Consider it a generational glass ceiling broken.
Having spent more than three decades in the accounting profession, Jennifer Phipps has recently stepped into the role of Manning Elliott’s new Managing Partner.
The move was made official Jan. 1 and represents both a historic and progressive step in the accounting firm’s rich, 70-plus year history.
“The best word I can use to describe this is ‘humbling,’” Phipps says. “I am extremely honoured to have this opportunity. I feel that I have shown my colleagues who I am and what I can do as a leader.”
That Phipps’ career trajectory has arrived at this point is a testament to her hard work, along with her deep understanding of the businesses and people that she has worked with throughout her career. Born and raised in Burnaby, Phipps received her Bachelor of Commerce degree from UBC in 1992, then articled with KPMG and eventually received her Chartered Accountant designation in 1995. Phipps eventually became a founding partner of Leed Advisors Inc., which later merged with Manning Elliott in 2018.
“I've got a lot of history here, so I've built a lot of connections over the years and I’m familiar with the larger business landscape,” Phipps says. “I'm able to connect with people because I’ve seen the growth and change across the Lower Mainland over the last 30 years.”
What got Phipps to today is an acute ability to deliver both practical and effective financial solutions tailored to her clients’ needs. Her in-depth knowledge of a diverse range of industries and business structures, coupled with her dedication to fostering strong client relationships, ensured that her clients received high quality service.
“I started in the profession when there were still more men than women entering the profession,” Phipps says. “There were some women that I worked with that I really admired and learned from in terms of how they balanced raising their families while working.”
Phipps compares her career evolution to completing a jigsaw puzzle, accumulating key attributes from colleagues over time that have helped shape her own philosophy of collaboration and mentorship.
And having demonstrated years of leadership in guiding teams with a particular focus on people and culture, Phipps is now ready to pay it forward to the next generation of accountants and business leaders to navigate their careers with confidence and resilience.
“The advice that I give to young professionals is to find great mentors, find people that they connect with and people that they see operating in a fashion that they admire,” Phipps says.
As for Phipps’ guidance for young women entering the accounting field? Make the job work for you.
To that end, Phipps suggests looking for work arrangements that can fit your family’s needs at each stage of your family’s life, whether it be working reduced daily work hours or a reduced work week when your children are young. Set up your support system so that you can deal with months where projects or deadlines require more of your time and then take advantage of other less busy months to spend more time with family.
“Working part time in the office when my daughters were really young worked out perfectly for me,” Phipps says. “It kept me intellectually stimulated by still getting some days in an office where I was around other professionals but I was able to balance that out with time with my family. It was the best of both worlds.”
To learn more about Manning Elliott’s services, visit www.manningelliott.com.
