Employer Relations sat down with Sameer Kalbag CPA, CA and Katie Leung CPA, CGA to discuss the benefits of leading Canadian Natural’s pre-approved program (PPR) collaboratively. Sameer is Controller of Operations Accounting and the outgoing Program Leader; and Katie is Manager of Property Accounting and one of three Finance Managers leading the program at Canadian Natural.
Tell me about Canadian Natural’s PPR. How many candidates do you have and how is it set up?
Sameer: The program has existed for five years. We can train up to 20 candidates at a time and we currently have 15 in the program.
Our Property Accounting, Joint Venture Accounting, Royalty Compliance, Fixed Assets, and Property Tax departments are pre-approved for rotational purposes. To help candidates meet their practical experience requirements, we typically rotate them between three departments: they spend a minimum of 12 months in the first department, 12 months in the second department, and six months in a third. By staying in a department for 12 months, candidates gain depth in that area. And by rotating them between departments, they gain breadth.
What is Canadian Natural’s vision for the program?
Sameer: Canadian Natural’s vision is to develop future leaders. The company is a huge supporter of developing our people and this is in our mission statement. We want to provide candidates a flavour of the different areas within the Finance and Accounting department so that they can choose a career path and progress into leadership roles within the company.
How do you recruit into the program?
Sameer: Many candidates in our PPR are from within the company; after working here for a while, they decide to pursue the CPA designation.
The program has significantly increased our retention rate in the Finance function. In five years, we’ve trained between 5 and 15 candidates per year. Out of that number, we’ve only lost two people who left long after completing the program.
Sameer, you are moving into a new role, and three new leaders will be stepping in to manage the program. Congratulations! Can you tell us more about that?
Katie Leung CPA, CGA, Yvonne Lo CPA, CA, and Tina Mingle CPA, CA will lead the PPR. They’re all Finance department managers—Katie is the Manager of Property Accounting, Yvonne is the Manager of Internal Controls, and Tina is the Manager of Marketing Accounting.
Why has Canadian Natural decided to have multiple leaders involved with the program now?
Sameer: Leading the PPR is a significant amount of work for one person. I believe having three leaders will allow us to do more. For example, we’ve wanted to create a community of candidates within the company for a while. We want to organize activities that will help them connect, know who else is in the program, and support each other. Depending on business needs, having three leaders may also create the capacity to admit more candidates into the program.
Katie: Yvonne, Tina, and I will be able to sit at the table, share experiences, and exchange ideas on how to support candidates. Having three of us will ensure candidates receive continuous support, even if one or two leaders are absent.
I have mentored several candidates in the past, but this role will allow me to do much more. It is an opportunity for me to guide candidates and help them discover their career paths. It is also an opportunity for Yvonne, Tina, and me to continue developing our leadership skills while helping the next generation achieve their goals.
Are there challenges with this type of transition? Are there any safeguards in place to ensure the PPR doesn’t suffer during the transition?
Sameer: I don’t anticipate any challenges because we all have the same vision. I am leaving the program in capable hands, and I will only be a phone call away. I joke that until my knowledge becomes obsolete, I will be helping—and hopefully not interfering.
We operate the program collaboratively, and everyone—from our CFO and VP Finance to the department managers—all has a vested interest in the success of the program, since it is helping develop our finance department employees and build their career.
To provide some context, we do a minimum of two rotations per year. During each rotation, a department manager receives a new candidate and the candidate they’ve trained for a year moves to a different rotation. Because department managers want these rotations to be successful, they work very closely with the program leaders to support the candidates.
This collaborative environment is a safeguard that will continue to exist, regardless of any role changes.
What will you miss about leading the program?
Sameer: I will miss working with the candidates. They are our future leaders…their success feels like our success, which is very rewarding. When they come back after completing the program and are so thankful, I remind them that they did the work.
It’s fantastic to watch them progress and mentor other candidates within Canadian Natural after becoming CPAs. They’ve really energized me, and I will miss that.
The views expressed in this post are those of Sameer Kalbag CPA, CA and Katie Leung CPA, CGA. Visit our website for the latest guidelines regarding Practical Experience.
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