moving the Board towards a governance structure with 18 overarching policies (February 2017) and over 350 procedures (January 2018)
- Directed and implemented new ERP system (PowerSchool) in March 2015 resulting in integration of all payroll, human resource and finance information; prior systems were mostly Excel spreadsheets and paper based; schools now able to access financial and HR information electronically
- Fostered collaborative relationships with Department of Education, Schools' Finance Branch, Manitoba School Boards Association, Fillmore Riley, People First, and RM staff and councils, enhancing support and cooperation within Sunrise School Division
- Successfully negotiated four collective agreements over 2 years
- Streamlined non-union staff agreements resulting in positions being aligned with market values and creating an employee handbook
- Resolved 14-year litigation against the division through participation in judicially assisted dispute resolution, achieving closure and stability for the organization
- Senior Elections Officer for the 2015 by-election
- Facilitated working group of principals to review and revise School Funds procedures
ACTING MANAGER QUALITY AND COMPLIANCE
MANITOBA HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
07.2013 - 03.2014
- Coordinated and led the detailed analysis of the audited financial statements for the entire social housing portfolio
- Ensured the successful application of default management solutions to mitigate any risk to the non-profit portfolio
- Developed and maintained operational audit working papers; managed and trained field staff that conducted operational audits
- Led and trained Portfolio Officers, enhancing operational capability within the team
- Compiled annual budgets for Treasury Board submission, ensuring alignment with organizational financial strategies
- Collaborated with government agencies and non-profit organizations to ensure long-term viability and sustainability of housing projects
- Prepared briefing and advisory notes for Ministerial inquiries, facilitating informed decision-making
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
MANITOBA HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
10.2005 - 03.2014
- Presented at conferences on long-term business planning, audited financial statements, board governance, and legal responsibilities, contributing to improved board awareness and decision-making
- Conducted operational audits evaluating board governance and financial/property management, identifying areas for compliance improvement
- Performed detailed analysis of audited financial statements and assessed risk
- Assessed housing providers' compliance with agreements and federal/provincial and municipal regulations
- Enhanced skills of housing boards through training sessions and workshops of housing boards by leading and training through seminars and meetings, enhancing governance and operational effectiveness
Education
CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT -
MANITOBA
10-2002
BACHELOR OF COMMERCE (HONS.) -
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
Skills
- financial management
- budget administration
- compliance monitoring
- policy development
- project management
- data analysis
Affiliations
- Manitoba Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) Executive member, current Past President
- Manitoba Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) Executive member, Urban Finance Representative June 2022, 3-year term
- Metro Secretary Treasurer chair, 2021-2022
Timeline
SECRETARY TREASURER/CF0
RIVER EAST TRANSCONA SCHOOL DIVISION
07.2020 - Current
ASSISTANT SECRETARY TREASURER
RIVER EAST TRANSCONA SCHOOL DIVISION
09.2018 - 07.2020
SECRETARY TREASURER
SUNRISE SCHOOL DIVISION
03.2014 - 09.2018
ACTING MANAGER QUALITY AND COMPLIANCE
MANITOBA HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
07.2013 - 03.2014
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
MANITOBA HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
10.2005 - 03.2014
CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT -
MANITOBA
BACHELOR OF COMMERCE (HONS.) -
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA