Assurance Senior

Overview

This role coordinates the day-to-day “in-charge” activities for audit engagements, including planning, fieldwork, and wrap-up. Responsibilities include preparing financial statements with disclosures, applying relevant areas of GAAP as necessary, and documenting, validating, testing, and assessing control systems. You will also serve as a client contact for basic questions and information and may participate in reviews and agreed-upon procedure engagements.

Responsibilities

Control environment

• Apply knowledge of transactional flow and key transactional cycles to complete audit work
• Document, validate, and assess the design and operating effectiveness of clients’ internal control systems
• Identify and communicate suggested improvements to internal controls and accounting procedures to help reduce risk within the client organization
• Supervise and review the work of audit staff

GAAP and financial reporting

• 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 the client as needed
• Identify complex accounting issues and bring them to the attention of superiors for resolution
• Coach less experienced team members in new areas

SEC and PCAOB

• Read and review clients’ SEC filings, ensuring accuracy and completeness
• 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 and professional standards

• 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 day-to-day execution of the audit plan to ensure fieldwork is completed as planned, in accordance with 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 and select methodology for routine research requests
• Research complex accounting areas, develop an initial opinion on appropriate treatment independently, and consider and document impacts on the client and audit engagement
• Document and organize complicated findings in a usable format using information obtained from authoritative sources and research materials
• Assist the engagement manager with gathering appropriate information about the business and information system (including the accounting system) to form an adequate basis for audit strategy preparation
• Develop the draft audit engagement planning memorandum, audit programs, and budgets
• Collaborate with the engagement manager to establish responsibilities for 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 associate work assignments within the assigned engagement team

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or Statistics, required OR Bachelor’s degree in another focus area and CPA certification, required
• Master’s degree in Accountancy, preferred

Experience

• Two (2) or more years of prior relevant audit experience and/or public accounting, private industry accounting, or consulting/professional services experience, required
• Prior basic supervisory experience, preferred

Licenses/Certifications

• Eligible to sit for the CPA exams upon starting employment and actively pursue completion of the exams, required
• CPA, preferred

Software

• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite, preferred
• Experience with assurance applications and research tools, preferred

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• 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 the ability to adapt style and messaging for professionals at all levels
• Ability to multi-task while working independently and within a group environment
• Superior analytical and diagnostic skills with the ability to break down complex issues and implement appropriate resolutions
• Ability to work in a demanding, deadline-driven environment with attention to details and accuracy
• Solid project management skills

Compensation & Benefits

Individual salaries are determined after consideration of numerous factors including qualifications, experience, skills, and geography.

Annual salary ranges by location:

• California: $88,000 - $105,000
• Colorado: $80,000 - $85,000
• Illinois: $82,000 - $90,000
• Maryland: $78,000 - $93,000
• Minnesota: $76,000 - $82,000
• Massachusetts: $88,000 - $105,000
• New Jersey: $80,000 - $95,000
• NYC/Long Island/Westchester: $80,000 - $115,000
• Ohio: $75,000 - $82,000
• Virginia: $74,000 - $98,000
• Washington: $82,000 - $95,000
• Washington, DC: $80,000 - $100,000

Benefits may be subject to eligibility requirements.

Location

Open to candidates in the listed U.S. locations with corresponding salary ranges: California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Jersey, NYC/Long Island/Westchester, Ohio, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, DC.