Heart-driven work
The value of being a CPA in the non-profit sector
There are certain sectors that make all the headlines for being future-focused, innovative, and cutting edge. But those headlines often unfairly leave out one sector from the conversation: non-profits, which have shifted, evolved, and continued to respond to community needs in all environments.
When Biraj Patel CPA, CMA first immigrated to Canada from India by way of the UK, he stuck to industries he was familiar with—manufacturing and oil and gas. An unexpected job change over to an organization that supports people with disabilities opened his eyes to the benefits of working in the non-profit sector. “Once I started working in non-profits, I realized there was more room to grow and an opportunity to implement new systems and improve things,” he says.
Similarly, Brian Alguire CPA, CMA, worked his entire career in various industries—from forestry and manufacturing to running the largest pawnshop company in Canada.
It wasn’t until he was close to retirement and got a call to lead the $70-million expansion at the Winspear Centre that he entered the world of non-profits. Although he already had a breadth of experience, his current role as the Vice-President of Finance and Building Operations at the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Winspear Centre gives him the opportunity to dive into things he has never done before. “I’m not only working on the financial side, but the operational side as well. The job is beyond finance, and I get to be involved in building, security, or maintenance for example,” says Brian.
Biraj echoes the joy that comes from being in a role where you’re called to go beyond finances. As the Director of Finance at the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA), he’s become accustomed to responding to competing demands in a fast-paced environment. “Working in the non-profit sector is actually more challenging. It’s dynamic, [and it] keeps changing every few months,” he says. “When I compare five years back, I’m so much more confident in my work. I don’t see anything where I think ‘we can’t do that’; we always find a way.”
CIWA’s mission is to engage and integrate immigrant women and their families in the Calgary community. To achieve that mission, Biraj has to be agile and innovative, ensuring the organization stays accountable to funders while serving the needs of the community. “I work on at least 30 to 35 program budgets a year as well as the entire organizational budget,” he says.
The spark to start working in the non-profit sector is different for everyone. For Brian, it was a phone call; for Biraj, it was the opportunity to try out a different industry. For Desiree Bedard CPA, CGA, it was a volunteer opportunity that led to her job as the Director of Finance for Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta.
Desiree had spent 15 years working in the private sector, and when she was preparing to go on maternity leave, she knew she would never go back. She had her first lightbulb moment when she took part in CPA Alberta’s volunteer days at Ronald McDonald House.
“When I volunteered there, the house felt like a home, and the mission of the organization was at the heart of everything. I met the then-Director of Finance, and I was like, ‘That’s a job that speaks to me on many levels,’” she remembers.
As her maternity leave was ending, Desiree saw the job posting for the Director of Finance position and has never looked back. “Every single day working at Ronald McDonald House, I feel like I’m giving back,” she says. “It’s my job, but it doesn’t feel like work. I love it every day.”
Brian knows all about how passion-driven work often doesn’t feel like work at all. Pre-COVID, you could often find him having lunch in the theatre, listening to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra practice, or getting a glimpse at the latest musician preparing to perform at the venue. It’s a work environment that was foreign to him before he started working there.
“A lot of times doing financial, in my experience, I was isolated from what was going on. Where I am now, because of my role and the organization, I feel like I’m part of the team, and people draw me into things going on beyond my role,” he says.
Working for a non-profit organization enables CPAs to be part of not only an organization, but also the very fabric of the community around them. Biraj encourages students to consider the sector for this very reason. “If you want to feel connected to your community, [this] sector is for you,” he says. “You’re able to use your skills to support an organization but also feel proud that you’re helping the community.”
Desiree’s connection to community through her role at Ronald McDonald House fuels her in a way that she never experienced in past jobs. Ronald McDonald House supports families seeking life-saving medical treatment for their seriously ill or injured children. “I have two young daughters, and they know about the organization. They see the commercials and say, ‘That’s where mama works,’” she says. “I’m helping drive the mission, making a difference to families, and I’m also passing it on to my children. That feels good.”
Pride, feel-good moments, personal satisfaction—those are just some of the phrases Biraj, Brian, and Desiree use to describe what they love about working in the non-profit sector. Working in the sector is the ultimate package deal: CPAs get to use their skills and grow in considerable ways while supporting the community and those in need.
See more of Biraj and other CPAs working in non-profits in CPA Alberta’s “The faces of the non-profit sector.”