Manager, Accounting & Assurance

Build your career with SME.

At SME, we believe the best client relationships are built by professionals who understand more than the numbers.

We are a growing accounting and advisory firm serving privately owned businesses, entrepreneurs, high-net-worth individuals and not-for-profit organizations across a range of industries. Our size allows our people to work closely with clients, managers and partners, take meaningful ownership of engagements, and have a visible impact on both our clients and the firm.

We're looking for an experienced Manager, Accounting & Assurance to join our team.

This is an opportunity for someone who is ready to take ownership of a diverse client portfolio, lead engagements from planning through completion, develop and mentor team members and become a trusted advisor to clients.

At SME, our Managers are an important connection point between our clients, our teams and our Partners. You'll be expected to understand your clients' businesses, anticipate issues, manage engagements effectively and help identify opportunities where SME can provide additional value.

What you'll do

Lead client engagements

• Plan, manage and oversee audit, review and compilation engagements across a diverse portfolio of clients.
• Establish the overall accounting, assurance and tax approach to engagements in consultation with the Partner.
• Develop engagement plans, objectives, timelines and appropriate audit or review strategies.
• Understand each client's business, industry, operations and key financial reporting risks.
• Identify significant accounting, assurance and tax matters early in the engagement and develop practical solutions.
• Review working paper files, financial statements, notes, corporate income tax returns and other client deliverables.
• Ensure engagements are completed in accordance with applicable professional standards, firm policies and quality requirements.
• Take ownership of engagement completion and ensure outstanding matters are resolved efficiently.
• Monitor engagement progress, deadlines, budgets and realization throughout the engagement.
• Analyze engagement economics and identify and explain significant variances from plan.
• Work closely with Partners regarding engagement risks, technical matters, client issues, staffing requirements, timing and budget.

Be a trusted advisor to clients

• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for a portfolio of clients.
• Build strong, long-term relationships with business owners, controllers, finance teams and other key stakeholders.
• Lead client meetings and discussions independently, involving a Partner where appropriate.
• Provide clients with clear, practical advice on accounting, financial reporting, assurance and business matters.
• Identify trends, risks, opportunities and unusual items through analysis of financial and operational information.
• Help clients understand their financial results and identify opportunities to improve reporting, processes and decision-making.
• Respond proactively to client questions and help ensure deliverables, filings and deadlines are managed effectively.
• Identify opportunities where additional accounting, tax, advisory or other SME services may benefit the client.

Develop and lead our people

• Lead, coach and mentor Senior Accountants, Staff Accountants and other members of the engagement team.
• Review team members' work and provide timely, practical and constructive feedback.
• Delegate work effectively based on engagement requirements, individual capabilities and development opportunities.
• Monitor engagement workflow and adjust staffing or responsibilities when necessary.
• Help team members strengthen their technical knowledge, professional judgment, client-management skills and overall confidence.
• Participate in performance management and professional development discussions.
• Foster a collaborative environment where team members are comfortable asking questions, taking ownership and continuing to learn.

Bring a strong technical and analytical mindset

• Research accounting, assurance and tax matters and clearly document conclusions and recommendations.
• Apply Canadian accounting and assurance standards to client engagements.
• Perform financial, operational and system analysis where required.
• Review complex accounting transactions and identify appropriate accounting treatment.
• Use financial data and analytics to identify trends, relationships, anomalies and areas requiring further investigation.
• Work with large financial datasets and use technology to improve engagement efficiency and analysis.
• Identify opportunities to improve internal processes, engagement workflows and the use of technology across the practice.

What you bring

We're looking for a strong public accounting professional who combines technical capability with leadership, sound judgment and excellent client relationship skills.

Ideally, you'll have:

• Canadian CPA designation.
• 5+ years of progressive public accounting experience, including experience managing or leading client engagements.
• Strong experience with audit, review and compilation engagements.
• Strong working knowledge of Canadian accounting and assurance standards, including ASPE and Canadian Auditing Standards.
• Experience preparing and/or reviewing corporate income tax returns and identifying corporate tax matters requiring further consideration.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, manage and complete multiple engagements concurrently.
• Strong financial statement preparation and review skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage timelines, budgets, workflow and competing priorities.
• Experience managing a portfolio of clients and acting as a primary client contact.
• Strong leadership, coaching and delegation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to communicate technical accounting matters clearly and practically to clients and team members.
• Strong proficiency with accounting, assurance and tax software.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and confidence working with financial data and larger datasets.
• Experience with Caseware Working Papers, Profile, QuickBooks or similar platforms is an asset.
• A high degree of professional judgment, integrity and accountability.
• A commitment to delivering exceptional client service

Most importantly, you're someone who takes ownership. You don't simply identify an issue, you think through the implications, develop a solution and help move the engagement or client forward.

Why SME?

More exposure. More ownership. More opportunity to lead.

At SME, Managers have the opportunity to be closely involved in both the technical and relationship sides of client service.

You won't be limited to reviewing files after the work is completed. You'll participate in planning, work directly with clients, coach the engagement team, collaborate with Partners and help shape how engagements are delivered.

You'll also have exposure across accounting, assurance, tax and advisory matters, giving you a broader understanding of your clients and the opportunity to continue developing as a well-rounded business advisor.

As SME continues to grow, so do the opportunities for our people. We want individuals who are interested in building long-term careers with the firm and who want to contribute to the development of our clients, our people and our practice.

What we offer

• Competitive annual base salary.
• Eligibility for an annual performance-based bonus.
• Extended health, dental and vision benefits.
• Opportunities for continued professional development and learning.
• Direct interaction with clients, Partners and business owners.
• A diverse portfolio of privately owned businesses and organizations.
• Meaningful opportunities to lead and develop team members.
• Exposure across accounting, assurance, tax and advisory services.
• Opportunities to contribute to firm growth, process improvement and practice development.
• A collaborative environment where your contribution is visible and valued.
• Modern, paperless working environment.

Compensation

The expected annual base salary range for this position is $100,000 to $130,000. The successful candidate's compensation within this range will be determined based on relevant public accounting experience, technical capabilities, leadership experience, client-management skills, job-related knowledge and qualifications. This position may also be eligible for an annual performance-based bonus.

Build what's next with SME.

If you're an experienced public accounting professional who wants greater ownership of your clients, the opportunity to lead and develop people and a meaningful role in the continued growth of a firm, we'd like to hear from you.

Apply today and build the next stage of your career with SME.