Spotlight: Daniel Kirkness, Audit and Assurance Supervisor

Daniel Kirkness, Audit and Assurance Supervisor

As both the challenges and the opportunities in the Federal contracting space continue to evolve, securing exceptional talent and leadership must be a priority for firms wishing to remain competitive. With this in mind, Williams Adley is dedicated to identifying and cultivating those individuals on our team with leadership potential. As a member of our Future Leaders Program, Audit and Assurance Supervisor Daniel Kirkness has demonstrated excellence and integrity in leading his team to go beyond client expectations. Read our interview with Daniel below to learn how his leadership style consistently guides his team to success.

You joined Williams Adley in late 2020 and have been a valuable part of our Audit and Assurance Practice for over 4 years now. In that time, you have consistently demonstrated your understanding of audit standards and their application by working through some of our most complex work on a number of important audits. What do you feel has been the most helpful in developing this skill set and achieving your high level of efficiency? 

One of the most helpful things in building my audit skillset has been my technical curiosity. There’s no question that it is important to build a well-rounded foundation to set yourself up for success in your career, and that often involves balancing the time devoted to any single area. That said, I have found that what I enjoy most is the opportunity to do a deep dive. Whether it is understanding a client’s new process or analyzing a set of criteria, I want to be the expert. Initially, I found this desire to understand, and help simplify, nuanced topics to be a way to add value to my team and our service in individual, specific circumstances. Now, reflecting, I see that each deep dive further adds to my toolbelt and prepares me to begin a new engagement, or guide someone else, a little more wisely and more efficiently.

You’ve also experienced notable career growth with the firm, having recently been promoted to Supervisor. This has meant balancing your technical knowledge with people skills and workload management. What strategies have you found to be most successful for developing these new capacities and finding innovative, effective solutions to the challenges of your new role? 

As with any new role, certain skills are learned by doing and finding out what works. The technical side is something that comes more naturally to me, whereas project and workload management is a continuous effort. Some things are non-negotiable, like proper planning and tracking progress against that plan. With that being said, I have found flexibility to be an important strategy in my role as Supervisor. People are different; they are motivated and inspired differently, learn differently, and communicate differently. I think that it is my responsibility to be able to adapt to these various styles, within certain boundaries, to lead projects effectively.

For example, while providing feedback is always essential, how that feedback is delivered can and should be adapted to suit the individual and the situation. Some associates thrive on ongoing, informal conversations that keep them engaged and on track, while others prefer to complete tasks independently and reflect on detailed review comments afterward. These preferences often evolve over time as team members build confidence and develop their technical judgment. I make a point to ask how individuals prefer to receive feedback and pay close attention to how they respond to different styles. When time and budget allow, I tailor my approach to align with those preferences, with the goal of maximizing development without compromising quality or accountability.

As you continue to grow with the firm, your knowledge and experience continue to be important assets that your team is able to benefit from. In fact, you are scheduled to conduct an internal two-part training on sampling this month to help boost the team’s skillset. What are some specific ways you have used your knowledge in this area to meet and exceed client expectations? And do you have any tips for anyone looking to enhance their skill level? 

I appreciate this question because sampling is an area in which I have devoted considerable time, both in terms of understanding the requirements that guide our audits, as well as in practice. Last year I was able to test myself in leading the selection of statistical samples across one of our largest audits. The biggest challenge in this effort, and our greatest win in terms of client service, was turning around the selection of samples efficiently. When teams are already traveling to client sites while we are receiving the data to be tested, things need to move fast. Of course, our successes would not have been possible without the hard work of each member of the team.

I continue to learn more about sampling all the time, most recently in developing the team training scheduled for this month. I hope that the training itself will be a valuable resource for those who want to solidify their understanding of sampling fundamentals and common methods used in our engagements. For a deeper dive, I encourage folks to take the time to research requirements, guidance, and publications, such as those from AICPA and GAO. Beyond sampling, developing and leading a training on any topic is an excellent way to sharpen your knowledge and skills.

You are also a participant in Williams Adley’s Future Leaders Program. What excites you the most about becoming a future leader? What do you see as the biggest challenges you will need to overcome to develop as a leader? And what do you believe are your unique strengths that you can bring to a leadership role? 

Early on, I worked under seniors and supervisors who expected excellent work and provided valuable coaching in return. I learned pretty quickly that if you invest yourself in the job, people will also invest in you. For me, this came in the form of one-on-one training, thoughtful feedback, and perhaps most importantly trust to continuously take on more challenges. While I am still learning in new ways from my mentors, under the Future Leaders Program and on the job, it is exciting to be in a position to invest in those working under me.

As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoy getting into the technical details of an audit. In developing as a leader, one of the biggest challenges I face is passing this responsibility on to those I am leading. However rather than a current challenge, I like to think of this as a developing strength. I am learning to step back from the specifics and to repurpose my energy into fostering technical curiosity in others. In combination with other values I strive to bring to my role, like a commitment to improvement and integrity under pressure, I look forward to future accomplishments alongside my capable peers.

Accounting Today recently recognized Williams Adley as a 2025 Leader of the Capital Region. This is our second year being recognized as a regional leader, and our firm has been experiencing consistent growth as we take on new clients, expand our capabilities, and establish a more prominent role in the industry. What do you believe has made Williams Adley stand out from its competitors over the years, and what has inspired you the most about being part of Williams Adley’s growth? 

It is no surprise to me that Williams Adley continues to be recognized for its excellence. Experiencing our firm’s growth over the past several years, I think two qualities work together to set us apart. One, we understand our core strengths, and two, we continuously take measured, strategic opportunities to push the boundaries of those strengths. Within the Audit and Assurance practice, federal financial statement audits are our bread and butter. However, our deep understanding of the federal landscape and agency-specific needs has positioned Williams Adley to successfully take on a broader range of financial, performance, and attestation engagements. Because we already understand client systems, priorities, and regulatory environments, we can quickly ramp up on new engagement types and provide insights that are relevant and actionable. The continuous learning that I am afforded as part of this growth is a reward and serves as a model for how I aim to grow throughout my career. As our firm commits to an ever-expanding expertise, I am inspired to do the same.