Assistant Controller, 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

The Ares Private Equity Finance team is seeking an Associate Vice President to join its Los Angeles-based team. This role will report to a Principal on the Ares Private Equity Finance team.  The Ares Private Equity Finance team consists of over 20 professionals, split between our Los Angeles and Mumbai offices.

The role requires flexibility as the scope will span traditional fund accounting duties (formal financial reporting and GAAP accounting), along with fund operational responsibilities, quarterly valuation review, and understanding/involvement in tax-related workstreams.

The ideal candidate would be resourceful, flexible, and balanced.  The role can require frequent coordination between various groups, including the investment team, other finance departments, third party administrators, and colleagues working in different offices.  Good teamwork and communication skills will be key for success.

Reports to: Principal, Private Equity Finance

This role will be working in frequent coordination with resources in our Mumbai office, as well as ongoing supervision of work being done by third party administrators.

Primary functions and essential responsibilities

• Day to day oversight of multiple funds with complex structures
• Management of our quarterly reporting and annual GAAP reporting, including hands-on coordination and in-depth review of deliverables with our external administrators and our auditors such as management fees and waterfall calculations
• Assist in managing overall fund liquidity, including daily cash management and projections, investor capital calls and distributions, and day-to-day management of credit facilities with banks.
• Oversight of tax-related workflows in coordination with internal and external tax teams
• Ongoing support for investor inquiries and marketing materials for our upcoming fund launches
• Responsibility for compliance reporting, including credit facility compliance and regulatory reporting
• Operational coordination with our investment operations team and performance team
• Management of certain expense processes, including compliance with the fund’s partnership agreements and management reporting
• Assisting with implementation of new processes and procedures, including the onboarding of funds to an administrator, improvements in our expense processes, integration of new reporting systems, or expanding our coordination with offshore resources
• Coaching and collaborating with colleagues in our Mumbai office; supervising work product of our external administrators

Qualifications

Education:

• BS/BA with major in Accounting, Economics, or Finance
• CPA or CPA candidate preferred

Experience Required:  

• Ideal candidates would have prior experience at the Accounting Manager level (or equivalent); approximately 6 years of experience or more
• Public accounting experience (Big 4) and/or relevant corporate/in-house experience strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel required; general experience with other accounting systems such as Geneva, Investran, etc. is desirable

General Requirements:

• Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated and a team player; a zest for challenges in a fast-paced, dynamic environment; a positive culture carrier for our team
• A self-directed individual with a can-do attitude, willing to work in an energetic, collaborative and fast-paced environment, proactive in nature, and a proven ability to learn quickly, display flexibility and adaptability while resolving issues with minimal supervision
• Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities and competing demands; strong time management and prioritization skills
• An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase efficiency of existing processes
• Outstanding communication (written and verbal), presentation, documentation, and interpersonal skills; strong customer focus
• High accuracy and detail orientation; confident decision-making skills
• Excellent communication skills and a demonstrated ability to adapt to different audiences
• Attention to detail, balanced with common-sense practicality
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• Good judgment in terms of escalating issues vs. solving problems independently
• Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
• Strong work ethic and a desire to learn
• Ability to be flexible in terms of hours in order to coordinate with team members across various time zones

Reporting Relationships

Controller

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

$160,000 - $185,000

The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include 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.