Sr Associate, Fund Accounting

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee‑focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high‑performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry. Job Description Ares Management is seeking a highly motivated Senior Associate to join the Alternative Credit Fund Accounting team. This individual will play a key role in supporting a growing platform consisting of multiple investment vehicles, financing structures, separately managed accounts, co‑invest vehicles, and strategic partnerships. This role is ideal for a candidate who enjoys solving operational and accounting challenges, demonstrates strong ownership and accountability, and thrives in a dynamic environment. The successful candidate will serve as a financial partner to the business and will be expected to manage competing priorities while delivering a high‑quality work product under tight deadlines. The position offers significant exposure across portfolio management, investor relations, treasury/liquidity management, legal, tax, valuation, operations, and external service providers. The role also provides opportunities to lead process improvements and help scale the platform through technology, automation, and operational enhancements. The role offers significant opportunity for mentorship, development, and increasing responsibility within a collaborative and entrepreneurial team environment. Primary Responsibilities Become a key member of the Alternative Credit fund accounting team supporting a diverse set of credit strategies and investment structures. Assume ownership of one or more funds and related structures, including oversight of day‑to‑day accounting, operational deliverables, liquidity management, and investor servicing requirements. Prepare and oversee weekly liquidity and cash flow forecasting across multiple vehicles, ensuring sufficient liquidity to support investment activity, financing obligations, distributions, and operating requirements. Manage and monitor multiple credit facilities, subscription lines, borrowing bases, lender reporting obligations, and financing compliance requirements. Coordinate across multiple fund structures and investor entry points, including flagship funds, feeder vehicles, rated note feeders, co‑investments, SMAs, SPVs, and strategic partnerships. Collaborate with and review capital call and distribution calculations and related investor deliverables prepared by fund administrators. Review monthly and quarterly NAV packages prepared by fund administrators, including: cash and position reconciliations capital allocations management fee calculations incentive fee allocations and carry waterfall calculations investor allocations and statements Perform detailed review and validation of management fee calculations, incentive allocations, and carry waterfall models across multiple vehicles and investor structures. Prepare monthly expense accruals and assist in the expense payment and budgeting process. Review quarterly and annual financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Prepare and support management company and regulatory reporting requirements, including Form PF, AIFMD, TIC reporting, and other applicable filings. Partner closely with Investor Relations to support recurring and ad hoc investor requests, performance reporting, liquidity analyses, and bespoke reporting needs. Prepare and review investor reporting deliverables, including performance metrics such as IRR, MOIC, realized/unrealized returns, and other fund‑level analytics. Analyze new transactions, financing arrangements, and fund structures to determine appropriate accounting treatment, operational workflows, and reporting implications. Partner with legal, tax, treasury, valuation, operations, and portfolio management teams to operationalize new products, structures, and investment activity. Review governing documents and financing agreements, including LPAs, credit agreements, side letters, ISDAs, and other transaction documentation to ensure operational compliance. Maintain a strong control mindset with exceptional attention to detail and focus on accuracy across all accounting, reporting, and investor deliverables. Investigate and resolve accounting, operational, and liquidity‑related issues in a timely and thoughtful manner. Identify operational risks, control gaps, and process inefficiencies and proactively develop scalable solutions. Participate in strategic initiatives focused on automation, operational scalability, workflow optimization, and technology enablement across the platform. Leverage technology and data analytics tools to improve reporting quality, transparency, and operational efficiency. Liaise and build strong relationships with teams across the organization, including investor relations, portfolio managers, legal, tax, treasury, valuation, and operations, along with external parties such as fund administrators, custodians, lenders, and external auditors. Mentor junior team members and help contribute to a collaborative, high‑performance team culture. Qualifications 4–8 years of relevant professional experience in fund accounting, audit, asset management, or alternative investments Public accounting experience preferred; Big‑4 experience strongly preferred CPA preferred Direct experience with credit products and alternative credit strategies required Strong understanding of closed‑end fund structures, financing arrangements, and multi‑vehicle fund platforms Experience reviewing and validating management fee calculations, incentive fee allocations, and carry waterfall models required Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP and fund accounting principles Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy and quality Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, particularly in situations involving new transactions, evolving structures, or ambiguous scenarios Demonstrated ability to think critically and operate effectively in a dynamic environment with multiple competing priorities Ability to independently manage complex workstreams and proactively identify issues before they escalated Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to clearly communicate complex information across various stakeholder groups Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously Collaborative mindset with the ability to build strong relationships across teams and external counterparties Demonstrated entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on continuous improvement, scalability, and operational efficiency Technology Skills Advent Geneva experience preferred Advanced Excel skills required Experience with Power BI, Alteryx, Anaplan or other automation / business intelligence tools strongly preferred Interest in leveraging technology and automation to improve operational processes and reporting workflows Experience working with large and complex datasets preferred Characteristics of Success Exceptional attention to detail and pride in producing accurate, high‑quality work Strong ownership mentality and accountability Ability to remain organized and effective under pressure Strong problem‑solving skills and comfort navigating new or evolving situations Intellectual curiosity and desire to understand the “why” behind structures, transactions, and processes Sound judgment and proactive risk awareness Ability to anticipate issues before they arise and develop practical, scalable solutions Strong communication skills with confidence interacting across levels of the organization Collaborative and team‑oriented mindset Desire and capability to grow into broader leadership responsibilities over time Reporting Relationships Controller Compensation The anticipated base salary range for this position is $120,000 – $140,000. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance‑based bonus. The firm also offers robust benefits including comprehensive medical Rx, dental and vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; flexible savings accounts (FSA); healthcare savings accounts (HSA) with company contribution; basic and voluntary life insurance; long‑term disability (LTD) and short‑term disability (STD) insurance; employee assistance program (EAP), and commuter benefits plan for parking and transit. Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world‑class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more. There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active. #J-18808-Ljbffr