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Life in corporate industry

Is being a CPA in
corporate industry
for you?

Would you like to be an integral part of an organization, shape its future and participate in its strategic decisions? Being a CPA in industry is all that! It is also an opportunity to work on a team and hold various functions that will help you grow professionally.   

Remember that corporate finance and CPAs are vital to the economy and the business world

CPAs for
every type of job!

In industry, CPAs generally work in accounting and finance departments, which involve two main areas of expertise:

 

Management accounting

  • Focused on internal needs
  • Performing assessments and optimizing resources
  • Providing support in making (operational or strategic) decisions and achieving goals

Financial accounting

  • Focused on external needs (investors, creditors, regulators, etc.)
  • Monitoring the company’s business activities
  • Assessing an organization’s financial health

More specifically,
what does life in industry look like?

An extremely wide range of work! Here are some examples of the possibilities:

Performance management and dashboard

Not having your hands on the steering wheel is one thing, but not knowing where you’re going is quite another! Without clear directions, how can an organization reach its goals? You must define indicators to improve an organization’s performance.

Cash management

As a financial orchestra conductor, you coordinate cash inflows and outflows in an effort to maintain a harmonious balance in a company’s finances so that it is certain to have enough funds for its immediate needs and upcoming projects. As an observant strategist, you anticipate its cash flows and optimize its working capital needs.

Budgets and forecasts

You are involved in financial planning and analysis, also known as FP&A, which means that you act as a company’s financial watchdog and help it strategically plan for the future. In this role, you not only prepare budgets and financial forecasts, but also participate in various projects aimed at supporting executive management in its governance efforts and organizational strategies.

Risk management

Like the captain of a ship navigating through troubled waters, you identify, assess and reduce the potential hazards to keep the company on a stable and safe course. You also analyze financial threats, design risk management strategies, and monitor indicators to ensure that the company is able to anticipate and avoid economic storms before they occur.

Consolidation and disclosure of financial information

Your detective skills come in handy here, as you carefully review and check the accuracy of figures and prepare periodic reports on the company's financial health.

Performance improvement

Numbers are merely an extension of our actions. A thorough understanding of an organization’s transactions will help you correctly assess changes in costs and set up improvement processes.

Internal controls

Like an enforcement officer for operational and financial processes, you oversee and implement policies to reduce risks and ensure that financial and non-financial information is compliant.

Costing

A cost is more than just a number. By optimizing costs, you help maximize an organization’s profitability.

Financing

As an architect of growth, you ensure that the company has the resources it needs to carry out its plans, through loans, share capital, grants or other funding methods. You prepare financing plans and negotiate with investors to ensure that the company has a sound and robust financial structure for the future.

Mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions transform and unite entities to create synergy that increases the value and competitiveness of companies in the market. As an artisan of organizational growth, you determine the risk factors, evaluate the assets and structure transactions to orchestrate a seamless merger between companies and optimize gains.

Taxation

A company’s tax department guides it through the various developments and changes in tax laws and rules. As a CPA, you analyze legislation, give advice on tax strategies, and check that filings are consistent (income and other tax filings, etc.), while reducing the company's tax burden as much as possible.

Information technology

Those who hold the knowledge have the power to change things. An in-depth understanding of technology and data will help you make effective use of the information and turn you into the hero of the month!

Specialist
or generalist?

The work that CPAs do in industry depends on the type of organization they work for and its structure. Large organizations, such as multinationals or publicly traded corporations, have many branches and teams, each with its own specialization. This is your opportunity to play a targeted role in a specific area of expertise.
If you choose instead to work at a startup or a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), your role will be a lot broader and may include several functions such as information technology, human resources and procurement, in addition to finance.
 

Companies
in a multitude of sectors

Everyone needs a CPA on their team. Did you know that you can practice the profession in your sector of choice? There are positions for CPAs in a wide array of sectors. Find the one that suits your interests and allows you to have an impact on what really matters to you.

What!

You can be a CPA in industry and not do accounting? It’s true! As a CPA, you can also work in other internal departments: logistics, operations, business development, marketing, cybersecurity, etc. The various competencies that CPAs acquire in their training are what make them trusted leaders in every sphere of the business world.

Discover the profiles of CPAs
in industry!

Entrepreneur
Ubisoft
Cascades

Did you know that?

It is possible to complete your 24-month CPA practical experience period in a company. This is an excellent way to experience life first-hand in industry!

Many CPAs start their own business or become consultants. Thanks to the management and accounting competencies they acquire and the CPA designation’s reputation in the business world, they have a huge head start!

As a CPA, you can sit on boards of directors. This is a wonderful way to give back to society according to your values!

It is not uncommon to meet CPAs who combine their designation with another, such as the CFA, CPHR, CISA or even F.Pl. designations. That way, they benefit from an additional professional credential!

Find out your profile
as a CPA in industry!

Nice!

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