Quality of Earnings CPA Role - Grow at Boutique M&A Firm in Columbus
Career & Market Insight
This role at Treewalk offers a compelling career path for CPAs looking to transition from audit or Big Four transaction services into a high-growth boutique M&A advisory environment. The "tech startup, but accounting" culture signal is a green flag for professionals who want faster career progression than a traditional Big Four track provides.
Compensation: The CAD $80K–$90K base is in line with mid-level transaction advisory roles in Vancouver, though slightly below Big Four TAS equivalents at the Senior Associate level. The discretionary bonus tied to revenue generation adds meaningful upside — a structure typical of boutique advisory firms where individual contribution is more visible.
Skills Development: This role builds highly marketable skills — Quality of Earnings analysis, LBO modeling, buy/sell-side due diligence — that are transferable to private equity, corporate development, and senior advisory roles. These competencies are in strong demand across North American M&A markets.
Green Flags:
- Autonomy to lead engagements early in your career
- Industry-agnostic deal exposure, including emergent sectors
- Cross-border (Canada/U.S.) deal experience broadens your network and resume
- Firm paying CPA dues and professional development — signals investment in talent
Potential Considerations: The fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and requirement to stay responsive when deals move quickly can mean unpredictable hours. This is typical of advisory work but worth factoring into work-life balance expectations. The firm's rapid growth stage also means processes may still be maturing.
The Opportunity
As a Transaction Advisory Associate or Senior Associate at Treewalk (level based on experience), you will play a pivotal role in our Quality of Earnings team, offering comprehensive deal support to ensure our clients understand the real earnings of the business. Your goal will be to maximize transaction value for our clients, whether on the buy-side or sell-side. Your work will directly inform our clients on how to proceed with a transaction and directly impact the valuation and structure. Our team works with clients across Canada and the U.S., with occasional global transaction work.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Performing extensive work on Quality of Earnings engagements, including the assessment of quality of earnings, sustainability of EBITDA, quality of assets, working capital profile, and various other financial metrics.
- Leading engagements with autonomy, identifying high-risk areas, and managing deal relationships.
- Supporting clients through all deal phases, including LOI analysis, structuring, financial modeling, due diligence, and integration.
- Creating and managing complex financial models for forecasts and decision-making (e.g., 3-statement models and LBOs).
- Managing data rooms and coordinating with advisors to gather necessary deal information.
- Preparing detailed reports for stakeholders, including financial forecasts, budgets, variance analysis, and management summaries.
- Conducting market research to provide insights for deal teams and benchmark valuations.
- Participating in other projects based on business needs.
Requirements
We're looking for candidates with:
- 2–3 years of transaction advisory and financial due diligence experience at a Big Four or large national firm; strong audit, investment banking, or consulting backgrounds also considered.
- Strong working knowledge of ASPE and IFRS, with familiarity in US GAAP an asset for cross-border transactions.
- CPA required (CFE passed).
- Advanced financial modeling skills, including proficiency in creating complex financial models such as three-statement models, LBO models, and comparable company analysis.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and stay responsive when deals move quickly.
- Ability to manage multiple engagements simultaneously.
- Familiarity with the M&A process from LOI to close.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for engaging with clients and senior management.
- Proven multitasking skills with attention to detail.
About Treewalk
Treewalk is an advisory practice based in downtown Vancouver with more than 70 staff members and leading CPA talent across Canada. Our Transaction Advisory practice delivers Quality of Earnings reports for private and public companies in the lower-middle and middle markets. We are one of the fastest growing practices in the space and are looking to hire our next team member that will help propel us to the next level.
We've got big goals, and a culture built to reach them — think tech startup, but accounting. When it comes to clients, we are industry-agnostic. We never shy away from clients in new and emergent industries.
Annual Salary: $80,000 – $90,000, plus a discretionary annual performance bonus with potential for large upside based on revenue generated and service line profitability.
Benefits: Extended health and dental coverage, paid vacation, and paid CPA dues and professional development.
Frequently Asked Questions
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