Associate Director, Standard Setting - Audit, Assurance and Ethics

Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA); Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) invites applications for the position of Associate Director, Standard Setting – Audit, Assurance and Ethics. You will shape auditing, assurance and ethics standards in Hong Kong by leading major technical projects and publishing high-quality papers.

The role involves engaging regulators and stakeholders, conducting advanced research, and harnessing AI and technology to modernise standard setting.

Qualifications

• At least 9–11 years’ experience in audit firms, standard setters, regulators, or related bodies.
• Proven track record drafting audit/policy publications.
• Strong knowledge of auditing and assurance standards and the HKICPA Code of Ethics.
• Excellent written and spoken English; Putonghua/Cantonese a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead major technical projects from inception to publication.
• Conduct advanced technical research across local and international standards.
• Develop lucid, structured technical papers with clear recommendations.
• Engage with regulators, government bodies, audit firms and international organisations.
• Develop implementation guidance and educational resources.
• Promote AI and technology-enabled modernisation of standard setting.

Skills

Audit standards knowledge

Technical drafting

Communication skills

Job description

The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants is Hong Kong’s standard-setter, responsible for developing, maintaining and enhancing standards for private-sector accounting, auditing and assurance, as well as professional ethics for accountants. As Hong Kong’s only statutory licensing body for CPAs, the Institute is globally recognised as the pre-eminent body of top-tier accountants, providing leadership and serving the public interest in Hong Kong.

We are seeking an exceptional technical professional to help shape auditing, assurance and ethics standards in Hong Kong.

The successful candidate will work at the intersection of professional standards, emerging technologies, public policy, regulation and the public interest. The role involves leading complex technical projects, conducting original research, engaging with regulators and stakeholders, and developing high-quality technical papers, consultation documents, guidance materials and professional standards.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work directly with regulators, international standard setters, practitioners, academics and industry leaders on some of the most complex and emerging issues facing the accounting profession.

Associate Director, Standard Setting – Audit, Assurance and Ethics

(Ref: AD-SS)

Key Responsibilities

1.Lead Major Technical Projects

• Lead complex standard-setting projects from inception to publication.
• Develop project plans, research strategies and stakeholder engagement plans.
• Manage multiple multi-year projects involving stakeholder sensitivities and competing public-interest considerations simultaneously.

2.Conduct Advanced Technical Research

• Research emerging technical, regulatory and public-interest issues, involving the analysis of a variety of local and international legislations, regulations, professional standards, academic research, consultation feedback, existing practices and latest developments.
• Assess implications for Hong Kong and develop evidence-based recommendations.

3.Develop High-Quality Technical Papers

• Draft lucid, structured and persuasive technical papers on complex matters.
• Develop clear recommendations supported by robust analysis and evidence.
• Anticipate and address counterarguments and stakeholder concerns.

4.Stakeholder Engagement

• Work with stakeholders from different backgrounds, including regulators, government bodies, audit firms, SMPs, industry associations and international organisations.
• Design and lead stakeholder engagement activities.
• Identify issues requiring stakeholder input or agreement and facilitate resolution.
• Present technical analyses and recommendations to stakeholders with different backgrounds.
• Refine proposals in response to stakeholder feedback.

5.Implementation Support

• Develop implementation guidance and educational resources.
• Respond to technical queries and implementation issues.

6.Modernise through AI and technology

• Support departmental modernisation and stakeholder engagement through appropriate use of AI and technology.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 9 to 11 years’ experience gained in audit firms, standard setters, corporates, regulators, academia or relevant research bodies. Experience gained in audit technical departments, standard-setting bodies, policy development or other relevant environments would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in drafting audit technical or policy-related publications.
• Proficient in the technical details and application of auditing and assurance standards as well as the HKICPA Code of Ethics.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Good command of Putonghua and/or Cantonese would be an advantage.

What We Are Looking For

The successful candidate must be able to:

• Research unfamiliar topics rapidly and thoroughly.
• Digest, understand and synthesize large amount of information into clearly structured papers and policy recommendations.
• Think critically, challenge feedback gathered during outreach activities and develop positions that are evidence-based, technically robust and practically implementable.
• Expedite resolution of matters through proactive and flexible project management.
• Experiment with AI and technology and promote relevant use cases at work; demonstrate practical proficiency in using common AI tools beyond basic prompting and search-based applications to enhance work quality, efficiency and productivity.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and at different levels of seniority.

Personal data provided will be used for recruitment purpose only.

For more information, please visit our website at www.hkicpa.org.hk.