Category: Career Center

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Job of the Day: Asset Management Company Needs a Controller

An asset management company is looking for an experienced accountant to fill a controller position that will oversee its accounting department and report directly to the CFO.

The position requires a CPA with a minimum of seven years experience, including partnerships and foreign currency. This position is located in Kirkland, Washington.


Title: Controller

Compensation: $140,000

Location: Kirkland, WA

Description: The firm manages $1.8 billion of long-only funds invested in Japanese publicly-traded companies through three separate funds each having a focus area of large-cap, mid-cap or small-cap companies in Japan. The firm is planning expansion into other Asian markets in the near-term for which substantive discussions are underway. Currently located in Monterey, CA, the firm is relocating to Kirkland, Washington in July 2010. The firm is seeking a Controller based in their Washington Offices. The position will report to the CFO and work closely with the CFO on all matters.

Responsibilities: Responsible for the integrity and accuracy of the general ledgers of each fund and the fund management companies; Directly manage the Fund Accountant position, reviewing all work performed by the Fund Accountant; Oversee certain aspects of the Accounting Manager’s work with regards to payables and other general accounting matters; Manage the month-end closing and reporting for each fund, reviewing all journal entries prepared by the Fund Accountant ensuring that fund financials are prepared and submitted timely to CFO; Review all journal entries prepared by Accounting Manager for the fund management companies; Review and help prepare the computation of partner allocations; Oversee the Fund Accountant’s daily computation of NAV and daily trade reconciliation process, including the internal reporting of daily performance for all funds; Step in as a back-up for the Fund Accountant to complete Fund Accountant responsibilities as required; Prepare the annual financial statements and all supporting documentation for the auditors; Prepare tax supporting documentation for the fund tax returns; Monitor tax filing deadlines and FBAR filings and coordinate with tax firm; Coordinate and interface with auditors on year-end audits SAS 70 Type I (and possibly Type II in the future) engagement, and annual GIPS verification; Assist on special projects for internal or external reporting, as requested by the CFO.

Qualifications/Skills: CPA with 7-10 years of experience in investment management industry with strong preference for experience in public equities (including Asian public equities).; Experience in all aspects of partnership accounting for funds, including foreign currency experience; Strong experience in various financial reporting systems required. The firm currently uses Axys (Advent), Moxy and Peachtree. The firm is evaluating the potential for a technology platform for its accounting area which would integrate general ledger, investments, trade recording under a single solution. To this end, strong knowledge of financial reporting systems is a requirement; Experience in budgeting, payroll, general HR and accounting matters as they relate to fund management company; Experience supervising accounting team staff; Working knowledge of Advent Axys and Moxy software systems preferred.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Credentials for Accountants: Certified Valuation Analyst

Need help deciding what you want to be when you grow up? Check out the rest of our posts on credentials for accountants.

The CVA isn’t like other certifications in that if you’re going for one, you’re probably trying to add to your arsenal of professional credentials and have a few days to spare for the intensive training.

What’s it take?
This is directly from the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA):

The Business Valuation Certification and Training Center’s compact five-day intermediate level curriculum is comprehensive and substantive, providing value from beginning to end. A good understanding of accounting, taxes, economics, finance, and a basic understanding of business valuation fundamentals are prerequisites. The BVTC’s primary goal is to provide you with information that will serve as a solid foundation for your professional valuation endeavors, whether or not you plan to pursue a designation.

The five-hour CVA exam is administered in a rotating yearly schedule in 13 U.S. cities (twice yearly in Chicago) following the five-day training.

The NACVA is a NASBA-recognized CPE provider, meaning the training and certification can satisfy CPE requirements for CPAs. State boards have the final say on what counts for CPE purposes so check with yours if you are interested in completing this program to satisfy CPE requirements. The NACVA has trained 15,000 CVAs since its inception in 1990 and its members are subject to the same sort of ethical standards as CPAs.

The entire program – not counting the exams and any study materials – runs about $3,555 (by comparison, the CPA exam costs around $1000 – $1500 just to sit, excluding CPA review fees or retakes) and the exam itself is $595.

Who would want a CVA?
Tax professionals, for one, but also M&A consultants, investment professionals, financial analysts, financial officers and of course accountants interested in valuation and providing this service to their clients.

Why would you want a CVA?
Businesses need to be valued for all sorts of reasons. Mergers and acquisitions make up a large part of this but the CVA also comes in handy for estate taxes, employee stock ownership plans, divorce, and partner break-ups. This makes it an always-in-demand credential in a constantly-evolving marketplace.

Compensation
Salary is impacted according to one’s position or other credentials. For example, a CFO with a CVA can expect to make a median salary of $125,000 according to PayScale. On the other side of the spectrum, a senior tax accountant with a CVA weighs in at an average of $60,000. But we knew tax was a thankless gig to begin with, didn’t we?

Since CVAs can also unravel bankruptcies and liquidations, the career options may be just about endless moving forward. Better start saving your pennies for that 5-day excursion.

Adrienne Gonzalez is the founder of Jr. Deputy Accountant, a former CPA wrangler and a Going Concern contributor . You can see more of her posts for GC here.

Job of the Day: Credit Suisse Needs a Controller of Expense Management

Credit Suisse is looking for an experienced professional to join their IB Expense Management group as a Jr Controller – Expense Management in its Raleigh, North Carolina location.

The position requires four to six years financial reporting or financial services experience, preferably in investment banking.


Company: Credit Suisse

Title: Jr. Controller – Expense Management (ENO/AVP)

Location: Raleigh, NC

Responsibilities: Develop, execute and deliver monthly and ad-hoc non-compensation expense reports and analyses to support critical strategic and day-to-day decisions for various segments of the Investment Bank; Assist, when necessary, in the overall IB month end and with various ad hoc requests; Foster relationships and liaise with IB Finance, COO Finance and business COOs to ensure timely delivery of management reports; Collaborate with the Expense Management Efficiency project teams to identify valid assumptions and monitoring metrics for project savings; Partner with Global COOs and IB Finance to construct product-level budgets by region and to understand monthly non-compensation expense forecasts at a granular business level; Present forecast and budget information and commentary to senior management, coordinating with internal and external teams to aggregate data from disparate systems; Identify and implement enhancements to the non-compensation expense forecasting model and system reporting and analytics.

Qualifications/Skills: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; 4 – 6 years Financial Services or Financial Reporting experience; Investment Banking and/or Capital Markets experience in one or more of the following areas: Financial Accounting and Control; Expense Reporting and Analysis; Financial Planning & Analysis; Experience with general ledger systems, data warehouse applications and reporting tools such as Essbase and Business Objects is preferred.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Hate Your Job a Little Extra Today? There’s At Least One Recent Accounting Grad That Will Gladly Take Your Place

Okay gang, we know this is a tough day. You quietly wept to yourself on your commute; you’re recovering from sunburns, hangovers and meat sweats. It’s an all-around bitch of a Tuesday. It’s bad enough that your weekends are ruined by your job but now your holidays have to be ruined too? We’d suggest doing away with holidays altogether but then all work and no play makes accountants duller than normal.

But you trudge on, capital market servant. You trudge. A lot of readers recite “I’m thankful to have a job in this economy” mantra which makes some of you sick. Whether your nausea at their grateful attitude is justified is a matter of debate but let it be known, there are people out there that would take that job that you detest with all your heart and soul at the drop of a hat:

Melanie Singer has been preparing for the job market ever since she entered college at the University of Dayton, a private Catholic school in Ohio.

Starting in her freshman year, she began working with a career counselor. She attended networking events, did three internships while in school full-time, and worked with a recruiter to help connect her with jobs.

Singer, 22, got good grades, studied abroad and even chose a degree — accounting — that was supposed to give her one of the best chances of finding work.

“Everything you read, accounting was in the top five positions to get a job in,” Singer says.

But while she was in school, the economy tanked. Today’s job market is worse than it’s been in at least a generation.

Singer can’t remember how many websites or companies she’s applied to — she began sending out resumes at the beginning of her senior year. A month after commencement, she still hasn’t found a job.

We certainly agree with “everything you read” statement. You’d be hard pressed to find a MSM list of any sort that places accounting or accounting firms in a negative light as it relates to a career choice. Maybe the accounting scene has taken a turn for the worse in the Buckeye State and she needs to venture out?

Whatever the problems in Ohio, it sounds like Ms Singer spent most of her college days practicing for job interviews rather than the traditional co-ed activities and yet has had a serious run of bad luck finding a job. This is unfortunate and we know that there are plenty of Ohio accountants out there that probably wouldn’t mind an extended vacation. So if you find yourself hating life a little bit more than usual today, perhaps you’d consider taking one for the team so Ms Singer can fulfill her dream of joining the workforce.

Accounting Grad Didn’t Figure On Job Rejections [NPR]

Job of the Day: A Global Bank Needs a Private Equity Controller

Nevis Recruiting has a client in New York that is looking for someone to fill a VP/Controller position in their private equity business.

The position requires eight years experience in private equity reporting or at a large accounting firm and a CPA license is preferred.


Recruiter: Nevis Recruiting, LLC

Title: Private Equity Controller

Location: New York, NY

Description: Global Bank looking for a VP/Controller to support their growing Private Equity businesses.

Responsibilities: Supervise a team responsible for the accounting and financial reporting oversight for PE funds; Coordinate quarterly financial statement preparation with external administrators; Support investor and regulatory reporting; Coordinate the production and audit of annual financial statements; Liase with multiple teams within the Firm; Assist in the launch of new products; Support team, department, and business managers on various special projects.

Qualifications/Skills: 8+ years of experience in Private Equity reporting or from a large public accounting firm with significant PE clients; CPA preferred

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Job of the Day: Natixis Global Associates Needs a Fund Administrator

Natixis Global Associates is looking for an experienced tax professional to fill an AVP – Fund Administrator role in its Boston office.

Primary responsibilities include tax matters related to their mutual fund products. The position requires eight years experience with a CPA or advanced degree preferred.


Company: Natixis Global Associates

Title: AVP – Fund Administrator – TAX

Location: Boston, MA

Description: Reporting to the Deputy Treasurer, this individual will be responsible for overseeing, reviewing and completing certain department responsibilities. The focus will be on tax matters related to mutual funds.

Primary Responsibilities: Coordination and review of the department’s and vendor’s work on the following tax related items: Distribution schedule; Year end tax provisions; Fund distribution calculations; Tax related information included in the Financial statements and Form N-Q; Fund tax returns; Shareholder 1099s and related year-end shareholder reporting; Trustee and vendor 1099s; Research on the tax implications of new security types; Research on regulatory requirements and other tax matters; IRS compliance results; Communication between State Street, Tax Auditors, Marketing, Sales, and Product Departments.

Qualifications/Skills: Bachelor’s Degree in Finance or Accounting; An advanced degree or CPA is recommended, but not, required; Minimum of 8 to 10 years experience in the mutual fund industry is required, including direct tax experience and knowledge of fund administration, fund accounting and fund transfer agent functions and responsibilities; Project management experience is a must.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Job of the Day: Jefferson Wells Needs Internal Auditors

Jefferson Wells is looking for internal auditors to join its Financial Institutions team.

Candidates need a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and at least five years professional experience in internal audit, Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Work. Professional designation such as CIA, CPA, CRCM, CFSA is a plus.


Company: Jefferson Wells

Title: Internal Auditor

Compensation: $90,000+

Location: New York, NY

Responsibilities: Prepare tax returns for S corporations, C corporations, and partnerships; Preparation of accounting records, and financial statements and tax returns for several investment partnerships; Reviewing and preparing yearly tax filings for Hedge Fund, Private Equity Funds, Real Estate Funds, and Funds’ general partners and investment managers; Performing security analysis and calculating various Fund tax adjustments; Preparation of Tax Form 1065 income tax returns and related K-1s and supporting schedules; prior experience with form 1120; Recording all accounting transactions of the fund and ensuring all investments are booked accurately; Preparation of limited partner capital calls and capital distributions; Researching tax treatment of complex financial instruments and corporate actions of Funds.

Qualifications/Skills: Enterprise Risk Assessment and Management Services; Financial Reporting Audits, Operational Audits, and Regulatory Compliance Audits; Fraud and Forensic Investigations; Internal Audit Co-Sourcing and Outsourcing; Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Work; Bachelor’s degree in accounting, or business related curriculum; 5+ years related experience; Professional designation such as CIA, CPA, CRCM, CFSA is a plus; Compliance, Bank Secrecy Act Compliance or Loan Review.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Job of the Day: Jefferies & Company Needs a Senior Accountant

Jefferies & Company is looking for an experienced accountant to join its Corporate Financial Accounting Department in Los Angeles.

Candidates need three to six years of experience and a CPA is desired. Experience with investment banking or related financial services businesses is preferred.


Company: Jefferies & Company, Inc.

Title: Senior Accountant, Corporate Financial Accounting

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Description: This role will support the corporate controllers team in the financial accounting and reporting for compensation and benefits expense.

Responsibilities: Prepare journal entries related to the commission based sales force and performance based teams; Develop compensation models to compute applicable drivers and rules dictated by complex employment agreements and compensation plans; Prepare actual and forecasted financial reporting packages highlighting revenue and related compensation; Interact and collaborate with multi-functional groups throughout the company, including operating business units, corporate finance, legal, compliance, etc., to accomplish tasks and objectives.

Qualifications/Skills: 3 to 6 years in financial accounting and reporting, CPA designation desired; Investment bank and institutional sales and trading or related financial services industry experience desired; Expertise in gathering, manipulating, analyzing financial and accounting data; Advanced user of Microsoft Excel, Access, and PeopleSoft General Ledger.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Credentials for Accountants: Certified Internal Auditor

This is the fourth in our series on certifications for accountants. Previously, we’ve covered the CFP, CMA, and CFE so if you’re not sure what you want to be when you grow up, be sure to check those out.

So, what’s the CIA all about?


Education Requirement
CIA candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree. Unlike the CPA exam, which often requires certain coursework or a minimum master’s level education in accounting, the CIA certification has no such requirements. The CIA exam is administered year-round by the Institute of Internal Auditors.

Professional Requirements
Those interested in pursuing a CIA designation must have at least 24 months (2 years) professional experience in internal auditing or its equivalent. Equivalent experience would be in the areas audit/assessment disciplines, including external auditing, quality assurance, compliance, and internal control. Candidates with a master’s degree can substitute their degree for one year of experience. Candidates may sit for the CIA exam before satisfying the experience requirement but will not be certified until meeting this requirement.

Career Options
Certified Internal Auditors can be in public or private industry and experience a diverse workload checking controls, planning the audit process for their company, testing, and compiling reports. Internal auditors may also give feedback on management policies and procedures based on their findings.

Compensation and Other Benefits
CIAs can expect to make a median yearly salary of $55k freshly certified and around $100k with 20 years of experience, making it a cozy career choice for auditors (Payscale). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, growth in auditing and accounting positions is expected to rise 18% between 2006 and 2016, which gives CIAs a certain level of job security not seen in other industries. Equally important, executive responsibility attached to Sarbanes-Oxley means CIAs are that much more critical to an organization by isolating incidents of fraud or waste.

Obviously, CIAs are not in it for the money but for fraud-fighters who love information systems, technology and auditing, the CIA is a safe, always-in-need designation worth looking into!

Job of the Day: Arizona American Water Needs a Financial Analyst

Arizona American Water is looking for an experienced professional with an accounting or finance background to fill a Intermediate Financial Analyst position in Phoenix, Arizona.

The position requires 5 – 7 years experience including SOx and U.S. GAAP knowledge with a CPA or CMA credential desirable.


Company: Arizona American Water Company

Title: Financial Analyst II (Intermediate)

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Description: Intermediate Financial Analyst responsible for developing revenue and expense analyses, projections, reports and presentations.

Responsibilities: Compile and analyze financial information for developing revenue/expense analyses, projections, reports and presentations. Ensure accuracy of financial information; identify trends and present findings to senior management. Analyze and assess business performance against goals. Support management in shaping, driving and influencing business performance and continuous improvement.

Qualifications/Skills: Requires BA/BS in accounting/finance related field and 5-7 years related experience including, knowledge of US GAAP, SOX, regulatory accounting and practices and computer expertise. CPA/CMA is desirable. Experience in water/wastewater utility industry is highly desirable.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Job of the Day: Morgan Stanley Needs a Real Estate Accounting Associate

Morgan Stanley is looking for an experienced accountant to join their Real Estate Funds group in Atlanta, Georgia.

The position require 2 – 4 years of experience with a CPA preferred.


Company: Morgan Stanley

Title: Real Estate Funds Associate – MSREF

Location: Atlanta, GA

Description: Reporting to a Manager, position is responsible for the overall accounting, reporting and operations for global private equity real estate funds and affiliated funds. Responsibilities include assisting on special projects including reengineering processes and system implementations.

Responsibilities: Prepare quarterly and annual financial statements and footnote disclosures; Prepare various work paper and financial data analyses based on requests from the business unit, investors and auditors; Prepare fee calculations (i.e. management fees, acquisition fees, etc.) verifying that calculations are in accordance with applicable agreements; Prepare investor capital call and distribution notices; Address and resolve audit inquiries from external auditors during year end audit; Assist on IT initiatives to automate process, program calculations and streamline reporting; Participate on special projects related to the fund.

Qualifications/Skills: Bachelors degree in Accounting or Finance; Well organized, detailed, analytical individual with two to four years of relevant work experience; CPA preferred; Real estate partnership accounting and reporting experience a plus.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.

Job of the Day: PwC Needs a Tax Manager

PricewaterhouseCoopers is looking for an experienced tax professional to join its Private Company Services (“PCS”) team. PCS helps private companies and their owners with tax planning an compliance decisions at all stages of the business.

The position requires five to seven years experience and is located in Chicago.


Company: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Title: Tax Manager

Location: Chicago, IL

Description: The Private Company Services (PCS) team is a dedicated group of professionals who focus on the audit, tax compliance and planning, and business advisory needs of public interest entities, and private companies and their owners. By helping private companies make strategic decisions throughout the business lifecycle, our PCS practice is designed to help clients improve cash flow and increase owners’ wealth accumulation. This includes access to capital markets, initial public offerings and assistance with growth into international markets. The team’s clients primarily reside in private equity portfolio companies and the manufacturing, retail, wholesale and distribution, professional services and construction industries.

Qualifications/Skills: 5 – 7 years of tax consulting or compliance experience is required.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.