Director, Fund Accounting (Alternative Investments)

Westwood Holdings Group•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Director, Fund Accounting (Alternative Investments) is a member of the Westwood Alternatives Operations team focused on supporting the Westwood Alternatives Investment Platform and delivering best-in-class service to our key internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate will help build and continually improve key accounting and tax processes and procedures related Westwood alternative investment vehicles, including financial reporting, tax reporting, and data management, and will be a key member of a team in its early stages of institutionalization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or related field with a strong record of academic success.
8+ years of related work experience, ideally in public accounting or at an institutional-caliber investment management firm (e.g., private equity fund, hedge fund, E&F, family office) (or some combination of both)
Must be a minimum of 18 years of age and possess unrestricted authorization to work in the United States
Must have unrestricted authorization to work in the USA. No visa sponsorship is available.
High level of integrity and professionalism
Strong willingness and desire to learn and grow
Knowledge of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, particularly investment fund accounting
Superior orientation to detail and accuracy
Robust and demonstrated quantitative and critical thinking skills
Excellent organizational and multi-tasking capabilities
Resourcefulness and ability to work effectively under pressure
Demonstrated ability to be proactive and self-motivated
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well in a team-oriented, collaborative environment
Effective listening, verbal, and written communication skills
High degree of proficiency with the Microsoft Suite of products, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

Nice To Haves

CPA strongly preferred
CFA and/or CAIA preferred (or a desire to pursue them is a plus)

Responsibilities

Lead daily, monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad hoc fund accounting activities, including financial statement reviews, financial and tax reporting, and the audited financial statement process, ensuring financial information is maintained in accordance with U.S. GAAP and internal policies and procedures
Calculate and review fund expense accruals and allocations, ensuring expenses paid, directly or indirectly, by Westwood alternative investment vehicles are in line with legal and regulatory requirements
Liaise with third party fund administrator(s) on monthly and quarterly financial statements, expense activity (including expense allocations), fund waterfalls, management fee calculations, and ad hoc investor requests
Provide detailed review of monthly and quarterly fund workpapers, financial statements, and partner capital account statements prepared by the fund administrator(s)
Play a key role in annual audits of Westwood investment vehicles, including ongoing interactions with one or more third party accounting firms to conduct each audit
Manage investment fund tax activities, particularly annual extensions, tax returns, and investor K-1s, alongside one or more third party tax preparers
Assist the Chief Operating Officer with valuation-related activities related to underlying investments and Westwood investment vehicles
Research and resolve fund accounting and tax issues in a timely and exceptionally accurate manner
Ensure investment- and fund-level data in internal systems (e.g., CRM) and other files remain up-to-date and exceptionally accurate
Develop and deliver internal reporting and metrics related to fund accounting data
Collaborate with the Westwood Alternatives Operations team to incorporate best-in-class processes and innovative technology across the team
Develop strong relationships with key service providers, including fund administrators, auditors, tax preparers, and systems vendors
Draft and maintain procedure documentation for critical activities and controls
Assist with requests from key internal stakeholders, including the Investment team, Distribution team, and Legal & Compliance team
Undertake special projects, as requested