Focus Area Information

Business and Financial Planning

Business and Financial Planning in the Ontario Public Service

With an annual budget of approximately $86 billion the business of managing the government’s finances is no small task. The business and financial planning professionals of the Ontario Public Service (OPS) make sure the government manages public funds in a way that is accountable, efficient and results-oriented.

As a Business and Financial Planning Intern you will be part of this team. The Ontario Internship Program is looking for talented individuals who understand and thrive in the world of business and finance. In this role you will provide financial advice and expertise to clients and stakeholders, forecast and monitor business expenditures, and perform expenditure management and analysis. You will also have the opportunity to gain valuable training and experience that will assist towards acquiring an accounting or financial designation. You will also be exposed to government accounting policy development, planning and decision making processes.

Interns Specializing in business and financial planning have worked on a wide range of innovative and exciting projects including assessing financial proposals, evaluating ministry-wide management processes and business practices, and preparing the annual ministry business plan.

If you have a passion for business and finance, and are ready to accept real challenges and responsibilities, then build your career with us.

Skills and Abilities

We are seeking candidates who possess knowledge and can demonstrate a variety of skills and abilities including:

  • Accounting/finance skills: demonstrates knowledge and an understanding of various accounting principles and systems (particularly accrual accounting) and the ability to analyze and prepare financial statements and reports
  • Analytical skills: the process of analyzing information for trends and relevant findings, drawing conclusions and making recommendations based on findings and communicating results
  • Business planning skills involves identifying key business objectives and goals for the organization and to consider the variety of factors that impact the organization and establish goals that account for those factors
  • Communicating effectively refers to effectively writing and orally presenting information in a clear, concise and accurate manner
  • Knowledge of financial management/economics/business/commerce refers to demonstrated knowledge and an understanding of effective planning and management of moneys to meet business goals. This would include knowledge of long and short range financial planning; financial and economic forecasting; allocating budgets and targets; monitoring, tracking, processing transactions; financial controllership and reporting; risk management; gathering data and performing quantitative analysis; statistics and the ability to interpret and apply standards, policies and procedures
  • Information seeking skills refers to the desire to know more about things, people or issues and implies going beyond routine questions one would ask in the job
  • Relationship management involves fostering good relationships with clients in order to achieve organizational goals
  • Teamwork skills refers to working co-operatively and collaboratively within a team or workgroups to achieve group and organizational goals
  • Problem solving: the ability to understand a situation by breaking it apart into smaller pieces, or tracing the implications step-by-step and working towards solutions
  • Risk management: the ability to identify, assess, communicate and manage the risks facing an organization to ensure that an organization meets its objectives
  • Work management involves managing multiple activities to accomplish a defined set of desired results.

What to Expect

As a business and financial planning intern your work could include:

  • Learning about accrual accounting and modern controllership in the public sector
  • Acquiring hands-on experience with the principles of business planning, risk assessment and strategic resource management
  • Developing business proposals in support of ministry programs
  • Designing financial and business processes that support the implementation of program initiatives and changing business requirements
  • Identifying and analyzing the financial impacts of new and changing programs.

Looking Ahead

The OIP is an excellent opportunity to start your career and expand your business and financial planning skills with the Ontario Public Service. The knowledge and experience you gain as a business and financial planning intern will lay the foundation of a future career as a specialist in your field. An internship in this area can prepare you for a career as a/an:

  • Financial Analyst/Officer
  • Program Analyst/Consultant
  • Economist
  • Financial Project Lead.