Union: non-union
New or Replacement Position: Replacement
Site: 700 University Avenue- Hydro Building
Department: Research Financial Services
Reports to: Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Status: Permanent, Full-time
Closing Date: March 31, 2026
Position Summary
The Senior Director, Research Financial Services, provides executive leadership for all aspects of financial management, planning, and oversight for the Research Portfolio, and its Institutes, within Canada鈥檚 largest hospital network. This role is accountable for the strategic and operational leadership of research financial services, ensuring financial integrity, sustainability, and alignment with institutional priorities, regulatory requirements, and sponsor expectations.
Reporting to the Deputy CFO, the role serves as a critical bridge between Finance and Research, enabling effective stewardship of public, private, philanthropic, and industry-sponsored research funding. Together the Research portfolio spends over $600M annually to deliver world class research. As a trusted advisor to the Executive Vice President of Research, senior research operations leadership, and institute leaders, the Senior Director, RFS, delivers expert financial and business advice to support decision-making across a highly complex, multi-institute portfolio.
Duties:
Strategic and Innovative Financial Leadership
- Lead the overall financial strategy for the Research Portfolio within UHN, ensuring alignment with organizational, academic, and clinical priorities
- Provide expert financial and business advice to the EVP, Science and Research, to the Deputy CFO, and senior leaders on long-term sustainability, resource allocation and investment decisions
- Lead research and organizational business innovation and technology initiatives to work smarter, adapt faster, and deliver better outcomes, and integrate research financial planning into enterprise-wide financial strategies
Research Financial Operations
- Responsible for a team of 60+ finance staff that provide financial and business support to over 1,200 principal investigators and researchers who receive funding from over 900 research sponsors.
- Oversee all aspects of research financial services, including financial accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, preparation and management of operating and capital budgets, research balance sheet activities, and cash flows.
- Ensure effective financial oversight across a diverse portfolio of funding sources (tri-council, foundations, philanthropy, industry, international sponsors) and compliance with all funding agency guidelines
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of research finance professionals
Governance, Risk & Compliance
- Establish and maintain robust financial controls, policies, and processes to support complex operations
- Ensure compliance with sponsor requirements, institutional policies, and applicable legislation and regulations.
- Identify and manage financial risks related to research funding, contracts, and operational complexity.
- Support audits and financial reviews related to research activities
Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement
- The Senior Director works with many internal and external stakeholders including auditors, granting and reporting agencies, commercialization entities, UHN-affiliated Foundations and others
- Build strong partnerships with institute leadership, researchers, research operations, legal, procurement, and corporate finance teams
Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Drive continuous improvement in financial systems, reporting, near real-time analytics and AI adoption, to enhance decision making, transparency and efficiency
- Support modernization initiatives and process standardization