District of Sparwood

Director of Finance

The Community
The District of Sparwood is a welcoming and resilient mountain community of approximately 4,100 residents, located in the heart of the Elk Valley in southeastern British Columbia. Sparwood offers exceptional access to outdoor recreation including hiking, biking, fishing, camping, and skiing — all while being just 1.5 hours from Cranbrook and 2.5 hours from Calgary. This is an opportunity to enjoy a balanced lifestyle while making a meaningful professional impact in local government.

The Opportunity
The District of Sparwood is seeking a strategic, experienced, and collaborative Director of Finance to join its Senior Leadership Team.

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Director of Finance serves as the municipality’s principal financial advisor to the CAO and Council and provides leadership over the District’s financial stewardship and long‑term sustainability. This role plays a key part in supporting sound decision‑making, fiscal accountability, and alignment with Council priorities.

Key Responsibilities
The Director of Finance provides leadership and oversight for the District’s financial functions, including:

Financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting
Development and administration of operating, capital, reserve, and borrowing plans
Property taxation, utility rates, and long-term funding strategies
Treasury functions, investments, debt management, and internal controls
Grant funding administration, reporting, and compliance
Risk management, insurance, and asset management planning
Preparation of financial bylaws, policies, and reports for Council
Advising the CAO and Council on financial condition, risks, and sustainability
Leadership and mentorship of the Finance team

The Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate is a finance professional who combines strong technical expertise with sound judgment, leadership skills, and the ability to communicate clearly with both elected officials and staff.

Qualifications and experience include:

Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation
Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible financial administration experience
Minimum five (5) years in a financial leadership or supervisory role
Municipal finance experience and experience in a unionized environment are considered strong assets
Strong knowledge of public-sector accounting standards and municipal governance
Proven experience with budgeting, financial reporting, and variance analysis
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
A wide range of non-traditional education and/or equivalent work experience will be considered

Compensation & Benefits
The District of Sparwood offers a competitive management compensation package, including:

The starting salary range for this position is between $116,000 and $140,000 (dependent on education and experience), with further increases based on the annual performance reviews
Employer-paid benefits
Up to 3 weeks of time off in lieu of overtime
Earned Day Off (EDO) program
Flexible workplace provisions to offset overtime and support work-life balance
Active Living Pass providing access to the Leisure Centre, fitness centre, climbing wall, pool, arena, and select drop-in fitness classes
Opportunities for ongoing professional development

Apply Now! Closing date for applications is open until filled. Applications will be reviewed as received.

Visit our careers site at: https://sparwood.bamboohr.com/careers/57 and click on the “Apply For This Job” link to submit your resume and cover letter addressed to Manager of Corporate Services.

Qualified applicants who are offered and accept the position may be required to complete a satisfactory pre-employment background check. This may consist of all or a combination of the following: Canadian criminal record check, an employment verification and/or an education and accreditation verification, and a clean driver’s abstract.

District of SparwoodDirector of Finance

District of Sparwood

Director of Finance

District of Sparwood

Open Positions

Director of Finance