Reporting to the vice-president, finance and administration, the associate vice-president ensures that business operations within Financial Resources run smoothly and plays a key role in managing all the University’s organizational priorities. This person serves on various committees, most notably the Finance and Treasury, Budget, and Audit committees.
About us
Financial Resources ensures the financial integrity and viability of the University of Ottawa by supporting its internal and external partners and providing them with a rigorous financial and accounting framework.
About the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Financial Resources
Mandate
Biography
Michel Houle was named associate vice-president, financial resources on June 27, 2022.
His 25-year career in financial and corporate services spans a range of organizations, including the National Capital Commission, where he served as vice-president, corporate services, and as chief financial officer. A graduate of the University of Ottawa’s BCom program, he also holds the CPA, CMA designation.
Over the years, Michel Houle has made good use of his proven leadership, management, and analytical skills to design business strategies and achieve organizational goals. He has a long record of success in reorganizing businesses and organizations, in transitioning to new accounting standards, in implementing new financial management systems (enterprise resource planning), in asset acquisition, and in setting up financial operations abroad.
About Financial Resources
Vision
To be recognized as a centre of expertise that uses innovative practices in strategic financial planning.
Mission
Financial Resources ensures the financial integrity and viability of the University of Ottawa by supporting its internal and external partners and providing them with a rigorous financial and accounting framework.
Role of Financial Resources
Financial Resources:
- Establishes regulations and procedures regarding supplier management, research and endowment funds, the supply of goods and services, invoice payment and expense reimbursement. It also monitors and validates the integrity of financial operations at the University of Ottawa to ensure that the University meets the requirements of various government agencies.
- Works closely with the faculties and services in the day-to-day management of financial operations, and also offers expert advice and training on the financial system and its regulations, procedures, and processes.
- Provides professors and other employees with effective, quick, high-quality financial services while striving for continuous improvement.
- Produces various reports for the University’s senior management and various levels of government.
With the arrival of Workday, the University’s new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that has combined financial and HR applications, Financial Resources now has a support team dedicated to defining and configuring this new system and updating its management processes. This work is performed in concert with Human Resources and Information Technology services, which have also assigned resources to support Workday.
Our sections and their roles
Financial Resources is divided into several sections that ensure the smooth running of financial operations at the University.
Procurement
This team is in charge of major purchases. It comprises three sub-teams: Operations, Research, and Housing.
Accounting
The Accounting team plays a key role in processing all the accounting information at the University of Ottawa. This team is responsible for recording transactions on credit and debit accounts, fixed assets, and preparing sales tax and income tax returns. It also helps prepare the financial statements that are used in setting budgets and forecasts, thus helping the University to better plan for the future. It provides internal monitoring to protect the University’s most valuable resources, and conducts operations to ensure compliance with PCI DSS standards.
Supply Chain
This team is the primary authority on procurement and logistics on campus. It comprises specialists whose role is to ensure compliance with the University’s procurement and purchasing cycle . It supports employees and researchers throughout this cycle and promotes best practices in this field. It sets regulations and policies that govern procurement and manages the tools needed to meet non-strategic operational requirements. It comprises three sub-teams: Purchasing and Reimbursement, Compliance, and Reporting and Logistics.
Financial and HR Systems and Support Services
This team provides technical services and support to maintain and test Finance and HR applications (including in Workday).
Research, Trust and Endowment
This team manages research grants, accounts held in trust, and endowments for the University’s researchers, in addition to allocating them correctly to ensure that all requirements set by funding agencies and donors to the University are met. This team is also responsible for writing financial reports for various funding agencies and for conducting different financial analyses for internal and external stakeholders.
Contact information
To contact us, please visit the home page of our website.