Company Description
The Heritage Savings Trust Fund, or Heritage Fund, was established in 1976 to collect a portion of Alberta’s nonrenewable resource revenue. From an initial investment of $1.5 billion, the Heritage Fund’s value has grown to $31.9 billion as of December 31, 2025.
The Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Act creates and establishes the mandate and governance structure for the Heritage Fund. The act states that the mission of the Heritage Fund is to provide prudent stewardship of the savings from Alberta’s non-renewable resources by providing the greatest financial returns on those savings for current and future generations of Albertans.
In 2022-23, the act was amended to require that income generated by the fund stays in it unless a withdrawal is authorized by Treasury Board. This change was, and remains, instrumental to the continued growth of the Heritage Fund.
Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation
Operating under authority delegated by the Minister of Finance, the Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation provides prudent stewardship of the Heritage Fund and other provincial endowments. The corporation is led by a professional and highly qualified board of directors responsible for setting strategic direction, and the board operates independently at arm’s-length from government.
Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation is modernizing the investment policies of the Heritage Fund to secure an actively managed, global asset mix optimized for long-term growth. The corporation is strengthening Heritage Fund oversight, while maintaining a strong commitment to operational accountability, transparency and cost discipline.
To learn more, please visit www.alberta.ca/heritage-savings-trust-fund (HFOC website is in development).
Scope and Responsibilities
HFOC is seeking a strategic, hands-on, and highly collaborative Vice President, Finance and Operations to lead and oversee all corporate services functions. Reporting directly to the CEO, this newly created position will be responsible for establishing, developing, and continuously improving the organization's operational foundation, including Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities, Office Administration, Procurement, and related corporate support functions.
The successful candidate will be equally comfortable operating at both the strategic and tactical levels. As HFOC continues to grow, many processes, policies, systems, and operational structures are still being developed. The Vice President, Finance and Operations will thrive in a "builder" environment and will help create scalable frameworks that support organizational growth while ensuring appropriate governance, risk management, and accountability.
The ideal candidate is a CPA with a strong finance foundation who has broadened into operational leadership across multiple corporate functions. They bring a combination of strategic thinking, operational rigor, and public-sector awareness, along with the confidence and practical capability to build processes and infrastructure in a growing organization. Experience within a Crown corporation, government, public sector entity, pension fund, or investment management environment will be viewed as a significant asset.
This role is ideal for an individual who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment and enjoys building functions, creating processes, and influencing outcomes in a highly visible setting.
Specific Responsibilities
This is a critical role in HFOC’s continued success and growth. The role is accountable for the following:
Corporate Operations Leadership
- Provide overall leadership and oversight for corporate services functions, including Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities, Office Management, Administration, Procurement, and vendor management.
- Develop and implement operational strategies, policies, procedures, and controls that support organizational effectiveness and future growth.
- Build scalable operational frameworks and service delivery models appropriate for a growing organization.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and strengthen organizational effectiveness.
Finance & Corporate Stewardship
- Lead the organization's financial management activities, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash management, and financial controls.
- Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, legislation, regulations, and reporting requirements.
- Oversee audit processes and coordinate with external auditors and relevant government stakeholders.
- Support executive leadership and the Board through the provision of financial analysis, reporting, and decision-support information.
- Develop and strengthen financial policies, internal controls, and governance practices.
Human Resources & Organizational Development
- Lead the development of foundational people practices, including recruitment, onboarding, compensation, performance management, learning and development, succession planning, and employee relations.
- Support the cultivation of a positive, values-based organizational culture.
- Ensure compliance with employment legislation and public-sector best practices.
- Partner with leadership to support workforce planning and organizational growth.
Information Technology, Data, & Cybersecurity
- Oversee the delivery of IT services and technology strategy, including systems implementation, cybersecurity, business continuity, information management, and digital enablement.
- Set the technology roadmap for the corporation and keep it proportionate to HFOC’s size, mandate, and stage of development.
- Ensure the corporation maintains an appropriate cybersecurity posture, including access controls, monitoring, incident response, and periodic independent assessment, and report on cyber risk to the CEO and the Board.
- Establish appropriate governance, policies, and controls related to technology and information security.
- Manage relationships with third-party technology providers and service partners.
Facilities & Corporate Administration
- Lead office operations, facilities planning, and administrative services.
- Support the establishment and management of office space, workplace policies, and employee services.
- Ensure facilities and administrative functions effectively support organizational needs.
- Oversee procurement practices and vendor relationships while ensuring appropriate governance and value for money.
Governance & Risk Management
- Support the CEO and Board in meeting governance requirements and organizational obligations.
- Develop and maintain enterprise and operational risk management practices.
- Contribute to strategic planning initiatives and corporate performance measurement.
- Ensure corporate policies and procedures align with public-sector accountability expectations.
Board & Stakeholder Management
- Primary liaison for Office of Auditor General, Treasury Board and Finance, Officer of the Controller, and the Public Service Commission.
- Support the CEO in maintaining strong corporate governance practices consistent with the Alberta Public Agencies Governance Act, including board policies and conflict of interest administration.
Desired Candidate Abilities, Background and Experience
Given the role this individual will play in HFOC’s continued growth and success, it is essential that the successful candidate possess the following education, experience, and personal characteristics:
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Commerce, or a related discipline.
- Professional accounting designation (CPA) strongly preferred.
- Additional education or certifications related to human resources, governance, risk management, project management, or operations management would be considered an asset.
Experience
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in finance, operations, or corporate services roles.
- Experience within a Crown corporation, public sector, government agency, pension organization, investment management organization, or similarly regulated environment.
- Familiarity with public-sector governance, accountability frameworks, and stakeholder environments.
- Demonstrated success leading multiple corporate service functions, including finance and one or more of HR, IT, facilities, procurement, or administration.
- Experience building or transforming operational functions within a growing or evolving organization.
- Experience developing policies, procedures, controls, and governance frameworks.
- Proven ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution.
- Experience establishing operational capabilities in a start-up, newly formed, or rapidly growing organization would be highly valued.
Personal / Professional Attributes
- Proven leadership experience building teams, functions, and organizational capabilities.
- Ability to set long-term direction and translate strategy into actionable plans.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong cross-functional and customer relationships.
- Critical thinker with strong organizational and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach.
- Demonstrates ethical leadership and commitment to fiduciary responsibilities.
- Ability to drive change, foster innovation, and lead in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrates unwavering integrity, ethical judgment, and accountability in all professional interactions and decision-making.
Attractions
This role provides an opportunity to join a company that is poised for continued growth. Other attractions include the opportunity to:
- Help define and implement the strategic direction of a brand-new Crown corporation tasked with modernizing Alberta’s Heritage Savings Trust Fund, originally created in 1976.
- Make impactful decisions that will influence Alberta’s financial resilience for decades, leading to creating a $250 billion fund by 2050.
How To Apply
HFOC has engaged the Executive Search Firm, DHR Global, to manage this search. For more information or to apply, please send in your application to [email protected]. Applications should include a letter addressing how the candidate’s experience matches the position requirements along with a current CV.
