Bhagya Chander is a senior financial advisor for Indigenous Services Canada, a Canadian federal government department that works with partners to improve access to high quality services for the country’s First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Bhagya joined the organisation in December 2018 and is currently providing his services in the accounting operations directorate within the monitoring innovation team. Here, he is driving projects that aim to synchronise and align the different accounting operations across the department, with the goal of optimising the organisation's financial processes. Additionally, Bhagya supports the Director General of his branch by managing the budget and forecast.
Over the course of his 18-year career as a finance professional, Bhagya has gained extensive experience in finance, audit, and accounting management roles across various sectors, including aviation, telecommunications, hospitality, and government. He has worked in India, Oman, Mauritius, and Nigeria before settling in Ottawa, Canada. Bhagya became a member of CIPFA in January 2025.
What led you to become a CIPFA member?
I joined CIPFA through the fast-track pathway, gaining CPFA accreditation from the Institute via the accelerated route for members of other professional bodies that enables dual recognition. This covers the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), of which I am a member – I qualified in 2019 and became a Fellow in 2024. I am also a qualified Chartered Professional Accountant of Canada (CPA Canada). As I had more than five years’ experience working in the public sector post-ACCA qualification, I was able to get full exemption from the usual CIPFA exam modules.
I first came across CIPFA during one of our finance management workshops. I looked into its curriculum and found out how highly regarded and trusted the Institute was; with its focus on public sector finance, I thought it would be something valuable to explore. That depth of knowledge and expertise it offers in the complex, multi-faceted machinery of government and across the broader public sector really appealed to me. I applied to the CIPFA membership committee in November 2024, with my resume and appropriate documentation, and was welcomed by CIPFA with my CPFA designation shortly afterwards.
When did you first become attracted to a career in the public sector and particularly public sector finance?
Giving something back to the community is very important for me. I’d previously worked in four countries before coming to Canada, and I had been considering moving into the government sector for a while before I took on my current role. Directly prior to this, for four years I worked in an organisation alongside the public sector with a semi-government structure, mainly as a financial controller where we were handling the High Commission's finance management work involving various different countries. I decided then to move into the government sector, and found this role in Indigenous Services Canada – which in its scope is more like a small government itself.
We deliver schooling, health, and social programmes – many elements are involved within this department. We have a different kind of mandate, which no other department has.
What do you find most rewarding about working in the public sector?
What we do and what we deliver at Indigenous Services Canada really resonates with me because of my background – I am from the Himalayas, and there are similarities with the indigenous lifestyle and culture we follow back home. Everything about the job appeals to me – we can use our professional skills meaningfully. I wasn’t able to work for my community in that way back home, but at least here in Canada I have a chance to use my education, my experience and my knowledge in such a way where it can benefit the community. That gives me value in what I am doing; it’s very motivating and gives me a lot of job satisfaction – to serve the country, and to serve my people in such a way that it can bring some positive change in their life.
As well as my full-time role, I am also involved in voluntary work as our departmental treasurer for the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC) for the fourth year. I love to volunteer, and have been involved in many charitable organisations in Ottawa, offering my services as a treasurer to them as well.
What have been the highlights or biggest successes of your career to date? Are there any standout, pivotal moments?
In my department, during the pandemic, I was rewarded by the Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer (CFRDO) instant award for supporting the unit with extended efforts during COVID-19. The situation was, of course, totally new for us, and we supported our programmes in our unit in such a way that we were able to bring technology ahead so that we could handle the situation. I was also awarded the Ontario Volunteer award for my volunteer services in June 2024.
Also, I feel honoured to have three professional designations – CPA Canada, FCCA, and now CIPFA. Apart from that, I’ve been given awards in different countries for my performances. However, I feel more rewarded when I'm able to deliver something that benefits others.
What's the best piece of advice you've been given, and by whom?
It was from one of my mentors when I was at university – retired Wing Commander Anil Arora. He said: “Never have a fear with a problem. Always face the problem, and when you face the problem, that problem will go away, because then you will find a solution for it. But if you have a problem and you hide from it, it will never be resolved.”
Early in my career, for example, I didn't have a professional designation, so I worked on that and got it. Now that I’m serving in the Canadian government, I understand that I have to be bilingual, so now I'm trying to master French. Whenever there is a challenge, wherever there is a problem, if you work towards solving it, you always get the opportunity to add something new to your hand that you may be able to use for the rest of your life.
What advice would you give to people who are beginning their career in public finance?
I strongly believe, especially in finance, you need to have a technical knowledge, and with the rapid advancement of technology nowadays, we need to combine our technical knowledge with the IT aspect, particularly with AI coming.
First of all, you should work on professional qualifications, building the foundations to understand concepts, and then you must start working on experience. This is when we learn how to apply the knowledge we have gained. But the third aspect is to develop knowledge of the IT deployment, how to use IT resources, whether it is AI or other various accounting software.
The role of a financial professional is developing so quickly that you need to have that open mind to be on top of new technology all the time. It can help us add value in our role, but we must be able to use it properly and be able to interpret the data.
What would you say to somebody thinking of becoming a CIPFA member?
If you are someone looking for a public finance professional accountancy qualification, CIPFA is a great opportunity to get a qualification that is respected and valued in the public domain. For someone, like me, who already has a professional accountancy qualification, CIPFA membership offers professional recognition that is focused on the public sector and its values, and which reflects the breadth and depth of membership across CIPFA’s global public finance network. It offers plenty of resources for members, too, providing updates on key issues and thought leadership on vital subjects. It really adds to your credibility as a finance professional working in the public sector.