Associate, Operational & Technical Accounting

Operational & Technical Accounting Practice

With the increase in complexity of the business environment and transactions, CFOs of private equity-backed companies are increasingly being looked towards to drive strategic insights for their business. Finance organizations are no longer simply result reporters, but rather, they couple these results with forward-looking data to provide strategic insights which are leveraged to make business decisions. Efficiency of process and meaningful control environments allows for speed of financial reporting with increasingly accurate measures, leaving more time for the finance team to add future enterprise value, rather than look backwards.

Accordion's Operational & Technical Accounting Advisory (O&T) Practice is comprised of a dedicated team providing accounting and financial advice to support PE-backed portfolio companies on a wide range of transactions and events, including Accounting Policies & Procedures, ERP/Financial System Execution, Financial Statement Close Process, Process & Controls Implementation, Technical Accounting, Finance/Accounting Assessment & Design and Finance & Accounting Organization Standup from a Carve-Out or Merger. We are doers and problem solvers - making sense of complexity and bolstering sponsors' value creation theses.

This role can be based in any of our US office locations (NYC, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, San Francisco, or Los Angeles) and is a hybrid role with the flexibility to work remotely 2 days a week. Ideal candidates should be local to the desired location. Travel to client sites will be required as needed.

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.
What You'll Do:

As part of a lean, cross-functional team, the O&T Associate will play a vital role in identifying and rectifying issues across a broad range of scenarios. The following representative engagements are emblematic of the type of work you'll do as an O&T Associate at Accordion:

• A rapidly growing company with a global footprint routinely takes 45 days to close its books and produce financial statements. You and the team are brought in to:
  • Perform deep-dives and gain an understanding of current state processes, people, and systems (both on paper and in reality)
  • Identify root causes and provide recommendations on how to improve broken processes, bridge control gaps, and better align roles and responsibilities with best practices
  • Implement tools and creative solutions that the accounting function can use to streamline their close process (e.g. introduce materiality limits, close checklists, and calendars)
• The team is advising a cash-basis company going through their first-year audit. You will assist the team with the following initiatives:
  • Cash to US GAAP conversion, adopting key accounting standards such as revenue recognition and lease accounting
  • The timely and accurate preparation of financial statements, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules
  • Project managing the audit timeline throughout the engagement
• Following the acquisition of three similar, stand-alone businesses, a PE Sponsor has identified the need to consolidate operations in order to realize the synergies identified in their investment thesis. Get ready to:
  • Design a singular finance function that can serve all three businesses; you'll put together intuitive processes and controls and realign roles and responsibilities to suit the strengths of the individuals
  • Draft a unified set of policies and procedures that speak to all three businesses and encourages them to operate with consistency
  • Design a standard chart of accounts for a consolidated business
  • Select, implement, and champion a robust ERP solution which meets the needs of the combined business
  • Conduct purchase accounting analyses and establish US GAAP-compliant opening balance sheets for each transaction
  • Consolidate their existing financial reporting from disparate systems, including aligning with US GAAP and adjusting for deviations in accounting policies and procedures, to produce a single source of numerical truth
• In order to keep pace with its competitors, a technology company is looking to move away from a traditional subscription-based model to a SaaS model, and requires guidance in dealing with the key finance and accounting implications which will ensue. You are part of a team that will:
  • Address changes in revenue recognition requirements and draft accounting policies that affirm the new normal
  • Challenge existing assumptions in underlying revenue forecasts and associated cost-drivers
  • Evolve the invoicing process to reflect new business processes

You Have:

• Minimum 3 years of experience (ideally 3+) working in financial accounting or operations at a top-tier public accounting or financial advisory firm, and/or private company
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related field; CPA is a plus
• A strong and up-to date knowledge of US GAAP (exposure to IFRS is a plus), with deep technical understanding of topics such as ASC 606 revenue recognition, lease transactions, purchase accounting, etc.
• Experience in the following areas: technical accounting advisory, audit readiness, and functional accounting / controllership support
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Strong client service mindset and communication skills

You Are:

• A self-starter with a strong work ethic
• A leader of others; you lead by example
• A strong team player, able to work with team members across all levels
• Able to effectively communicate complex issues and solutions, and raise issues to senior team members when necessary
• Comfortable managing projects with multiple complex workstreams while also focused on your single workstream (you are managing and doing)
• Excited to be part of a growing team, with a focus on driving future growth
• Full of entrepreneurial spirit and comfortable in a fluid, flat organization
• Knowledgeable about the relationship between Private Equity sponsors and their portfolio companies
• Passionate about delivering exceptional client service
• Someone who enjoys mentoring others and doing meaningful work
• Willing to get your hands dirty in the details of a project while simultaneously seeing the whole picture

The annual salary for this role ranges from: $85,000 to $130,000 USD + benefits + bonus. Actual compensation packages are determined by evaluating a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to geographic location, skill set, years and depth of experience, education, certifications, cost of labor and internal equity.

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