Joan Mar and Entela Ifti step into new positions in the Financial Planning & Analysis team
We are pleased to welcome Joan Mar as Director, Financial Planning & Analysis, effective June 16, 2022, and Entela Ifti as Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis, effective June 1, 2022, to the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) team.
In March 2022, the Budget Office was renamed to the Financial Planning and Analysis team to better reflect the increasing demand for complex future-facing financial analysis, expanded and forecasting support, and the integration of new technologies such as Workday and Adaptive Planning. In their new roles, Joan and Entela will work with Matt Boydston, Assistant Comptroller, to lead the FP&A team and support our partners across the university.
Joan Mar, Director, Financial Planning & Analysis
Reporting to Matt Boydston, Joan will provide leadership to the FP&A team and work with our partners across UBC to scope and develop new services, support the annual budgeting process, enhance strategic support through long-term financial forecasting and analysis, and continue to develop individual team members on new tools and techniques.
Joan brings over 20 years of leadership experience, with her most recent role as Senior Finance Manager within VPFO/VPFHR, where she led the annual budget and planning process and implemented strategic initiatives. Additionally, Joan was instrumental in providing strong financial support to the FIN/HCM Integrated Renewal Program team to ensure the program’s results were accurately controlled and reported to multiple stakeholders across the university.
Joan is an alumna of UBC with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting. She also holds a CPA designation and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. She currently serves as a Treasurer at Chimo Community Services, a non-profit organization serving people through crisis care, transition, and education.
Entela Ifti, Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis
Reporting to Joan Mar, Entela will support the university’s strategic decision-making and financial planning through developing financial models to support the quarterly and annual budgetary and reporting cycles, long-term forecasting requirements, as well as financial reports and analyses for strategic initiatives.
Entela has over 15 years of rich modelling experience in forecasting, variance analysis, financial management in the education and non-profit industries. During her previous role as Intermediate Budget Analyst – Financial Planning and Analysis, Entela was instrumental in supporting the Workday data conversion activities as well as supporting the quarterly and monthly reporting activities.
Entela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business & Administration from the University of Tirana in Albania, in addition to her CPA designation. She also served as a board member in a number of organizations, including four years as Treasurer at the Vancouver Olympic Club.