Accountant - Public Practice

Senior Accountant / CPA – Public Practice

Jansen DeWolde Chartered Professional Accountants is an established and growing accounting firm based in Chilliwack, British Columbia. We work closely with owner-managed businesses, families, and individuals throughout the Fraser Valley, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

We are looking for an experienced CPA to join our team in a senior accounting role. This position is well suited to someone who has strong public-practice experience, is comfortable exercising professional judgment, and enjoys working directly with clients and supporting other members of the accounting team.

The successful candidate will assist with reviewing work, answering client questions, preparing and overseeing year-end engagements, and providing practical accounting and tax advice. Over time, there will be opportunities for the successful candidate to assume additional client-management and leadership responsibilities as the firm continues to grow and plans for the gradual retirement of one of its partners.

This is a hands-on public-practice position involving a combination of year-end preparation, review responsibilities, client communication, tax compliance, tax planning, and staff support.

We are looking for someone who can take ownership of client files, identify issues requiring professional judgment, work through practical solutions, and communicate clearly with both clients and other staff members.

• Prepare and review compilation engagements
• Prepare corporate year-end working paper files, financial statements, and corporate income tax returns
• Review personal income tax returns
• Assist with more complex personal and corporate tax matters
• Respond to accounting and tax questions from clients
• Identify practical tax-planning opportunities for individuals and owner-managed businesses
• Assist with tax-planning engagements, including business purchases and sales, corporate reorganizations, succession planning, estate planning, and buy-sell arrangements
• Prepare and review GST returns, trust returns, and estate filings
• Review work prepared by other staff members
• Train, mentor, and provide technical support to other team members
• Manage multiple client engagements and ensure deadlines are met
• Communicate directly with clients regarding outstanding information, engagement results, tax matters, and planning opportunities
• Develop and maintain trusted, long-term client relationships
• Collaborate with the partners and other staff on complex client matters and special projects
• Assist with improving the firm’s internal processes and workflow

• Canadian CPA designation
• At least three years of recent public-practice accounting experience
• Five or more years of public-practice experience would be preferred
• Strong experience preparing personal and corporate income tax returns
• Experience preparing compilation engagements and corporate year-end files
• Experience reviewing personal tax returns and work prepared by other staff
• Review-engagement experience would be an asset
• Experience with trusts, estates, tax planning, or corporate reorganizations would be an asset
• Strong professional judgment and the ability to identify issues requiring further investigation
• Ability to explain accounting and tax matters clearly and practically
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a collaborative team
• Experience supervising, reviewing, or mentoring staff would be an asset
• A practical, solutions-oriented approach to client service

The ideal candidate is an experienced public-practice accountant who enjoys working directly with clients and wants to play a meaningful role within a smaller firm.

You are comfortable taking ownership of files, answering client questions, and making sound professional judgments. You are also willing to seek input when appropriate and enjoy helping other staff members develop their skills.

You may be looking for more direct client interaction, greater responsibility, and the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing…