The International Federation of Accountants, headquartered in New York, NY, USA, employs skilled professionals who are involved in a wide range of technical and professional activities—including standard setting, strategy development, communications, and policy development.
Many of these individuals support the work of the standard-setting boards and IFAC's advisory groups, which address issues related to auditing and assurance services, education, ethics, public sector accounting, small- and medium-sized practices, professional accountancy organization development, compliance, and issues pertaining to professional accountants employed in business.
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IFAC is a relatively small organization in terms of revenue and number of employees, but it has significant influence because of dedicated staff and its ability to convene and leverage volunteers from around the profession who dedicate much time to our mission and objectives.
- STATHIS GOULD, IFAC DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT & PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS IN BUSINESS (PAIB) -
I enjoy researching, writing, and being able to be of service and at IFAC I have the opportunity to get into the technical details as well as see the big picture.
- Sarah Gagnon, IFAC Senior Manager, Membership Engagement -
I believe in what I do and see an importance to the IPSASB. I think it’s important that governments around the world have standards that they can apply that help citizens make decisions and evaluate how decision-makers are performing.
- Dave Warren, Director, International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB)
Summer Internship Program
An internship can serve as a pivotal stepping stone for launching a thriving career. It provides a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience, develop essential skills, and build a strong professional foundation.
IFAC’s 8-week paid summer internship program is specifically designed for undergraduate and Master's degree students. It presents you with the opportunity to apply your academic knowledge into real-world experiences and learn directly from international industry leaders. The internship features tailored mentorship, cross-functional collaboration, networking opportunities, industry exposure, and much more. As the global voice for the accountancy profession, IFAC opens up a wealth of possibilities for your professional development and growth.
Interns will have the ability to work in one of the following departments:
Accountancy Education
Works on a global approach to advancing accountancy education by staying up to date on the challenges posed by a rapidly changing environment and ensuring accountants have the necessary skills and competencies to succeed.
Communication
Develops and executes strategies across various media platforms that advance the global accountancy profession and IFAC’s public interest mission. This includes oversight of all executive and leadership communications, media relations, digital and social communications, and reputation management.
Finance
Provides management support and coordination for IFAC’s budgeting and financial activities.
Human Capital
Develops and implements the human resource strategy of the organization, specifically in the areas of talent management, organizational and performance management, learning and development and compensation.
Internet Technology (IT)
Provides technical assistance to end users primarily for the Windows/Microsoft suite platform. The team answers queries on basic technical issues and offers advice to solve them.
Membership Engagement
Develops thought leadership and guidance in support of enhancing the recognition of and confidence in professional accountants as CFOs, business leaders, and value partners in the context of sustainability/ESG, data and digital transformation, and other emerging business trends and issues. The department also works on IFAC’s membership and IFAC Network Partner Programs by aligning the membership function with IFAC’s impact and objective of resilience and future-ready Principal Accounting Officers (PAOs).
Standard-Setting Boards
International Ethics Standards Boards for Accountants (IESBA)/Office of the Chief of Operations (COO)
An independent standard-setting board responsible for the development, establishment and maintenance of ethical standards and other pronouncements relied upon by professional accountants worldwide.
Sustainability, Policy, and Regulatory Affairs
Develops and coordinates IFAC’s sustainability policy and advocacy activities in addition to conducting research, policy development, and engagement with respect to a range of topics and stakeholders, including industry organizations, regulators, public authorities, and institutional investors.
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Accounting tells the story of companies, and accountants relay that story.
- Rachaita Trivedi, 2023 Summer Intern, International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) -
The primary thing I learned about the accounting profession that surprised me was how intertwined it is with other departments in a company.
- Bridget Young, 2023 Summer Intern, Finance -
I learned that the accounting profession is always evolving and adapting to changes in the world. As accountants, we are always learning and dealing with new issues. I also learned that accountants are not always dealing with numbers!
- Cristy Latalisa, 2019 Summer Intern, International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB)