D2L is a cloud company that is modernizing education and building the Future of Work. The old models of teaching and learning are in the midst of the largest transformation in history, and D2L is at the heart of that fundamental shift.
New models of teaching and learning enable a personalized, student-centric experience – and deliver improved retention, engagement, satisfaction, and results for learners of all ages – in schools, campuses, and companies.
D2L is disrupting the way the world learns, by providing the next generation learning environment and solutions to engage and inspire learners. And most importantly, by giving customers a platform that is easy, flexible, and smart. No other company provides a solution as robust and innovative as D2L.
D2L has had a singular mission for 25 years and is dedicated to that same mission in the years ahead: to transform the way the world learns – and by doing so, we will help improve human potential globally.
Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team - yes, a real person looks at your resume! While we use AI tools internally to streamline tasks like meeting notes, summaries, and administrative work, these tools never rank resumes, make hiring decisions, or influence candidate evaluations.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Strategic Finance Business Partner is a highly visible role that serves as the primary financial partner to the Product and Engineering organizations. This role requires frequent collaboration with senior management, broad decision support across R&D, and leveraging financial data to influence how we invest, build, and grow.
You will be a key business partner in the annual integrated planning process, including translation of product roadmap strategy into operational plans and prioritization of existing and potential R&D investments. You will also be a key participant in evaluating the financial viability and modeling of strategic initiatives including new products, product partnerships, and M&A.
This role is for someone who sees finance as a creative and strategic craft, not just a control function. We're building an FP&A practice that goes beyond traditional budgeting to deliver forward-looking insights that drive business performance and growth decisions – deeply understanding what levers we pull, in what order, and with what expected return.
HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT:
Financial Planning, Analysis and Reporting
- Act as the primary Finance Business Partner to the Product and Engineering organizations, directly supporting annual planning, quarterly forecasts, and decision support
- Drive the R&D and cloud hosting (COGS) annual budget process, partnering cross-functionally to integrate bottom-up departmental inputs into an integrated financial plan
- Conduct monthly analysis of cost variances and expenditure trends to uncover root causes, translating findings into recommendations that optimize business performance – moving beyond “here is what happened last quarter” to “here is the outlook, why, and what we should do about it”
- Proactively manage the achievement of business unit results, including identification and mitigation of risks and driving opportunities
- Build and systematize disaggregated P&L reporting at the product level – surfacing visibility into unit economics, gross margin, and investment efficiency
- Own the financial framework for Product Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), translating product-level performance into roadmap and resource planning decisions
- Implement modern planning system dashboards (Pigment) to surface forward-looking insights across the Product and Engineering organizations
- Bring a builder's mindset to applying AI in finance – identifying tools and workflows that improve decision velocity, streamline the forecast process, and redirect time toward deeper business partnership
Integrated Business Planning
- Build a deep understanding of our markets, customers, and product roadmap; partner cross-functionally with leadership to identify opportunities to expand D2L’s participation in the value chain
- Serve as the lead finance partner in the annual R&D integrated planning process, including evaluation of internal operating performance, product unit economics, and P&L results
- Partner with cross-functional leaders in the semi-annual product roadmap cycle, applying a financial lens which includes investment sizing, expected ROI, and targeted business outcomes
Strategic Initiatives
- Lead the financial modelling and analysis for product-centric M&A opportunities, in partnership with the Corporate Development team – including evaluation, due diligence, and integration
- Collaborate with key internal stakeholders on the Partners team, including support to inform the commercial terms for new strategic partnerships
- Own the financial analysis of new product lines and pricing/packaging initiatives – translating customer needs into commercially sound recommendations
WHAT YOU'LL BRING TO THE ROLE:
Experience:
- 7+ years of well-rounded finance experience, including FP&A or finance/operations roles
- Proven analytical and problem-solving skills, superior attention to detail and quick learner
- Forward-thinking mindset, curiosity, and the ability to simplify complexity into easily understood financial models and narratives
- Experience within a SaaS business model and global company is considered a strong asset
- Superior communication, including in verbal presentations and written business memos
- Strong relationship, collaboration, and influence capabilities, including at the senior leadership stakeholder level
- Process-oriented, with experience building scalable processes and leveraging automation
- Strong systems aptitude and technical proficiency in advanced planning systems (Pigment, Adaptive); experience with AI/ML applications considered a strong plus
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, preferably with emphasis in Finance / Accounting / Economics
- CPA, CFA, or CBV designation considered an asset
The expected base salary range for a new hire in this role is listed below. The annualized base salary offered is determined by each candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills, education, training and experience. It is aligned to ensure both internal and external competitiveness using market data for the geographic location and industry. As part of the total compensation at D2L the role may be eligible for additional benefits including a Wellness Subsidy, Equity Grants, Variable Incentive, and more.
Don’t meet every single requirement? We strongly encourage you to still apply! At D2L, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. We encourage your application even if you don't believe you meet every single qualification outlined, because we love to help our people grow and develop!
Why we're awesome:
At D2L, we are dedicated to providing you with the tools to do the best work of your life. While some of our perks and benefits may vary depending on location or employment type, we are proud to provide employees with the following through #LifeAtD2L:
- Impactful work transforming the way the world learns
- Flexible work arrangements
- Learning and Growth opportunities
- Tuition reimbursement of up to $4,000 CAD for continuing education through our SkillsWave Program
- 2 Paid Days off for SkillsWave-related activities like exams or final assignments
- Employee wellbeing (Access to mental health services, EFAP program, financial planning and more)
- Retirement planning
- 2 Paid Volunteer Days
- Competitive Benefits Package
- Home Internet Reimbursements
- Employee Referral Program
- Wellness Reimbursement
- Employee Recognition
- Social Events
- Dog Friendly Offices Spaces at our HQ in Kitchener, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Melbourne offices.
