Erin Halfnights

The short eight months have been spent working to build an understanding of the challenges that the WLRS Client Financial Services (CFS) team have faced due to significant change. Developing a plan that could be implemented to manage that change and shift the CFS team out of a state or reaction to a place of productive outcomes. Striving to reach to the desired goal of long term productivity and increased engagement from my colleagues and the finance team.

• Collaborated with executive leadership to develop fiscal year financial planning aligned with division and ministry requirements during a ministry and division re balancing.
• Managed high-performing finance team, fostering professional development and collaboration.
• Maintained an atmosphere of accountability among team members by establishing clear performance expectations coupled with ongoing feedback and support.
• Helped meet changing demands by assessing and recommending improvements to resources allocation resulting in the addition of two Band 2 managers and one Band 3 manager to help stabilize client service delivery.
• Actively supported the creation of 2024/2025 Strategic Growth Plan for our branch that would strive to review core services for improved efficiency and accuracy in our delivery of client services, in managing our resources and ensuring consistency across our programs.
• Engaged participant in the Financial Services Branch (FSB) Strategic Management Team working to build relationships with senior executive and colleagues.
• Streamlined financial processes for improved efficiency and accuracy in reporting.

The Senior Area Manager leadership role is pivotal in ensuring that Corporate Services are delivered to the clients in an effective, consistent, an trusted manner. My two years in this role saw me challenged with the fallout from a global pandemic, a ministry reorganization, and loss of key roles within the South Area service delivery team. Multiple natural disasters including flood and fires in all the geographic area and the navigation of over 30 different funding pots in a single fiscal year as they funnel to regional clients for delivery on the land base.

• The South Area finance team has helped clients deliver on over $120M in funds while being in a 40% deficit on staffing including a $50% reduction in the management team
• Consistency and resiliency have been the focus of the year, for both clients served by CSNR and the supporting South Area CSNR team
• The development of a new management team has been the base of this culture and it has applied to all aspects of work as the South Area has shifted into the model it is today
• Process improvement was at the forefront of day-to-day aspects as we learned to address workloads with resources allocations.
• Recognized and rewarded performance to motivate continued success.
• Cultivated culture of open communication, collaboration and shared accountability for business success with the creation of a analyst cohort.

As the CSM/RM providing fleet, facility and primarily finance services to the Cariboo Region, it was my role to provide guidance, support, and leadership to the clients of the Cariboo Region, the staff of the CSB Cariboo Region team as well as the greater South Area CSB Team and our divisional client groups.

• I strove to support our organization goal of client services excellence as well as supporting the client business models as we progressed through changes and shifting ministry priorities
• Understanding the guidance of our corporate plans and initiatives gave me a solid basis for managing those priorities while developing change management skills in myself and those around me
• I enjoyed the challenges and complexities that came with this role
• Starting into the Regional Finance Manager role on the heels of what was one of the largest fire season to date gave the experience of working in a collaborative relationship with diverse players across our organization and the client organizations.
• Key in helping create a framework for the management of a complex fleet/asset, facility and financial issues faced by our region created with the influx of funding for REHAB, Wildfire Risk Reduction and Wildfire Recovery. This opened the door to building relationships with all levels of management, including senior staff, giving me the opportunity to grow the CSB Cariboo team
• Over my 4 years in this role, I was at the forefront of organizational change including shifting our priorities from a multi function roles into a finance facing role.
• The developed change management skills have created skills to resolve complex staffing issues as well as working in an advisor role as client groups navigate their own complexities and challenging situations
• The growth of my team kept up to the ever-changing financial pressures and the shifting of our services as we strove to meet demands and deadlines
• I have a strong knowledge of human resource management principles and draw on past jobs in this organization to guide me through the hard skills of researching and investigating to resolve issues

In this role as financial analyst, I worked on the forecasting for several program portfolios including Resource Management, 100 Mile House Resource District and Resource Authorizations as well as partnering with counterpart to prepare the region roll-up.

• Established skill set of how budget pressures are managed at the regional level as well as how those pressures are reported and administered at an area level
• Analyze and produce month end forecast for multiple program budgets
• Utilize current financial management reports and spreadsheets to track and monitor budgets, commitments and expenditures and look for areas of improvement in our tracking tools
• Develop a knowledge base of programs area of business to make better recommendations and maintain consistency
• Provide guidance and leadership to the regional client services branch team including continued mentorship with the Regional Services Lead

As the acting Business Administration Officer, I reported directly to the District Manager and worked closely with the Resource Managers in the office

• Gained a better understanding of budgets and forecasting from the operational perspective and have been able to apply my learnings from forecasting with client services branch to work through the process
• Provide guidance and leadership to the Cariboo Chilcotin Natural Resource District Contract and Administrative team including approval of leave and sourcing development opportunities as well as coping with complex staff issues
• Effectively communicate with external agencies as to current practices within the district
• Coordinated training needs of not only my direct team but the Cariboo region in its entirety
• Assist in managing the District budget to ensure targets are met and policies and procedures are followed
• Managed vehicle expenditures, monitor usage, and recommend changes in course of action
• Manage overhead budget, petty cash and purchasing card transactions
• Adhere to financial policies and procedures, advise staff on applicable policies, and monitor to ensure compliance
• As a supervisor I was able to renew my knowledge of HR policies including the collective agreement and worksafe BC

My role as Regional Services Lead for Cariboo has given me the opportunity to hone skills and grow my passion for client services. Being a part of a diverse team has only amplified my desire to serve and identify clients that include, not only a direct line of sight to the public, but fellow colleagues and citizens as well

• This role has enabled me to develop my leadership traits both in a supervisory role as well as working with a virtual team and having a large geographical client base
• I enjoy finding new and efficient ways of completing tasks that adds value to all involved
• My distinct passion for seeing others succeed has given me the focus I need to nurture growth as individual potential is achieved and discovered
• Successful participation on the fleet and facilities team is only possible with strong communication skills and a willingness to look at the goals of our organization on a whole
• Partner with WSI to ensure that client needs are met in a timely and consistent fashion for all facility concerns
• Liaison with provincial facilities teams on major projects within the Cariboo region on ministry owned buildings
• Assist with implementation of office moves, space planning and facility updates in a multi ministry building
• Liaise regularly with senior regional managers as well as regional staff and district staff contacts to effectively manage the repairs and maintenance budget for fleet vehicles for the broad portfolio of clients in the Cariboo Region
• Provide leadership in a supervisory role while facing challenging staff issues
• Monthly reporting of regional budget to South Area Services Manager
• Yearly involvement with purchase consultation for fleet vehicles, licensed equipment, and capital assets
• Liaise between all clients and WSI on major and minor projects related to all region facilities
• Backfill into the Corporate Services Manager role during absences

As a corporate services analyst I had the opportunity to develop both financial and corporate services skill set, consisting of fleet, facilities, records, and asset management

• I built a broad understanding of financial administration and reporting
• Using my skills to enter, retrieve and analyze salary data provided an opportunity to expand my knowledge of forecasting practices
• I also became proficient in month end forecasting at a regional level which entailed working closely with district budget managers
• Developing and analyzing these forecasting reports gave me the knowledge I needed to understand budget tracking and monitoring

In this multi role I processed Accounts Payable and Revenue for the Cariboo Region and provided responses for Payroll queries as requested. also worked closely with the CSM on two facilities projects, one of which was relocating Front Counter BC into their current location at 640 Borland St

• I have developed strong communication skills which I think have proven to be the basis of success in this role
• The ability to shift priorities effectively and efficiently have nurtured the developed passion for the client services role
• Being an effective part of a team fostered the confidence to make sound decisions
• Pay/leave coordinator liaising with MYHR
• Accounts payable processing and purchase card reconciliation
• Revenue processing, forecasting and recovery monitoring
• Vehicle coordinator – monthly mileage and PHH reconciliations as well as coordination of yearly insurance distribution

• Effective working relationships were established while working with the finance team in this role
• The skill to generate enthusiasm while completing tasks and resolving problems created a respectful and successful work environment that enabled me to develop attributes that I still rely on
• Working within extreme parameters and changing dynamics required a strong working knowledge of financial policies and procedures
• Due to strict scrutiny of records, the ability to be concise and accurate when processing financials was imperative

• Time management is a skill I developed while working within in this position
• Influxes of time pressures created the need for prioritizing tasks and flexibility

• Excellent interpersonal skills were fostered while working in this position
• The high demands of several programs gave me the solid groundwork for my technical skill base
• Developing astute listening skills enabled me to be successful in this position that required high production level with little training

A keen sense of professionalism was developed in this results-oriented role. Adjusting to the daily demands of a multi function position gave the skills to approach situations with confidence and assurance

• I was tasked with overseeing projects that were taking place in the constituency that had the Ministers approval
• I was lead on the coordination and managing of office budget-accounts payable and receivable-petty cash as well as key in managing MLA's time while in constituency
• Responsible to organize the numerous volunteers by delegating roles and responsibilities