Senior Director, Integrated Accounting & Cloud Solutions

Vortex Strategy & Recruitment is actively seeking a Senior Director, Integrated Accounting and Cloud Solutions for its client, a highly respected and rapidly growing provincial accounting firm based in Montreal. The firm employs more than 200 professionals, and its team continues to expand year after year.

The Senior Director oversees a diverse portfolio of bookkeeping, compilation engagements, internal financial statements, and payroll mandates. As such, this individual manages the entire engagement lifecycle, from planning through delivery, while collaborating extensively with partners and clients. The Senior Director also serves as a key resource for the Accounting and Cloud Solutions team, as well as for other departments within the firm.

The Senior Director is capable of leading highly complex and large-scale engagements and serves as the primary point of contact for the finance leaders of assigned clients. Through both actions and communications, this individual consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to the success of the team. Acting as an ambassador for the firm, the Senior Director adopts a strategic approach focused on the firm's long-term vision and best interests. The incumbent is also responsible for approving and delivering selected engagements.

Your Role and Responsibilities

Planning

• Plan engagements with the Partner by optimizing team resources while ensuring deadlines are met.

• Provide clear direction to team members during the planning phase by defining the appropriate engagement approach for selected mandates.

• Establish team priorities and serve as a resource for colleagues.

• Participate in the management of engagements and the team in a multi-engagement environment while fostering a positive workplace that leverages each individual's strengths.

• Prepare engagement budgets and submit them for approval, and approve budgets for designated engagements.

• Prepare and lead engagement planning meetings.

Supervision

• Be available to answer questions from Managers, Associate Directors, Directors, and Senior Directors throughout engagements.

• Monitor engagement progress using the firm's available management tools.

• Identify issues arising during engagements and discuss them with the Partner in a timely manner.

• Inform clients of any changes and negotiate any required adjustments.

Review

• Review the work completed by Directors and Senior Directors, as well as engagement deliverables.

• Identify issues, discuss them with the Partner, and recommend solutions for moderately to highly complex matters.

• Issue review notes and ensure they are addressed thoroughly, both in terms of quality and timeliness.

• Review and approve deliverables for designated engagements.

Ensure Compliance with Deadlines, Budgets, Billing, and Accounts Receivable Collection

• Communicate applicable deadlines to stakeholders and take the necessary steps to ensure they are met.

• Manage engagement budgets and communicate any time overruns to both the Partner and the client to obtain additional budget approval.

• Prepare budget amendment requests and obtain the Partner's approval in a timely manner.

• Prepare draft interim and final invoices, where applicable, on a timely basis.

• Keep the Partner informed of engagement progress, constraints, and budget compliance.

• Ensure engagements progress and are completed within established timelines.

• Identify additional work opportunities, where applicable, negotiate with clients, and recommend appropriate wording and billing amounts to the Partner.

• Participate in accounts receivable collection efforts when required and at the Partner's request.

For Selected Engagements and Clients

• Approve engagement budgets.

• Approve budget amendment requests.

• Approve invoices.

• Monitor work in progress and billing to ensure the firm's objectives are achieved.

Provide Performance Feedback and Conduct Post Engagement Reviews

• Deliver performance feedback to Managers, Associate Directors, Directors, and Senior Directors, with the support of the Engagement Partner.

• Prepare and facilitate post engagement meetings while ensuring they are fully documented.

• Collaborate with the Partner to identify opportunities for improvement from both a technical and operational efficiency perspective.

• Recommend practical solutions, oversee follow-up, and ensure implementation of identified improvements.

Manage Internal and External Communications Throughout Engagements

• Maintain clear and professional communications between team members and clients while ensuring technical matters are properly explained and understood.

• Closely monitor the progress of assigned engagements through regular communication with engagement managers and by using available management tools.

• Coordinate communications and lead stakeholders on highly complex or large-scale engagements.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients' finance leaders.

• Be responsible for client delivery on designated engagements, including those personally approved.

• Represent the firm professionally in all internal and external communications.

Participate in the Training and Development of Team Members

• Mentor Managers, Associate Directors, Directors, and Senior Directors.

• Participate in internal training activities related to accounting, payroll, and taxation.

• Serve as a resource for members of the Accounting and Cloud Solutions team.

• Deliver training sessions on complex topics while effectively sharing expertise.

• Support client training related to cloud-based accounting solutions.

• Stay current with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, and recommend improvements to departmental processes.

• Develop tools and training programs to improve the efficiency of both engagements and the department.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting.

• CPA designation (required).

• More than 10 years of experience in a public accounting firm in similar leadership roles.

• Extensive knowledge of QuickBooks, Dext, CaseWare, and TaxPrep.

• Strong understanding of Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises (ASPE) and taxation.

• Excellent planning and organizational skills.

• Strong analytical abilities, attention to detail, and commitment to quality.

• Ability to manage multiple engagements simultaneously.

• Excellent command of French, both spoken and written.

• English proficiency is considered an asset.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary based on experience.

• Comprehensive and flexible group insurance program.

• Annual wellness allowance.

• Flex Time, Flex Schedule, and Flex Location. This flexible work model offers maximum autonomy. Flex Time allows employees to bank time during busy periods and use it later, Flex Schedule provides the ability to tailor work hours to personal routines, and Flex Location allows employees to choose where they work while meeting operational requirements.

• 100% remote work, if desired.

• Telemedicine services.

• Social activities including happy hours, BBQ lunches, outdoor events, tax season celebrations, game and trivia nights, prize draws, and more.

• And much more.