Associate, F&A

Ares Operations•Boston, MA

About The Position

Ares Management is seeking an Associate to join the Registered Secondaries Accounting team. The role supports day-to-day accounting, financial reporting, net asset value (NAV) processes, and the operational control environment for registered investment companies investing in private equity secondaries and related structures. The Associate works with the fund administrator and internal accounting, operations, valuation, legal, compliance, tax, and investor-relations teams to deliver accurate and timely fund reporting.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
2–4 years of experience in fund accounting, investment accounting, private equity accounting, registered funds, or public accounting.
Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ownership of assigned deliverables.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across internal and external teams.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word.
Strong work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to effective controls and high-quality financial reporting.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting private equity or other alternative investment products.
Familiarity with US GAAP investment company accounting and registered fund reporting.
Experience with Advent Geneva, eFront, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, OneStream, or similar systems.
Experience with data analytics or automation tools.

Responsibilities

Support the monthly NAV process by preparing and reviewing fund administrator packages, reconciling cash and positions, and following up on identified breaks.
Assist with monthly and quarterly closes, including journal entries, account reconciliations, supporting schedules, and close workpapers.
Track and reconcile cash activity, investment activity, capital calls, distributions, fees, and expenses for private equity secondary investments and related fund structures.
Process and monitor fund cash activity, including invoices, wire requests, and payments to underlying investments, vendors, and other third parties, in accordance with established controls.
Analyze financial statements, capital account statements, and transaction notices from underlying fund managers, and support recording investment activity.
Review fund general ledgers, trial balances, administrator records, and custody records, and resolve reconciling items promptly.
Prepare and review registered fund regulatory reporting, including Form N-PORT, Form N-2, Form N-CSR, and Form N-CSRS as applicable, and support other SEC and compliance reporting requirements.
Assist with fund expense budgeting, accruals, and variance analysis.
Prepare recurring and ad hoc reporting for portfolio management, investor relations, legal, compliance, tax, and other internal stakeholders.
Coordinate with the fund administrator, auditors, and internal teams to support reporting deadlines and audit requests.
Participate in process improvement, automation, and scalability initiatives, and assist with special projects as needed.