Welcome to the VP Finance & Operations portfolio
The nine divisions of the VPFO are responsible for the stewardship of UBC’s physical and financial assets, as well as safety and risk management for our university community.
We oversee a $3.98 billion budget, a $3.38 billion endowment, and all facilities on both campuses, as well as managing the university’s relationships with UBC Investment Management and UBC Properties Trust. In all the portfolio’s responsibilities, we are committed to the values of innovation, unity and accountability.

VPFO Strategic Plan 2024–2027
Having a strategic plan gives us a clear path, keeping everyone on the same page. Learn more about where we’re going next and how we plan to get there.
News from the VPFO
-
BRDF Air Quality Permit Notification & Consultation
Energy & Water Services is currently seeking an amendment to its air emissions permit for the Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility (BRDF) to reflect recent process changes and optimizations. The public is invited to submit comments by December 28, 2020.
-
Hyperion 2.0 is now live
The new instance of Hyperion — the planning system UBC uses to produce Quarterly Operating Reports and the Future Year Budget — is now live in read only mode, with data to the end of September.
-
Hebb Building receives LEED Gold Certification
Completed earlier this year, Hebb Building Renewal receives LEED Gold Certification from Canada Green Building Council.
-
Our first step towards transformational change in the VPFO
We’re working to build a holistic view of our portfolio to better understand how our individual team strengths can be used across the portfolio, while finding efficiencies and savings.
-
Iconic Vancouver landmark to be torn down and rebuilt to make it seismically safe
CTV news anchor Nafeesa Karim report on the Museum of Anthropology Great Hall Renewal project. She interviews Jennifer Sanguinetti, managing director of Infrastructure Development and Nick Milkovich, principal architect on the upgrades.
People of the VPFO
-
Parveen Mann joins UBC as Director, Human Resources
We are pleased to welcome Parveen Mann to the VPFO as our new Director of Human Resources, reporting to Vice-President, Finance & Operations, Peter Smailes, effective June 21.
-
VPFO Finance Realignments Following Workday Go-Live
Many members of our VPFO team played key roles in launch of Workday at UBC, and following the success of go-live we are ready to continue modernizing our core business processes, improve how we are structured, and transform the way…
-
Leadership one-on-one with our Comptroller, Karamjeet Heer
As UBC’s Comptroller, Karamjeet is responsible for ensuring the university’s fiscal sustainability by providing financial intelligence and strategy. This week she has been featured in the UBC Today Leadership One-on-One interview series.
-
Yvonne Kwok promoted to Communications Manager, Facilities and Safety & Risk Services
Yvonne Kwok will be expanding her role as Communications Manager, Facilities & SRS, effective Friday, May 21, 2021.
-
Dawn Irmscher joins UBC as Director of Payroll
Dawn brings a wealth of experience in finance, operations, technical, and systems implementation to the university, and most recently served as the Director of Finance for the Sooke School District in Victoria, BC.