Staff Accountant

Founded in 1990, our client provides tax, accounting and financial services to individuals and businesses throughout Brantford, Simcoe and beyond. Their mission is to help clients save on taxes, avoid audits, and make the best decisions for their businesses. They make life less taxing.

Position Type: Full-time, Monday to Friday, 37.5 hrs/week, plus Saturdays in March and April

Hours: Office hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Flexible hours are available: you may adjust your start and end times, provided you work 7.5 hours per day and are in the office for core hours of 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM each weekday.

About the Role

Our client is looking for a capable, detail-oriented Staff Accountant to join their growing firm. This role is ideal for someone with solid Canadian tax and bookkeeping experience who is ready to take on more complex files and a portfolio of their own clients.

The Staff Accountant bridges the junior and senior teams. You'll prepare moderately complex personal and corporate files, complete year-end working papers, review work prepared by junior accountants, and manage your own client relationships, with support and file review from our senior accountants.

Tax Preparation & Compliance

Prepare approximately 150–200 personal tax returns (T1s) per year, ranging from moderate to complex, including:

Self-employed individuals and sole proprietorships with HST/WSIB filing obligations

Rental properties, investment income and capital gains

Employment expenses, large medical expenses and donations

Prepare approximately 20–30 corporate tax returns (T2s) per year for small, owner-managed businesses, for review by a senior accountant.

Prepare HST returns and other related filings for clients.

Review simple personal T1 returns prepared by junior accountants for accuracy and completeness before senior review.

Handle CRA correspondence and review letters: gather supporting documents from clients, prepare responses, and liaise with the CRA to resolve inquiries.

Bookkeeping & Year-End

Complete monthly/quarterly bookkeeping for an assigned portfolio of clients across a range of industries, using QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.

Process and pay bills on behalf of select clients.

Maintain and reconcile general ledgers, bank and credit card accounts.

Prepare year-end working papers and Compilation Engagement financial statements.

Prepare adjusting journal entries and support month-end and year-end closes.

Review bookkeeping, bank reconciliations and payroll filings prepared by junior staff (source deductions, WSIB, T4s, T4As, T5s, T5018s).

Client Management & Support

Act as the main point of contact for an assigned portfolio of clients.

Request documents, answer client questions, and communicate tax and year-end results clearly and professionally.

Identify issues, risks or planning opportunities and escalate to a senior accountant as appropriate.

Team Support

Support and guide junior accountants, and help train new team members.

Help maintain consistent processes and workflow efficiency in Karbon.

Perform other related accounting or administrative duties as required.

Solid working knowledge of

- o Canadian income tax legislation and CRA filing requirements

- o Personal and small-business tax, including HST and payroll filings

- o Year-end adjustments and Compilation Engagement financial statements

Proficiency with

- o Tax software (TaxCycle)

- o Accounting software (QuickBooks Desktop & Online)

- o Microsoft Office Suite

- o Workflow management tools (Karbon or similar)

- Strong organizational and time management skills, especially during tax season.

- Excellent communication skills and a professional, client-focused approach.

- Prior experience in a public accounting or professional services firm is strongly preferred.

Requirements

Diploma or degree in Accounting or a related field. Progress toward a CPA designation is an asset.; Minimum 4–5 years of experience in Canadian personal tax preparation and bookkeeping, with some exposure to corporate (T2) returns and year-end files.