Vice President - Professional Practice - CAQ

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work collaboratively and strategically with the CAQ leadership team and Chief Executive Officer to identify opportunities to advance the CAQ’s mission and provide recommendations on matters impacting the organization.
• Lead the CAQ's activities related to the public company audit practice as a primary liaison with the CAQ’s Professional Practice Executive Committee, the CAQ Advisory Council, and the CAQ Governing Board. Contribute substantially to agenda setting and strategy formulation and help mobilize resources to perform extensive work and outreach activities.
• Serve as in-house audit and accounting expert and resource, providing thought leadership and strategic management activities that actively promote the mission of the CAQ. 
• Lead efforts with member firm partners, regulators, and other stakeholders to develop, execute, and manage comprehensive strategies and tactics that support the CAQ’s mission and positioning in the area of audit quality, value, and relevance - both nationally and internationally.  Identify, develop, implement, and oversee short- and long-term strategic projects designed to identify quality audit factors and best practices of the profession.
• Establish, lead and oversee permanent and ad hoc technical working groups and task forces that address a broad range of technical and policy issues by eliciting senior-level expertise from CAQ members. Distil the essence of debates into key points on which there can be agreement and action.
• Identify and coordinate with appropriate specialists in member organizations to formulate the CAQ's positions and views on accounting and auditing standards and other rule-making activities of the SEC, PCAOB and international standard-setters.  Influence opinions and establish collaboration internally and externally.
• Lead and manage the CAQ’s technical comment letter process; establish and utilize appropriate review and approval processes that include the requisite disciplines from the CAQ’s governing organizations.
• Identify and actively respond to regulatory and other marketplace initiatives such as task forces or commissions that have significant implications for the audit profession; where appropriate, represent the CAQ on those task forces or commissions.
• Proactively strengthen the public policy agenda of the CAQ through media engagement and internal and external public speaking opportunities, including conference panels, webcasts  and similar events. Partner with, and at times represent, the CAQ Chief Executive Officer at such events. 
• Direct the strategic creation, distribution, and use of profession technical alerts, reports, or other literature published by the CAQ.
• Collaborate and strategize with other CAQ teams to coordinate common initiatives, promote positive communications, respond to technical inquiries, and advance the CAQ mission.
• Lead all aspects of the Professional Practice team dynamics: develop and adhere to annual budgets; plan, manage, and develop the Professional Practice staff.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct reports: Senior Directors and rotating Professional Practice Fellow.
• Guide the assimilation and development of the CAQ Professional Practice Fellow during 18-month assignment.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Ability to both identify and communicate with impact matters of immediate and long-term strategic importance to the Chief Executive Officer, CAQ Governing Board, CAQ Advisory Council, Professional Practice Executive Committee and CAQ member firms, and to articulate an appropriate position for the CAQ and the profession.
• Highly refined technical and analytical skills, with the proven ability to collaborate, communicate, influence, and lead efficiently and effectively, both internally and externally at all levels to deliver practical results and build consensus.
• Strong public facing and presentation skills, coupled with the ability to instill confidence and credibility and gain the confidence of CAQ staff, members of the profession, stakeholders, and other key constituencies.
• Demonstrated strong writing and editing skills.
• Recognized strong interpersonal skills.
• Self-motivated and objective, with a bias toward action.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Results-oriented professional with at least 15+ years of experience in accounting and auditing with demonstrated proficiency in technical auditing areas
• Experience with independent public company audits (mandatory)
• Familiarity with and confidence in navigating the rigors of consensus building
• Must have led and managed teams of experienced technical professionals effectively – set goals, assigned priorities, managed workloads, evaluated performance
• Public company accounting firm National Office experience a plus
• Must have strong presentation skills and executive presence

EDUCATION REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or related field
• Licensed (active) CPA

EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION PREFERRED

• Advanced business degree a plus