Intern Staff Accountant

Fall/ Winter Term (September 2024 – April 2025)

Full-Time Paid Contract

Hybrid Working Environment

Ottawa, ON

JOB DESCRIPTION

At McCay Duff LLP, you can have a rewarding and exciting internship. We understand that a career in accounting is about far more than numbers; it is about dreams, the journey and achieving long-term personal success. So, start by taking your internship journey with us. Our opportunity allows you to immerse yourself in the world of public accounting by giving you maximum exposure and insight into our many clients and services. Join us for hands-on experience to thrive in a medium-sized public accounting firm and start putting your learning into practice. We will give you responsibility from the beginning and support you along the way.

At McCay Duff LLP, we value our staff as our most valuable assets. We take pride in offering students pursuing a Masters in accounting the opportunity to intern with us. The feedback from our previous MAcc Interns speaks volumes about the value they found in their eight-month internship. They gained exposure to a wide range of work, received mentorship, and built lifelong connections with our staff. An internship with us not only reinforces your university learning but also sets you up for a successful career in public accounting.

As the accountants of the future, we want to challenge you and provide you with real, impactful work during your internship. Your time with us will allow you to apply your technical skills and enhance your professional conduct, problem-solving abilities, self-management, and communication with clients, colleagues, and classmates. This comprehensive experience will equip you with the skills and confidence to excel in your CFE preparation classes and future accounting careers.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN INCREDIBLY REWARDING INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY, WE WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU!

The Internship Program – What Do You Get?

Over eight months, you will gain relevant practical experience in our primary public accounting services of audit and accountancy work and learn how they complement each other. You will also be introduced to many of the required competencies related to the CPA designation process and start building your toolbox of practical knowledge, which is essential for obtaining your post-nominal letters.

The Internship will begin with an orientation to acquaint you with our firm, policies and procedures, a tour to navigate our working environment, and software training on the firm’s systems necessary to prepare a file from start to finish through case studies. Once you have completed the onboarding items, you will shadow a senior member of the team, who will help you connect your studies and training to our client files, ultimately transitioning into working through your own assigned client files. Over your internship, there will be numerous opportunities to assist senior staff and work independently on assurance engagements, working papers, and corresponding financial statements for a breadth of small and medium-sized clients across different industries. You will also be exposed to preparing corporate and personal income tax returns as you work through your first busy season with us.

You can expect to take on real accountability in a supportive environment of fellow bullpen staff and our leadership team. Depending on the engagement’s size and nature, interns sometimes report to senior staff members, managers, or the engagement partner. The level of complexity of assignments will depend on the intern’s unique abilities, as everyone has different previous experiences.

Key Aspects

Provide support with the preparation of various sections of assurance engagement files, including audits and reviews.
Prepare compilation engagement working paper files.
Prepare basic financial statements as part of the working paper files.
Prepare basic corporate tax returns.
Prepare personal tax returns.
Assist in preparing financial statements, such as balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements.
Assist with research, filing, data entry, recording and maintaining accurate and complete financial records.
Experience working with complex client information and within our software.

Training and Development

Technical learning never stops due to the wide scope of engagements an intern will work on. Specialized technical training is offered as you progress to more complex files to grow and develop your accounting skills. After each engagement, you will receive feedback from the manager of the file in the form of review notes, so you will learn quickly and apply your new knowledge to the following file. You will be encouraged to attend as many educational courses and seminars as the firm has to offer during your internship.

While knowledge of accounting principles is essential, succeeding in our line of work takes more than technical knowledge. You must also develop several soft skills that will enable you to serve our clients better and ultimately become a successful leader someday. Our internship provides an environment for you to be challenged and practice some of the required soft skills for a successful career in public accounting.

Mentorship

Interns are assigned a mentor who will be there to help ease the transition into the real world of accountancy and make your experience with us the most valuable it can be. Your mentor will be accessible and committed to providing you with coaching, progress support and guidance for your professional development forming the foundation of your CPA journey.

Performance Evaluation

Your mentor will schedule regular performance and check-in meetings to provide timely feedback, celebrate your progress, identify areas for improvement, and provide constructive feedback.

Networking Opportunities

Interns have the opportunity to interact and develop positive relationships at every level within the firm. This will help you expand your professional network and gain insights into our industry that will last for the length of your career.

Compensation, Benefits & Social

Our compensation and employee benefits are among the best in the industry, and we are continually reviewing our policies to ensure this.

Our office enjoys a friendly and social atmosphere with the help of our social committee, and our Interns are a massive part of that. We know how hard our staff work, so we make sure there are lots of food and fun events throughout the year to gather us and have some laughs together (think workout Wednesday, thirsty Thursdays, office mini putt, archery tag, scavenger hunts, pizza lunches and an end-of-busy season party to name a few).

What We Look For

Applicants are expected to:

Hold an Honours Bachelor’s degree in accounting or equivalent in a related field, with a minimum overall average of B – (70%).
Prior accounting or related co-op experience is required.
Working towards the completion of a postgraduate master’s degree or graduate diploma
Intention to pursue their Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.
Motivation and a strong desire to take on new challenges and learn as much as possible.
High level of efficiency, accuracy and responsibility.
Proficient in MS Office Suite, with advanced Excel skills, is preferred.
The position is a hybrid work schedule role based in our office at Lansdowne Park.
Role requires some travel to client premises from time to time.

Language Requirements

Applicants must show the ability to communicate effectively in English and demonstrate their knowledge and fluency in both verbal and written communication. Proficiency in any additional languages may be beneficial and considered an asset. However, proficiency in English is the most critical language requirement for this position.

Application Process

If you are interested in a rewarding Internship opportunity with our firm, please apply in the following ways:

Submitting your resume and cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest in the internship via e-mail to careers@mccayduff.com.

Please use the subject heading “MAcc Internship 2024” and address your application to Ms. Krista Mason, HR Generalist.

Apply to our McCay Duff LLP job posting via the university job board in the mySuccess portal.

The deadline for students to apply is May 15 by 11:59 pm.

We thank all applicants for their interest in McCay Duff; however, only candidates selected for an interview will hear from us. We wish you the best of success in the selection process with your chosen firm.

McCay Duff LLP is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, or disability.

McCay Duff LLP welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please indicate this in your application.

By the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and McCay Duff’s Policies on Accommodation, McCay Duff provides reasonable accommodation so qualified applicants with a disability may participate in the selection process.