Project Manager, Fund Optimization & Compliance - Queens University

Reporting to the Associate Registrar, Enrolment Services and Administration, the Project Manager, Fund Optimization & Compliance (“Project Manager”) will lead a university-wide project aimed at reviewing and revising slow-moving funds within the institution’s advancement and financial framework.

The Project Manager is highly skilled with strong project management, stakeholder engagement, and financial analysis skills to ensure that dormant and underutilized funds align with institutional priorities and donor intent. The Project Manager ensures best practices are applied throughout the project’s lifecycle by actively coordinating and executing project management deliverables and change management initiatives. The Project Manager assumes responsibility for project outcomes, timelines, milestones, and budget and must carefully monitor all aspects of the operational objectives of the assigned projects. The Project Manager will collaborate with key stakeholders, including university advancement, finance, and legal teams, to develop and implement solutions for fund optimization that support the university’s mission and long-term financial sustainability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the planning and direct all aspects of the comprehensive project plans for reviewing and revising slow-moving funds in alignment with the university’s financial and philanthropic goals.
• Manage all phases of the project life cycle, from initiation through implementation. Engage cross-functional teams throughout the project process to gain and establish buy-in, build project plans and manage execution/implementation to meet or exceed deadlines. Ensure quality assurance is conducted on all key project deliverables.
• Perform high-level analysis, conduct detailed research, interpret and analyze data and information, cultivate constituent relationships, and prepare various documentation (i.e. correspondence, reports, presentations, and briefing notes).
• Identify and assess inactive or underutilized funds, ensuring compliance with donor intent and university policies.
• Work closely with university finance and advancement teams to analyze fund balances, restrictions, and historical usage.
• Serve as first point of contact for projects to the end of the implementation phase. Refer highly complex and/or sensitive matters, along with collected background, information and recommendation for problem resolution, to the Associate Registrar, Enrolment Services and Administration or others as needed.
• Collaborate with senior leadership, faculty, staff, and external partners to support the priorities of the project and university. Actively manage key business constituents’ expectations and monitor satisfaction levels.
• Develop and implement a stakeholder engagement strategy/communications plan.
• Collaborate with others to establish and maintain policies and procedures, creates and maintains project documentation, disseminates information on a timely basis, coordinates project activities.
• Contribute to the strategic direction, resource allocation planning, operational planning and provides leadership to those resources who contribute to the projects. Provides strategic and tactical advice, as well as guidance and coaching to the project resources.
• Develop project plans to implement strategic recommendations for fund repurposing, consolidation, or reallocation to enhance the university’s financial flexibility. Manage resources and risks to achieve project plan timelines and goals, regularly reporting on progress. Monitor and report on progress against established program and initiative key performance indicators to demonstrate the effectiveness of improvement initiatives.
• Ensure adherence to university governance policies, financial regulations, and best practices in fund management.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to identify key learnings and opportunities for improvement, creates summary report of findings and recommendations to share with key stakeholders.
• Promote a culture of inclusion, with a commitment to the university’s equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenization Initiatives designed to foster an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming work environment.
• Prepare reports and presentations for university leadership, highlighting progress, challenges, and proposed solutions.
• Facilitate meetings, workshops, and training sessions to educate university stakeholders on fund revision strategies.
• Plans, prioritizes and manages the work of employees, providing strategic and tactical advice, guidance and coaching. Identifies the need for staff resources, participates on staffing committees, and makes effective recommendations regarding employee selection.
• Manages performance by establishing performance standards, reviewing and evaluating performance and conducting formal performance reviews on an ongoing basis.
• Assesses staff training and development needs, and ensures that employees receive training required to improve and sustain successful performance.
• Investigates, addresses and resolves employee/labour relations issues, including disciplinary matters. Makes decisions or effective recommendations on matters involving possible discipline, discharge and probationary termination.
• Support other activities as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• University degree combined with several years of progressive project management experience, coordinating multi-year projects that involve cross-functional systems, creating estimates (timeframes, budgets, resources, etc.), as well as creating process workflow/information flow maps and performing risk analyses and proposing risk mitigation strategies.
• Several years of experience in project management, financial analysis, or fund management within a university, nonprofit, or financial institution.
• Experience with donor-restricted funds, endowment management, or philanthropic compliance is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with university advancement, fundraising, and financial operations.
• Demonstrated skill with business process management and mapping methodologies and tools. Lean, Six Sigma, or project management certification is an asset.
• Strong knowledge of trust law, particularly charitable trust compliance, as well as familiarity with the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee regulations, to ensure proper management of trust-based gifts, and donor intent.
• Consideration will be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:

• Project Management: Proven ability to develop, execute, and manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a plus. Adapts to change quickly and works with the project team to identify/overcome challenges, maintains momentum to meet milestones.
• Financial Analysis & Fund Management: Strong ability to assess fund usage, interpret financial statements, and ensure alignment with donor intent and institutional priorities.
• Compliance & Governance: Knowledge of financial regulations, donor compliance requirements, and university governance policies.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with finance, advancement, legal, and academic departments. Ability to communicate effectively with both financial and non-financial audiences. Persuades, convinces or gains the commitment from key stakeholders by using effective influencing strategies.
• Problem-Solving & Strategic Thinking: Ability to identify issues with slow-moving funds and develop actionable solutions for optimization.
• Communication & Reporting: Experience preparing reports, presentations, and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Technology Proficiency: Familiarity with financial systems, donor databases (e.g., Advance or similar), and data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau.).

DECISION MAKING:

• Provides independent advice and guidance on project matters, recommending key initiatives and improvements with suitable performance metrics. Escalate complex or sensitive issues to the Associate Registrar, Enrolment Services and Administration or professional services leaders as needed.
• Manage and prioritize the project team’s workload based on shifting priorities. Assign resources effectively, monitor progress, assist with problem-solving, and guide the team towards the timely and accurate completion of tasks.
• Make daily decisions to advance project initiatives, ensuring the team’s activities align with program goals.
• Provide expert advice on managing initiatives and contribute to the strategic planning of the project’s long-term goals.
• Organize and facilitate engagements with key members of the Queen’s community, determining the appropriate format, approach and content.
• Evaluates job candidates and makes effective recommendations on suitable hires.
• Makes decisions and/or effective recommendations regarding transfers and promotions.
• Evaluates employee performance and decides on appropriate training or coaching to address lack of proficiency in carrying out responsibilities, or remedial action for staff disciplinary situations.
• Assesses investigation outcome of grievances and makes effective recommendations on appropriate course of action or next steps on grievances.
• Makes effective recommendations on level of discipline up to discharge and probationary termination.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Apply online through our Careers webpage.