We earn stakeholder trust by leading with financial transparency and purpose. Through collaborative resource planning and budgeting, we champion financial excellence and long-term sustainability—all in support of mission in teaching, research, and discovery.
Role of the Strategic Finance Office
The Strategic Finance Office provides visionary financial leadership across the University of Saskatchewan, supporting institutional excellence through strategic resource planning, budgeting, financial reporting, and enterprise risk management.
The Chief Financial Officer also serves as a key Board or subcommittee representative on many of USask’s affiliated subsidiaries and entities offering support leadership and oversight.
Leads the development of institutional financial strategies that align with the university’s mission, vision, and strategic plan—focusing on cost-effective capital financing, revenue diversification, operational efficiency, and long-term financial sustainability.
Advances resource allocation frameworks to reflect university priorities, promoting cross-campus alignment and ensuring efficient and intentional use of funding across colleges, schools, and administrative units.
Builds and manages annual and multi-year budget models that align operational needs with strategic objectives, while providing quarterly performance updates and insights.
Partners with senior leaders to foster financial accountability, sustainability, and innovative practices that strengthen the university’s fiscal health and institutional agility. Helps ensure financial practices align with relevant regulations, policies, and ethical standards.
Fosters collaboration across the university to identify and manage risks that could impact our mission. Anchored on our strategy, through risk planning and shared accountability we promote resilience, transparency, and informed decisions-making.
Oversees the preparation and execution of the university's annual financial audits. Leads the creation of the university’s annual financial report. Serves as the primary connection between USask and the Board of Governors’ appointed Chief Audit Executive.
Portfolio
The core areas of focus:
- Financial strategy
- Resource Allocation and Planning
- Financial planning cycle
- Financial reporting
- Financial Operations
- Controller
- Enterprise risk management
Leadership
About Deidre (“Dee”) Henne
Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Dee brings over 25 years of leadership experience in higher education and health sciences within research-intensive environments. She currently resides in Saskatoon to support a five-year university appointment from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2029.
Prior to this role, Dee founded LEAD Advisory Services, offering strategic financial guidance to non-profit organizations, focusing on fiscal health, resource allocation, and sustainability reporting. Her previous positions include Chief Financial Officer at McMaster University and leadership roles at Hamilton Health Sciences, Canada’s second-largest research hospital.
Dee has an extensive record of community service, including appointments with the City of Hamilton’s Ward 1 Budget Committee, the Ontario HR Professional Association Board, and the Hamilton-Halton Community Care Access Centre Board. She is currently serving a three-year term (2024–2027) with Canada’s Reporting and Assurance Standards Oversight Council (RASOC), which oversees key national accounting, auditing and sustainability standards boards
Her contributions to the sector have earned national recognition, including the CAUBO Leadership in Learning Award (2017), the Council of Ontario Financial Officers Distinguished Leadership Award (2019), and CAUBO’s highest honour—the 2023 Ken Clements Award for extraordinary leadership in higher education administration.
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