Director, Accounting and Financial Reporting Policies Full Time

ABOUT US

We’re one of Canada’s largest pension investment managers, with CAD$264.9 billion of net assets as of March 31, 2024.
We invest funds for the pension plans of the federal public service, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Reserve Force. Headquartered in Ottawa, PSP Investments has its principal business office in Montréal and offices in New York, London and Hong Kong.
Capturing and leading complex global investments requires us to work as one to seize valuable opportunities, in close collaboration with some of the world’s top companies. At PSP, you’ll join a team of motivated and engaged professionals, dedicated to propelling our organization further than ever before.

EXPERIENCE THE EDGE

At PSP, we encourage our employees to grow, forge powerful relationships, contribute and fuel inspired investment launchpads. We are committed to a culture that fosters collaboration and allows us to think beyond, in an interconnected way. We advocate for our employees to speak-up, learn, experiment, share, and be part of an inclusive work environment where diversity is embraced.

We’re seeking a Director, Accounting and Financial Reporting Policies to partner with key stakeholders and peers to support and engage with our powerful networks of people, opportunities, and investments. At PSP, we embrace people that are eager to learn, ideate, and innovate: people who strive for excellence, challenge the status quo and seek alternative perspectives.

ABOUT YOUR ROLE

As a Director you’ll:

Review, research and document new International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and present to Senior Director so as participate in their implementation in collaboration with internal clients
Guide, coordinate and supervise the work performed by team members and external advisors in the performance of their accounting policy analyses
Oversee and provide training activities to internal clients on relevant topics related to accounting policies
Manage technical quarterly and annual reviews of PSP’s financial statements including those prepared for the Canada Growth Fund (CGF) for compliance with applicable accounting standards and discuss with the Senior Director proposed improvements
Lead external financial reporting related to CGF and draft all related documents
Analyze and review complex investment transactions and determine, in collaboration with the Senior Director, the appropriate accounting treatment. In some cases, suggest changes to preliminary agreements that will provide favorable accounting treatments for the company
Act as PSP in-house expert in PSP and CGF accounting reporting
Manage and address ad hoc requests by business units while ensuring an integral understanding of the operational needs by meeting with all relevant stakeholders as seen fit, reconciling such needs to both industry practice and financial statement reporting requirements
Present to internal clients and/or senior management findings impact of any changes required due to change in accounting standards, investment transactions or business unit issue analyses
Lead and/or present the Accounting Policies Group’s view in technical discussions with respect to accounting/reporting issues raised by internal or external auditors
Design and maintain accounting and reporting processes ensuring effective use of team resources
Expected to acquire in-depth knowledge of PSP’s and CGF`s business and its investments in order to be able to outline business transactions or events that have an accounting or reporting impact
Establish and maintain a collaborative network with external peers (direct and indirect) so as to facilitate financial statement benchmarking and establishing market convention
In all the above responsibilities, position papers/memos are the primary and official means of documenting accounting issues, analyses and conclusions

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting
Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Auditor designation
Minimum fifteen (15) years of recent experience in financial accounting for publicly accountable enterprises with strong exposure to complex accounting issues or equivalent experience with one of the big 4 audit firms
Experience in researching and documenting accounting issues with references to relevant accounting standards
Strong knowledge of IFRS, specifically those pertaining to financial instruments and fair value
Proven experience in drafting notes to financial statements and other external management reporting such as the MD&A
Proven experience to learn and grasp complex technical information in a reasonable timeframe
Initiative and resourcefulness in proposing solutions to various accounting issues
Drive and focus on results with a client-oriented mindset
Ability to navigate a fast-pace environment with a high level of autonomy
Effective communications skills, both written and spoken with the ability to communicate complex accounting information to a non-technical audience, primarily in English
Demonstrated initiative and curiosity to look beyond surface facts and conduct comprehensive, fact-based, value-added research
Attention to detail and rigorous approach to research, analysis and documentation
Ability to work collaboratively, cultivating meaningful relationships with colleagues and clients
Eagerness to learn, ideate and innovate
Drive to pursue excellence and challenge the status quo to seek out alternative perspectives
Open-mindedness and active listening skills
A respect for differences of opinion and an inclusive mindset
Proficiency in English and French (frequent interactions in English with PSP employees based in our offices in Hong Kong, London and New York, and interactions in French with employees in our local offices in Montreal and Ottawa). Excellent English language redaction and reporting skills required as all reporting to senior management is in English

We offer a tailored employee experience and competitive total rewards and benefits package* designed to attract and retain global diverse talent, reward performance, and reinforce business strategies and priorities. Beyond salary and incentive pay eligibility, you have access to:

Investment in career development
Comprehensive group insurance plans
Competitive pension plans
Unlimited access to virtual healthcare services and wellness programs
Gender-inclusive paid family leave policy: up to 26 weeks for primary caregivers, 5 weeks for secondary caregivers
A personalized family-building support, from pre-pregnancy to menopause, with available financial assistance
Vacation days available on day one with additional days on milestone service anniversaries, and summer Friday afternoons off
A hybrid work model with a mix of in-office and remote days

*Benefits package may vary based on your employee type.

At PSP, we aim to provide an inclusive workplace where we leverage diversity and where everyone feels valued, safe, respected and empowered to grow. As part of this leadership commitment, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified applicants and strive to offer an inclusive and accessible candidate experience. If you require any accommodation for any part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

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