Investment Accounting Associate
At a glance
Junior Accounting role at Guggenheiminvestment. Chicago · full-time · $100,000–$105,000 base.
financeroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Check accounting-system runs and controls, then investigate and correct transaction or income records that are wrong
- Review account setups, asset transfers and corporate actions to confirm portfolio and security records are accurate
- Analyze fixed-income book yields, adjust book values and validate cash-flow assumptions
- Compare accounting records with investment books and custodian reports, then research and resolve cash, position and value differences
- Prepare monthly reports from accounting data and help improve accuracy and process efficiency
What you bring
- A bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting
- At least two years in financial-services accounting, focused on investment operations or fund accounting
- Working proficiency in Excel, Access, Word and SQL, including complex Excel formulas for large datasets
Who this fits
This junior-level associate role suits someone who is precise, analytical and comfortable balancing deadlines with accurate work. You’ll work from the Chicago office and collaborate with colleagues and custodians to resolve accounting exceptions.
From the employer
Position Summary
Guggenheim Investments is seeking an exceptional candidate to join its Investment Accounting team as Associate in the Investment Operations department. This person will participate in analyzing security-level accounting information for client portfolio; maintaining GAAP and Statutory balance sheet values used in internal portfolio management decision-making process; ensuring accuracy of assets under management and performance values for internal reporting; and resolving cash and position reconciliation exceptions.The ideal candidate should be detail-oriented, innovative, and enthusiastic to learn; have ability to take ownership of processes and manage time efficiently; possess analytical and problem-solving skills.
This role is located in our Chicago office.
Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
- Monitor accounting system production jobs; timely execute checks and controls to ensure accurate data in accounting system.
- On daily basis ensure transactions and income are properly recorded in the accounting system; be able to trouble shoot, correct and identify root causes of the issues.
- Work with Client Service Support team to ensure new portfolio and security-level accounting records are correct at the point of initial account set-up.
- Verify accuracy of asset transfers and corporate actions recorded in the accounting system.
- Periodically review earned interest for more complex investments.
- Analyze fixed income securities book yields in accounting book of records (“ABOR”); process book value adjustments, load and validate expected cash flow assumptions to support accurate accounting book values and yields.
- Reconcile periodically ABOR asset market values, accrued interest and cash balances to investment book of records (“IBOR”); identify, research and clearly summarize variances.
- For certain portfolios, ensure holdings are reconciled to positions and values reported by Custodians. Communicate and resolve exceptions with Custodians.
- Reconcile available cash to settled cash (including reconciliation of open receivable/payable for securities and interest due).
- Prepare monthly reports for internal clients based on accounting datasets.
- Participate and contribute to initiatives that generate greater accuracy in accounting information and process efficiencies; assist with special projects and ad hoc requests as assigned.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting.
- 2+ years’ accounting experience in financial services, specifically back-office investment operations and/or fund accounting.
- Proficiency in MS Excel (familiar with complex formulas for large datasets), Access, Word, and SQL
- Team-oriented individual with ability to collaborate with a diverse group.
- Ability to multitask, prioritize and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment, while maintaining accuracy and quality of work.
Preferred Qualifications
- Currently holding or pursuing CPA (preferrable) or CFA.
- Comprehensive knowledge about fixed income, loans, limited partnerships, and equity securities.
- Experience with Aladdin by BlackRock solutions and/or Wall Street Office or a similar investment system.
- GAAP and/or Statutory accounting for insurance company investments.
We are not seeking agency assistance with this role.
Salary Range
Annual base salary between
$100,000.00-$105,000.00The base salary range represents the low and high end of the anticipated base salary range for this position. Actual base salaries may vary depending on factors such as location and experience. The range listed reflects base salary only, and the total compensation package may include other components such as incentive compensation.