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
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Reminder for UBC Visa credit cards expiring in November
If you have a UBC Visa card expiring in November, this is a reminder that your card will remain valid throughout the month and will officially expire on November 30. Stay tuned for more updates as the Credit Card Team…
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Protect yourself from the flu: Get your flu shots this fall
Starting October, 2024, Influenza vaccines will be available across British Columbia. The flu vaccines will be booked through the provincial government’s Get Vaccinated system. If you have already registered with the provincial Get Vaccinated system, you will not need to…
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Celebrating our staff who joined the 25 Year Club!
The 25 Year Club honours non-faculty staff members who have 25 or more years of uninterrupted or accumulated service at UBC. This year the inductees for 2024 highlighted many staff members from across our portfolio.
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Don’t feed the clog monster
Every time you flush paper towel, the dreaded clog monster grows, creating an increasingly large clog down in the building’s pipe system. This menacing fiend lurks in our pipes, causing clogs and backups in your spaces. The clog monster leads…
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Metro Vancouver water crews conducting planned maintenance
As part of planned maintenance, Metro Vancouver water crews are working within the City of Vancouver, which may cause turbid water. There is a small possibility of increased water cloudiness in parts of Vancouver (including UBC) during this work. The…
People of the VPFO
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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.
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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…
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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.
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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.
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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.