Job Title: Director of Finance, Construction
Reports to: Chief Financial Officer
Company: Taggart Construction Limited & Doran Contractors Ltd.
Location: 3187 Albion Road South, Ottawa, Ontario
About this Role
The Director of Finance, Construction, is a senior finance leader responsible for leading change, strengthening financial processes and controls, managing complex accounting matters, coordinating finance activities across Taggart Construction, Doran Contractors and related equipment leasing entities, and maintaining overall accountability for the payroll function.
This hands-on role combines technical accounting leadership with organizational change management and practical business partnership. The Director works closely with the CFO, fellow Directors, and senior leaders, including the Controller and non-finance function heads, to establish shared priorities, coordinate cross-functional decisions and ensure finance initiatives support broader business objectives. The role improves how financial information is produced, understood and used; aligns people, processes and systems; and ensures complex business arrangements are accounted for accurately and consistently.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Reporting and Complex Accounting
- Provide strategic and technical finance leadership to the Controller and accounting teams supporting Taggart Construction, Doran Contractors and related equipment leasing operations.
- Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting across a complex, multi-company construction portfolio.
- Lead the assessment and resolution of complex accounting matters, including construction contracts, equipment leasing, joint ventures, legal ownership structures, statements of adjustment and other non-routine business arrangements.
- Ensure compliance with ASPE, company accounting policies, contractual requirements and established financial controls.
- Coordinate year-end reporting, audits and reviews, including oversight of the preparation of clear supporting analysis and documentation for significant judgments and accounting positions.
Change Management and Process Improvement
- Collaborate with Financial Systems and Process team to support finance-related change initiatives from planning through implementation, with clear objectives, stakeholder engagement, communication, training and follow-through.
- Assess existing finance processes, identify root causes of inefficiency or control risk, and establish practical improvement priorities.
- Standardize and simplify accounting, reporting and control processes across the construction businesses while respecting legitimate operational differences.
- Partner with finance and operational teams to improve workflows, clarify decision rights, strengthen accountability and embed sustainable ways of working.
- Support the effective implementation and adoption of ERP, reporting, automation and other finance technology improvements.
- Establish measures to monitor implementation progress, adoption, control effectiveness and realized process improvements.
Interdepartmental Coordination and Business Partnership
- Build strong, trusted working relationships with fellow Directors and senior leaders across operations, project management, estimating, equipment, information technology, human resources, legal and other corporate functions, serving as a key finance partner on operational and strategic matters.
- Work with fellow Directors and senior leaders to establish shared priorities, coordinate cross-functional inputs, timelines and accountabilities, and resolve dependencies affecting reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow planning and major finance initiatives.
- Provide fellow Directors and senior leaders with clear, practical advice on complex accounting, financial reporting, controls and business implications, supporting informed and timely decisions.
- Review and challenge project performance reporting, work-in-progress analysis, contract accounting and cash flow requirements to for use in timely operational decision-making.
- Facilitate alignment among Directors, senior leaders and their teams when responsibilities or priorities span departments, and support the Controller in resolving interdepartmental issues affecting the completeness, accuracy or timeliness of financial information.
Payroll Oversight
- Maintain overall accountability for the payroll function, working with the Manager, Payroll & Benefits who provides day-to-day leadership and management of the department.
- Provide executive oversight of payroll performance, controls, compliance and risk, while the Manager, Payroll & Benefits is responsible for ensuring payroll is processed accurately, completely and on time and for the day-to-day operation of the function.
- Ensure the payroll function is appropriately integrated with finance and operations, with clear processes, information flows, accountabilities and controls across the organization.
- Collaborate with the Manager, Payroll & Benefits and other leaders on continuous improvement of payroll processes, controls, systems and reporting, and provide guidance or escalation support on significant issues and risks.
Leadership, Governance and External Relationships
- Provide leadership, coaching and technical support to the Controller and finance team members, including during capacity gaps, major projects and reporting deadlines.
- Promote accountability, collaboration, continuous learning and a constructive approach to change within finance and in working relationships with fellow Directors, senior leaders and their teams.
- Coordinate bonding, lender, credit facility and covenant reporting, and support financing and working capital planning.
- Coordinate with auditors, tax advisors, lenders, bonding providers and other external stakeholders.
- Identify and escalate significant financial, accounting, control, implementation or organizational risks to the CFO, together with recommended actions.
Education and Experience Requirements
- Canadian CPA designation is required.
- Significant progressive accounting and finance experience, including senior-level leadership in a complex, multi-company environment.
- Demonstrated experience leading change management, finance transformation or cross-functional process improvement initiatives.
- Strong technical knowledge of Canadian accounting standards and practices, including ASPE, and the ability to resolve complex and non-routine accounting matters.
- Strong understanding of construction contract accounting, work-in-progress reporting, bonding requirements, lender reporting and project-based financial management would be a significant asset.
- Heavy construction, general contracting or equipment leasing experience is strongly preferred.
- Experience providing senior-level accountability for a payroll function and partnering with an autonomous payroll leader in a complex, multi-company environment is preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate with fellow Directors and senior leaders, reconcile competing priorities and perspectives, clarify shared accountabilities and move complex cross-functional initiatives to practical resolution.
- Strong ERP and financial systems experience in construction or other project-based environments, including process design, implementation and user adoption.
- Ability to assess processes critically, identify root causes and implement sustainable improvements to controls, reporting quality and efficiency.
- Strong understanding of business arrangements, legal ownership structures, joint ventures, statements of adjustment and related accounting considerations.
- Proven ability to lead, coach and support finance professionals through periods of change, competing priorities and demanding reporting cycles.
- Strong attention to detail, sound judgment and the ability to prioritize competing deadlines in a high-volume environment.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to senior leaders, finance teams and non-finance stakeholders.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and approach sensitive matters in a diplomatic, professional and practical manner.
Salary Range
The posted compensation range of $175,000 to $205,000 represents the anticipated total target compensation for the role, including both base salary and estimated annual incentive (bonus) opportunity. Placement within the range will be determined based on a variety of factors, including the successful candidate's experience, education, qualifications, specialized training, demonstrated competencies, and overall alignment with the requirements of the position. Internal equity and market considerations may also be taken into account.
Thank You for Considering the Taggart Group of Companies
Thank you for your interest in joining the Taggart Group of Companies. We appreciate every application, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that we do not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. Any such submissions become the property of the Taggart Group and are not eligible for compensation. AI may be used to screen and assess candidates.
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