senior accountant

About Us Canada Energy Audit Ltd. (CEA) supports energy-efficiency initiatives and provides energy services for residential and commercial clients. We work in a fast-paced environment where accuracy, structure, documentation, and timely reporting are essential. Role Summary We are looking for a CPA-designated Senior Accountant to own day-to-day accounting, payroll, tax compliance, and external accountant coordination across CEA and its affiliates. You will oversee payroll and corporate tax filings for all entities and make sure payments, receivables, and payables are accurate and on time. This is a hands-on senior role for someone who is comfortable managing several sets of books at once, takes ownership of deadlines, and can work independently with minimal supervision. This is an urgent hire. We are reviewing applications and interviewing on a rolling basis. Key Responsibilities 1. Third-Party Accountant & Year-End Coordination * Act as the primary liaison with external accountants for CEA and each affiliated company, managing year-end, review, and compilation engagements. * Prepare year-end packages, including trial balances, reconciliations, supporting schedules, adjusting entries, and responses to accountant queries. * Track deliverables and deadlines for each entity so that financial statements and filings are completed on schedule. 2. Tax Compliance & Financial Documentation * Manage corporate tax filing support (T2) and payroll tax compliance for all group companies. This includes source deduction remittances, T4/T4A slips and summaries, ROEs, and WSIB/EHT filings. * Prepare and file HST/GST returns and keep organized tax documentation for each entity. * Respond to CRA and other regulatory correspondence, and maintain audit-ready records. 3. Payroll & Administration (approx. 40% of the role) * Process end-to-end payroll for multiple entities, including onboarding/offboarding changes, deductions, benefits, vacation accruals, and payroll reconciliations. * Ensure compliance with the Ontario Employment Standards Act and CRA payroll requirements. * Maintain payroll records and provide payroll reporting to management. 4. AR/AP, Revenue & Expenses * Oversee accounts receivable and accounts payable for CEA and affiliates. This includes invoicing, collections follow-up, vendor bill review, and aging analysis. * Ensure accurate GL coding and classification of revenue, expenses, and direct costs. * Record and reconcile CAD/USD transactions, including foreign-exchange support. 5. Month-End Close, Reporting & Team Support * Lead month-end close for each entity, including journal entries, accruals, prepaids, and balance sheet reconciliations (bank, credit card, intercompany, clearing accounts). * Prepare monthly financial statements, management reports, and KPI trackers, and support cost tracking and margin analysis. * Review the work of the Accounting Assistant and provide guidance and training. * Identify process improvements and help build stronger controls and documentation. Qualifications * CPA designation (or reciprocal CPA/CA designation) is required. * 3+ years of progressive accounting experience, ideally including multi-entity accounting, public practice, or a small/mid-sized company finance team. * Strong working knowledge of Canadian corporate tax, HST, and payroll compliance. * Hands-on experience with end-to-end payroll processing for multiple entities. * Strong experience with QuickBooks Online (or similar), and advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS). * Solid understanding of ASPE, month-end close, accruals, and reconciliations. * Highly organized and able to manage competing deadlines across several companies. * Clear communicator who works confidently with external accountants, vendors, and internal teams. Assets (Nice to Have) * Experience with intercompany accounting and consolidations. * Exposure to CAD/USD multi-currency transactions. * Experience with pa