Profile of Forvis Mazars

Forvis Mazars offers a clear career progression path for its professionals, from entry-level positions up to partnership, along with robust development programs at each stage. The firm’s structure and titles may vary slightly by country, but generally follow a hierarchy common to large professional services firms:

• Entry-Level (Associate or Consultant): New graduates typically join as Associates in audit/tax or as Consultants in advisory practices. At this level, individuals focus on building technical skills and foundational industry knowledge. They work as part of project teams, performing research, analysis, and audit testing, and they interact directly with clients under supervision. Development for entry-level staff includes extensive training – for example, new hire training programs that cover audit methodology, consulting frameworks, and relevant tools. Many also pursue professional certifications early on (such as CPA, Chartered Accountant, or other relevant credentials) with firm support. Forvis Mazars often provides study resources and paid time off for exam preparation. There are mentorship arrangements where a senior colleague guides the new associate’s growth. The firm also hosts an annual “Summer Leadership Program” (a one- to two-day workshop for interns and prospective hires) to introduce students to the firm’s culture and develop leadership skills even before they join full-time.
• Senior Associate / Senior Consultant: After a few years, associates typically advance to a senior role. Senior Associates or Senior Consultants take on greater responsibility in engagements – they may supervise junior staff, coordinate segments of a project, and be the primary point of contact for certain client tasks. They deepen expertise in their service line and often in a chosen industry. At this stage, the firm’s professional development includes more advanced technical training and soft-skills workshops (e.g. in project management, client communication, and team leadership). Seniors are also encouraged to broaden their experience; for instance, an audit senior might go on a rotation in the advisory department, or a consulting senior might spend time in a different office (sometimes even abroad, given Mazars’ integrated international program). The firm fosters global mobility opportunities, allowing talented staff at the senior level to take secondments in other countries to gain international experience. Such programs enrich the consultant’s perspective and help integrate the global culture of Forvis Mazars.
• Manager / Consulting Manager: Reaching the Manager level (which generally occurs after 5–7 years of experience) marks a transition from executing work to managing work and people. Managers lead project teams and are responsible for delivering client engagements on time and within budget. In audit, a Manager will oversee multiple audit engagements, review the work of associates, and interact regularly with client senior management or audit committees. In consulting, a Manager might run a workstream in a large transformation project or manage mid-sized advisory projects end-to-end. Managers at Forvis Mazars begin to develop specialties and often handle multiple clients. They also play a role in mentoring juniors and contributing to business development (such as identifying opportunities at existing clients). To support this step up in leadership, the firm offers manager development programs – these can include intensive courses on people management, engagement economics, and advanced technical topics (like complex accounting standards or innovative consulting techniques). Some managers participate in the firm’s “Manager Academy” or similar multi-day training conferences with peers from various offices, where they refine leadership styles and share best practices. At this level, the firm evaluates not just technical competence but also abilities in client relationship management and team building, preparing managers for senior leadership roles.
• Senior Manager / Director: Beyond the manager level, high-performing managers may be promoted to Senior Manager or Director (titles vary; some offices use “Director” for the pre-partner role, especially in consulting). Senior Managers/Directors act as engagement leaders on larger or more complex projects. They often handle a portfolio of client accounts and have a significant role in practice development (such as leading a service line initiative or an industry group within the firm). They are involved in scoping new work, writing proposals, and ensuring quality of deliverables across engagements. This level is seen as the final preparation for partnership. Development focuses on strategic thinking and business development skills: Forvis Mazars provides coaching in areas like client pitching, networking, and thought leadership to help Senior Managers build a case for partnership. Some may attend executive leadership programs, sometimes delivered in collaboration with external business schools or through the firm’s own global training curriculum. As leaders, Senior Managers/Directors also champion internal initiatives (e.g. diversity and inclusion efforts, recruiting events, or technical committees to refine methodologies). The firm’s culture encourages these senior professionals to act as entrepreneurs within the partnership – by now they are establishing their reputation in the market and often function similarly to partners in leading teams and advising clients, just without the equity stake yet.
• Partner / Principal: The pinnacle of the career path is becoming a Partner (also called Principal in some advisory practices). Partners are the owners of the firm (Forvis Mazars being a partnership), responsible for the overall health of the business and its strategic direction. Achieving partnership typically comes after a decade or more of demonstrated excellence and leadership. Partners lead client relationships – they are the ultimate accountable person for service delivery and client satisfaction for the engagements they oversee. They also are charged with business development, bringing in new clients and expanding work with existing ones. Partners often specialize in a practice area or industry (for example, one partner might be known as an expert in financial services regulatory consulting, another might lead the manufacturing industry practice, etc.). In the combined Forvis Mazars, many partners also take on global roles or sit on committees that shape firm policy, ensuring integration across countries. New partners undergo orientation to understand the responsibilities of ownership, including financial management of the firm, risk management policies, and mentoring the next generation. Ongoing, partners are expected to continually engage in learning (staying atop of industry trends and technical standards) and to exemplify the firm’s values. The firm also has programs to enhance partners’ leadership skills – for instance, annual partner conferences, and sometimes external leadership coaching. The career progression doesn’t stop at just making partner; there are levels of partner responsibility too (for example, some may become Managing Partners of an office or region, or join the Global Board like the leaders mentioned earlier). These roles carry additional management duties on top of client work.

Throughout each stage of this career path, Forvis Mazars places a strong emphasis on development and training. The firm maintains internal learning platforms often referred to as “Forvis University” or “Mazars University” (names symbolically used for the training infrastructure) where staff can access courses on technical topics, languages, soft skills, and emerging areas like data analytics. There are also structured mentoring programs; many employees have both a coach (to guide day-to-day performance) and a mentor (often a partner who provides longer-term career advice). Feedback is regularly provided through performance evaluations, and high performers are identified for fast-track programs. For example, an up-and-coming senior manager might be selected for a global Next Generation Leadership program, interacting with peers worldwide and senior executives to groom them for partnership.

Additionally, the firm encourages a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Employees at all levels are often involved in firm-wide initiatives or advisory councils – such as contributing to the development of new digital tools, or participating in diversity networks – which help them build skills beyond their immediate job description. By investing in its people through formal training, on-the-job learning, international assignments, and mentorship, Forvis Mazars aims to develop well-rounded professionals who can advance within the organization. The result is a career trajectory that is both structured (with milestones and clear criteria for promotion) and flexible (with opportunities to shape one’s career through specialization, relocation, or focusing on particular service areas). This approach not only helps in retaining talent but also ensures that clients are served by consultants and advisors who are continually growing their expertise.