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
-
A friendly reminder to run the cold water taps to ensure water is fresh
As many buildings on campus have reduced occupancy, we want to remind everyone that running the cold water taps until the water is cold is an important step before drinking or using for food preparation. This will ensure the water…
-
Extension to UBC’s Year End Schedule
The university’s year end process is currently ongoing, although this cycle has experienced several disruptions. To give UBC’s financial community as much time as possible to process year end, the schedule has been extended by a few days.
-
Construction projects remain active on campus
As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, the province has listed construction as an essential service in B.C. Worksites are taking all necessary precautions as advised by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and Provincial Health Officials.
-
Changes to UBC’s Hourly Payroll Process
In order to ensure the timely processing of UBC’s hourly payroll, given the impact of COVID-19 measures, the university’s Payroll team has established a new process to eliminate the need for paper timesheets to collect, approve, and process hours for…
-
Contact the Service Centre for all buildings and grounds related inquiries
The Service Centre is open and the most effective and efficient platform for us to track, respond, and prioritize all buildings and grounds related inquiries, as well as Emergency Operating Centre (EOC) related requests.
People of the VPFO
-
Shilan Keshvadi joins Safety & Risk Services as Associate, Health & Safety Education and Audit
Prior to joining us, Shilan was a Research Safety Coordinator at Simon Fraser University, where she acted as the EHS (environment, health, and safety) resource person for the Local Joint Health & Safety Committee to provide updates on policies and practices and address…
-
Sandy Sull joins as the Finance Manager, Project Accounting
Sandy is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with over 16 years of accounting experience across various industries. She will partner with other VPFO team members to continuously improve business processes and enable effective financial management throughout the portfolio.
-
Stuart Gilbert joins Energy & Water Services as the Assistant Civil Engineer in Engineering & Utilities
Stuart will be responsible for developing and managing programs to achieve the implementation of infrastructure and services plans, reporting to Doug Doyle, Senior Manager, and work closely with the Mechanical Utilities unit.
-
Celebrating UBC VPFO’s longest-serving staff
The VPFO team has a number of long service member inductees this year. This is an amazing personal accomplishment for the individuals and a true testament to their devotion to service at UBC. See the full list of VPFO team…
-
New Project Coordinator and Project Supervisors begin their roles in Asset Replacement & Improvements
Asset Replacement & Improvements (ARI) is in the process of implementing a new approach to the Construction Office, which will allow for greater project delivery efficiency, and help our teams be more successful in service delivery to the community. A…