Accounting Operations Associate

Guggenheim Investments•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Guggenheim Investments is seeking an aspiring 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 based in our Chicago office full-time.

Requirements

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 (including understanding of complex formulas for large data analytics), Access, Word, etc.
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.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the US without current or future visa sponsorship or transfer.

Nice To Haves

Currently holding or pursuing CPA (preferrable) or CFA.
Comprehensive knowledge about fixed income, loans, limited partnerships, and equity securities.
Experience with PAM for Investments, BlackRock Solutions and/or Wall Street Office or a similar investment system.
GAAP and/or Statutory accounting for insurance company investments.

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.