Assurance Senior - Asset Management & Financial Services

Overview

Assurance Senior responsible for coordinating day-to-day in-charge duties for audit planning, fieldwork, and wrap-up. This role includes preparing financial statements with disclosures, applying relevant areas of GAAP as necessary, and documenting, validating, testing, and assessing control systems. The position also serves as a client contact for basic questions and information and may support reviews and agreed-upon procedure engagements.

Responsibilities

Control Environment

• Apply knowledge of the collective effect of factors on the effectiveness of policies and procedures, including risk mitigation.
• Complete audit work by using knowledge of transactional flow and key transactional cycles.
• Document, validate, and assess the design and operating effectiveness of clients’ internal control systems.
• Identify and communicate suggested improvements to client internal controls and accounting procedures to reduce risk within the client organization.
• Supervise and review the work of audit staff.

GAAP

• Apply governing principles to client transactions and document and communicate understanding and application of these principles.
• Communicate financial statement disclosure requirements to clients.
• Draft complex sets of financial statements with disclosures.
• Recognize and apply new pronouncements to client situations.
• Identify, analyze, and discuss alternative generally accepted accounting principles with the Manager, Senior Manager, engagement partner, and client as needed.
• Identify complex accounting issues and escalate to superiors for resolution.
• Coach less experienced team members in new areas.

SEC and PCAOB

• Apply knowledge of SEC regulations and PCAOB guidelines, and document and communicate the application.
• Read and review clients’ SEC filings, ensuring accuracy and completeness, and ensure financial information is documented in workpapers and supported through appropriate testing.
• Prepare required communications to the Client and the Audit Committee.
• Plan and execute Section 404 internal control audits, including:
  • Obtaining an understanding of the control environment
  • Designing test plans
  • Evaluating deficiencies
  • Assessing the overall financial reporting control environment

GAAS

• Apply and document professional standards on engagements.
• Formulate and communicate the audit plan.
• Apply GAAS to a variety of complex issues and consult others as appropriate.
• Employ audit skepticism and determine when to reduce or expand testing.
• Utilize audit manuals as appropriate for the situation.
• Document deviations from firm policy, with approval.

Methodology

• Coordinate the day-to-day conduct of the audit plan by ensuring fieldwork is executed and completed as planned, in accordance with the timetable, firm policies and procedures, and within budget.
• Apply audit approach and methodologies, including tools and technology, to execute the audit.
• Identify and propose outcomes to critical issues.

Research

• Use internal and external research tools to gather information from authoritative sources and draw conclusions.
• Use appropriate methodology for routine research requests.
• Research complex accounting areas, form an initial opinion on correct treatment independently, and consider and document the impact on the client and audit engagement.
• Document and organize complicated findings in a usable format, based on information obtained from sources such as Accounting Research Manager, assurance manuals, and Yahoo Finance.
• Assist the engagement manager with gathering appropriate information about the business and information system (including the accounting system) to form an adequate basis for the audit strategy.
• Develop the draft Audit Engagement Planning Memorandum, audit programs, and budgets.
• Collaborate with the engagement manager to establish responsibilities of individual audit staff for specific areas of audit work.
• Perform other duties as required.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provide verbal and written performance feedback to Audit Associates.
• Supervise audit staff work assignments within assigned engagement teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or Statistics, required OR Bachelor’s degree in another focus area and CPA certification, required.
• Two (2) or more years of prior relevant audit experience and/or public accounting, private industry accounting, or consulting/professional services experience, required.
• Eligible to sit for the CPA exams upon starting employment, required and actively pursuing completion of the exams, required.
• Solid understanding and experience planning and coordinating the stages to perform an audit of a basic public and/or private company.
• Knowledge of internal accounting controls and professional standards and regulations (GAAP, GAAS, Sarbanes-Oxley, etc.).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with ability to adapt style and messaging for professionals at all levels within the client organization and the firm.
• Ability to multi-task while working independently and within a team.
• Superior analytical and diagnostic skills; ability to break down complex issues and implement appropriate resolutions.
• Ability to work in a demanding, deadline-driven environment with a focus on details and accuracy.
• Solid project management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Accountancy.
• Prior basic supervisory experience.
• CPA certification.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with assurance applications and research tools.

Compensation & Benefits

Salaries are determined after consideration of candidate qualifications, experience, skills, and geography.

California Range: $88,000 - $105,000
Colorado Range: $80,000 - $85,000
Illinois Range: $82,000 - $90,000
Maryland Range: $78,000 - $93,000
Minnesota Range: $76,000 - $82,000
Massachusetts Range: $88,000 - $105,000
New Jersey Range: $80,000 - $95,000
NYC/Long Island/Westchester Range: $80,000 - $115,000
Ohio Range: $75,000 - $82,000
Virginia Range: $88,000 - $98,000
Washington Range: $82,000 - $95,000
Washington DC Range: $80,000 - $100,000

Benefits may be subject to eligibility requirements.

Location

United States (salary ranges vary by geography).