The Opportunity

I’m an Edmonton-based CPA, and my practice is growing in response to client requests for additional support.

I’m looking for a CPA who wants to be a part of something. Someone who wants to build a practice, shape their future, and create lasting positive impacts in their community. My goal is to build a team that has clarity and alignment on giving people a sense of self-determination early in their careers. The role begins as an hourly position on CFO-level advisory work and a smaller portfolio of year-end and tax files. From there, it offers a structured path toward opening your own professional corporation.

The progression path for all my accounting staff

1. Junior accountant or CPA candidate. Hands-on advisory, year-end and tax files with a CPA mentor, and practical experience that counts toward the designation.

Next step: CPA designation.

2. Just designated CPA. Growing responsibility for client files, and reviewing and coaching newer staff.

Next step: readiness to build a practice.

3. Associate CPA (this role starts here). Learning every part of firm administration, building your own client base and setting up your PC.

Next step: PC registered with CPA Alberta.

4. Your own Professional Corporation. A baseline amount of work from my firm to give you the confidence to solidify your client base.

Next step: both practices need more support.

5. Growing together. Shared administrative support across independent firms, and hiring and mentoring the next team, who start at stage 1.

Your onboarding stage: Associate CPA

You join my practice as an hourly employee. For approximately the first six months, I remain my clients’ main contact and review all work while you prepare, analyze and draft. Clients are introduced to you gradually as you take on more responsibility.

In this stage, you’ll:

- Support fractional CFO work for growing businesses: cash flow forecasts, budgets, KPI reporting and lender packages
- Review monthly bookkeeping for advisory clients on cloud accounting software
- Prepare a smaller portfolio of year-end compilation engagements and T2, T1, T4/T5 and GST/HST returns.
- Learn every part of running a firm’s administration, from engagement setup and billing to collections and file management
- Develop new client relationships, accepted through the firm’s client-acceptance and conflict-check procedures




- Learn to use my CRM software for prospects and client management

What you bring

Above all, I’m looking for someone personable, eager to learn and easy to work with. Someone who brings positive energy to solving problems and navigating change, in their own career and alongside clients.

On the technical side, you’ll bring the skills of a public practice manager:

- CPA designation, 2 to 6 years post-designation, working at or near manager level in a small or mid-size public practice firm, or running a registered practice of your own
- Experience that already qualifies you for CPA Alberta compilation registration
- Planning and running compilation engagements from start to finish under CSRS 4200
- Preparing and reviewing T2 corporate and T1 personal returns
- Reviewing the work of staff or juniors, and coaching them through review points
- Managing a portfolio of clients and deadlines, including engagement budgets and billing
- Clear, confident communication with business owners
- Fluency with cloud accounting software

CFO experience is an asset rather than a requirement. If you’ve built cash flow forecasts, budgets, KPI reports or lender packages, you’ll have a head start. If not, I’ll provide on-the-job training. Experience developing new clients, improving a firm’s processes, or involvement in the local business community is also valued.

Compensation

You’re paid hourly as an employee at $45 per hour on my files and you will initially get a 50% cut on the clients you bring to the firm (some conditions apply, details to follow as it’s hard to explain in a job posting). Once your PC is registered, shared engagements are then paid as a 70/30 split when collected depending on who’s working whose clients. I’ll let you do the math with entry-level,



industry-standard fractional CFO rates and what you could take home depending on how many billable hours or year-ends you can bring in as an employee vs working my clients and then once you have your PC set up.

What I provide

Your PC covers its own setup and registration costs. To support you along the way, I’ll share:

- A system of quality management built on up-to-date technology, including AI tools intended to reduce administrative work so more of your time goes to client service.
- Software, templates, engagement letters and file templates currently in use.
- Training in firm administration and, once both practices need it, the option of shared administrative support.
- Guidance on professional liability insurance.
- Ongoing mentoring on running a practice: pricing, scoping, client selection and workflow.

Time not spent on client work or my firm’s admin is yours to invest in your own practice, at your own pace and grow your client base.

Following CPA Alberta’s registration steps, you would establish your professional corporation, register it as a professional accounting firm, set up CRA e-filing, arrange professional liability insurance and then begin developing your client base. I’ll offer guidance where it helps, but the practice you build is yours to shape.

How we work together

- Clients come first. Each client consents in writing before anyone other than myself works on their file, and their choice of accountant is always respected.
- We don’t approach each other’s clients. Clients I introduce stay with my practice unless they choose otherwise.
- Clients you bring in can move with you. Until your firm is registered, they’re engaged through my practice under my client-acceptance process and insurance. Afterward, they can move to your firm with their consent.
- Either of us can end the arrangement with 90 days. Standard probationary period.

My leadership style was heavily influenced by these two books: Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Patrick Lencioni’s The Advantage. If you have other management consulting books that help you navigate your leadership roles, please bring them to the interview! Culture and values matter most in the selection process.

If this sounds like the next step you’ve been looking for, I’m happy to chat!

Start date: January, after the holidays.

You can reach me at [email protected].

Pay: $45.00-$65.00 per hour

Work Location: In person

📌 Fractional CFO & Year End Accountant (CPA) (Edmonton)
🏢 Levi D. Soprovich Professional
📍 Edmonton