Job Description
Join a Challenger
Being a traditional bank just isn’t our thing, so we challenge ourselves to get creative in providing innovative banking solutions for Canadians.
How do we get there? With a talented team of inquisitive and agile challengers that break through the status quo. So, if you’re passionate about redefining the future of banking—while having fun—this could be your next big opportunity.
Our company continues to grow, and today we serve more than 780,000 customers across Canada through Equitable Bank, Canada’s Challenger Bank™, and have been around for more than 50 years. Equitable Bank’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Concentra Bank, supports credit unions across Canada that serve more than six million members. Together we have over $138 billion in combined assets under management and administration, with a clear mandate to drive change in Canadian banking to enrich people’s lives. Our customers have named our EQ Bank digital platform (eqbank.ca) one of the top banks in Canada on the Forbes World’s Best Banks list since 2021.
The Work
The Head, Finance Integration & Transformation will play a pivotal leadership role at the centre of one of EQB’s most transformative, multiyear strategic accelerations. As we bring together the strengths of Equitable Bank (EQB) and President’s Choice Financial (PCF), this role will lead the design and execution of a comprehensive finance integration strategy that unifies people, processes, data, technology, and financial reporting across two world class organizations. This is a unique opportunity to help modernize and advance EQB’s finance capabilities, including shaping the next generation of financial reporting, and to unite two high performing teams during a defining moment of growth.
Finance Leadership
- As the Finance lead on M&A activities, lead enterprise-wide financial integration on acquisitions and dispositions, including the acquisition of PCF.
- Establish a Finance integration framework that aligns accounting practices, reporting processes, financial controls, and finance technology.
- Build a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement within the Finance organization.
- Act as a strategic partner with senior leadership across the enterprise, the Integration Management Office (“IMO”) and advisors, driving finance integration decisions that support long-term scalability, risk management, and value creation.
Finance Transformation & Innovation
- Lead Finance’s integration of PCF, establishing the foundation, design principles, and innovation mindset that will define the broader Finance transformation journey.
- Collaborate with Business, Technology, Risk, and Finance teams to modernize end-to-end‑ financial systems, including GL, consolidation, reconciliations, and data pipelines.
- Champion digital reporting modernization, automation, and analytics advancements that elevate accuracy, control, and insight generation across Finance.
- Extend lessons learned from the PCF integration to architect and execute a multi‑year transformation roadmap across all Finance functions and EQB subsidiaries.
Finance Policy, Controls & Reporting
- Lead the integration of accounting treatments, ensuring alignment with the Chief Accountant’s office.
- Review and sign off on process readiness for financial reporting, regulatory filings, audit requirements, and cross functional‑ change impacts.
- Oversee readiness for integrated month end and quartered close processes, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and scalability of post integration.
- Support the development of integrated financial reporting structures and disclosures post integration.
- Identify accounting related‑ risks early and drive mitigation strategies in partnership with technical accounting teams.
Integration Program Management
- Lead program management team to develop integration roadmaps, including scope, timelines, resource plans, risks, and milestones.
- Coordinate with the IMO to ensure integration initiatives are delivered on time, budget, and within scope.
- Oversee change management‑ readiness: communication, training, documentation, and adoption across Finance teams.
Key People Management Accountabilities
Demonstrate strong leadership, ability to form effective diverse teams, assess talent, develop people, coach, and mentor; frequently perform team assessment and evaluate associates based on goals and expectations.
Excellence in managerial leadership and motivation.
Create a team culture that is consistent with the EQB’s.
Plan and allocate resources to effectively accomplish the integration deliverables.
Establish and maintain relevant controls and feedback systems to check the information accuracy and integrity of Finance’s deliverables.
Lead employees to meet the EQB’s expectations for productivity, quality, and goal accomplishment.
Professional Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in finance, accounting, and transformation roles, with proven success in leading and delivering complex integration or transformation programs. Experience from Big 4 accounting firms and/or financial services is an asset.
Integration & transformation leadership: Demonstrated ability to design and execute multiyear, cross functional roadmaps spanning people, process, data, and technology—delivering measurable outcomes at enterprise scale.
Financial reporting & close expertise: Deep understanding of core finance processes (financial reporting, month/quarter close, consolidations, planning, and internal controls) with a track record of improving accuracy, timeliness, and scalability.
Accounting policy application: Strong knowledge of accounting policy integration and alignment; capable of partnering with a Chief Accountant’s Office on accounting treatments, disclosures, reporting readiness and controls in a public issuer environment.
Systems & Data Fluency: Handson experience with ‘office of the CFO’ finance systems and technology (GL, consolidation, reconciliations, reporting, FP&A) and leading systems integration and process redesign.
Executive communication & influence: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; including the ability to create compelling presentations and simplify complex topics for senior executives, Boards/Audit Committees, and cross functional partners.
Stakeholder leadership: Ability to build trust and consensus across Business, Technology, Risk, Legal, Data, and Finance; proven success orchestrating decision-making and resolving cross functional dependencies.
People leadership: Experience building, coaching, and scaling diverse, high performing teams; fostering engagement, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement.
Program/IMO discipline & execution:Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands, develop detailed work plans, and deliver results under tight and evolving timelines. Demonstrated success managing scope, risks, milestones, and interdependencies in large-scale change environments.
Credentials: Professional designation (CPA, CA; CPA, CGA; CPA, CMA) and/or a relevant postgraduate degree such as an MBA is preferred.
What we offer [For full-time permanent roles]
💰 Competitive discretionary bonus
✨ Market leading RRSP match program
🩺 Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits
📝 Employee Share Purchase Plan
👶🏽 Maternity/Parental top-up while you care for your little one
🏝 Generous vacation policy and personal days
🖥 Virtual events to connect with your fellow colleagues
🎓 Professional development and comprehensive Career Development program
💛 A fulfilling opportunity to join one of the top FinTechs and help create a new kind of banking experience
The incumbent will be working hybrid and in office time will be spent working from Equitable Bank’s additional office space located at 2200-25 Ontario Street, Toronto, ON.
Equitable Bank is deeply committed to inclusion. Our organization is stronger and our employees thrive when we honour and celebrate everyone’s diverse experiences and perspectives. In tandem with that commitment, we support and encourage our staff to grow not just in their career path, but personally as well.
We commit to providing a barrier-free recruitment process and work environment for all applicants. Please let us know of any accommodations needed so that you can bring your best self to the application process and beyond. All candidates considered for hire must successfully pass a criminal background check and credit check to qualify for hire. While we appreciate your interest in applying, an Equitable recruiter will only contact leading candidates whose skills and qualifications closely match the requirements of the position.
We can’t wait to get to know you!
