Principal Advisor, Professional Advisory Services

Job summary

Provide high-value advisory services on complex accounting, assurance, and ethical matters to CPA members and internal stakeholders. Represent the organization as a subject matter expert on committees and develop technical guidance to support professional standards.

Job details

CPA Ontario is not like other organizations We operate at a rare intersection, both regulator and membership body, responsible for upholding the integrity of the CPA designation while supporting more than 105,000 members and 19,000 students across the province. Our work sits between business and the public interest, between the evolving demands of industry and the standards that make trust possible. Careers built here tend to look different because the work itself is different. You are not simply contributing to an organization. You are helping shape a profession that touches nearly every sector of the economy at a moment when expectations, technology, and the nature of work are all being rewritten. About This Opportunity: As a Principal Advisor, Professional Advisory Services, you will play a strategic and highly impactful role as a trusted expert and thought partner to members, advisory committees and internal business units. In this position, you will provide confidential, high-value advisory services on complex accounting and assurance matters, regulatory and ethical considerations, and practice management challenges - helping to shape professional standards and support sound decision-making across the profession. This role uniquely combines senior-level influence with a highly engaging and dynamic scope of work. No two days are the same - you will advise a wide range of CPA firms, from small practices to large, complex organizations, and navigate a diverse array of technical and practice management scenarios. Our advisors have the opportunity to “live through” the experiences of these firms, gaining insight into different business models, industries, and challenges, making the work continually interesting, evolving, and deeply rewarding. At the same time, this opportunity offers a strong commitment to work-life balance, with a predictable workflow and a supportive environment that values flexibility, well-being, and sustainable performance - allowing you to operate at a senior level without sacrificing balance. * Provide technical guidance and support on the application of accounting and assurance standards, CPA Ontario Bylaws, Regulations, and the CPA Code of Professional Conduct, exercising significant professional judgment to help members, students, and the public navigate complex technical, regulatory, ethical, and practice management matters. * Support informed professional judgment, decision-making, regulatory compliance, and the delivery of high-quality professional practice. * Represent CPA Ontario as a subject matter expert on provincial, national, and interprovincial committees, advisory groups, and working groups, providing technical analysis and professional insight on accounting, assurance, ethics, and practice matters. * Engage with members, firms, advisory committees, and other stakeholders to identify emerging professional, regulatory, and practice issues, assess stakeholder perspectives, and inform the development of guidance, resources, educational initiatives, and organizational responses. * Develop and review technical guidance, support tools, publications, and policy papers that help members and CPA Ontario business units understand and apply professional requirements. * Translate complex technical and regulatory requirements into practical considerations that support sound professional judgment and decision-making. * Provide specialized technical consultation to CPA Ontario business units on accounting, assurance, ethics, regulatory, and professional practice matters, supporting consistent decision-making, program development, member communications, policy initiatives, and organizational projects. * Coordinate stakeholder input on select accounting, assurance, and ethics standards consultations, analyze feedback, and contribute to CPA Ontario's responses to exposure drafts and other standard-setting initiatives. * Promote the profession's understanding of and engagement with evolving regulatory and professional requirements through guidance, consultation, and knowledge-sharing activities. * Conduct technical reviews of professional publications, guidance materials, and member communications to promote accuracy, consistency, and alignment with applicable standards, ethical requirements, and regulatory expectations, helping to mitigate technical and reputational risk. * A CPA designation and membership in good standing. * A minimum of 8 years of post-qualification experience, with demonstrated expertise in the CPA Handbook, including accounting, assurance, and quality management standards, and a strong understanding of CPA Ontario's governing framework, including its Bylaws, Regulations, and Code of Professional Conduct. * Demonstrated experience researching, analyzing, and interpreting complex accounting, assurance, ethical, regulatory, and professional practice matters, applying sound professional judgment to address non-routine issues and situations where guidance may be limited, evolving, or subject to interpretation. * Experience developing technical guidance, publications, educational content, and professional resources that translate complex technical concepts into practical and actionable information. * Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical matters clearly, effectively, and appropriately to diverse audiences. * Proven ability to build collaborative relationships and facilitate productive discussions with members, firms, advisory committees, professional practitioners, and internal stakeholders. * Exceptional analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. * Ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines while working both independently and collaboratively. * A demonstrated commitment to continuous professional development and maintaining technical expertise in accounting, assurance, ethics, and professional regulation. * High levels of professionalism, integrity, discretion, and stakeholder focus. * We support your well-being through industry-leading benefits, mental health resources, savings programs, and a sustainable approach to how work gets done. * We are committed to inclusion as a core part of how we operate, not as an afterthought. * We have a hybrid working environment, with three days a week on-site, complemented by 2 days of work-from-home time. We are intentional about that: the work we do benefits from being together. We want those days you work from home to be comfortable and offer a one-time bonus towards a home office when you start. * We invest in your growth through learning and professional development opportunities, stretch projects, secondments, and genuine paths for career progression. * We move quickly. The pace reflects the profession we serve; it can be demanding, but the work matters, and the team around you is invested in the same outcomes you have.

What you’ll do

Provide high-value advisory services on complex accounting, assurance, and ethical matters to CPA members and internal stakeholders. Represent the organization as a subject matter expert on committees and develop technical guidance to support professional standards.

Requirements

Requires a CPA designation and at least 8 years of post-qualification experience with deep expertise in the CPA Handbook and regulatory frameworks. Candidates must possess strong analytical skills and the ability to translate complex technical requirements into practical guidance.

Benefits

• Industry-leading benefits
• Mental health resources
• Savings programs
• Home office bonus
• Professional development opportunities

Listed skills

• Regulatory Compliance · Preferred
• Critical Thinking · Preferred
• Problem solving · Preferred
• Communication · Preferred
• Policy development · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Accounting standards
• Assurance standards
• Regulatory compliance
• Professional ethics
• Practice management
• Technical guidance
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Stakeholder engagement
• Communication
• Policy development
• Risk mitigation
• Professional judgment
• Research and analysis
• Influencing Skills
• Professionalism
• Workflow Management
• Ethical Standards And Conduct
• Program Development
• Accounting
• Mental Health
• Technical Analysis
• Decision Making
• Regulatory Compliance
• Critical Thinking
• Economics
• Problem Solving
• Practice Management
• Presentations
• Quality Management
• Reputational Risk
• Software Technical Review
• Verbal Communication Skills
• Collaboration

Job areas

• Finance & Accounting
• Consulting
• Management & Leadership
• Government & Public Sector
• Professional Advisor
• Environmental Compliance Specialist
• Environmental Engineers
• Environmental Compliance Inspectors
• Compliance Officers

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