Senior Associate, Fund Accounting Transformation

HarbourVest Partners•Boston, MA

14h•Hybrid

About The Position

For over forty years, HarbourVest has been home to a committed team of professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to deliver impactful solutions to our clients and investing partners. As our global firm grows, we continue to add individuals who seek a collaborative, open-door culture that values diversity and innovative thinking. In our collegial environment that’s marked by low turnover and high energy, you’ll be inspired to grow and thrive. Here, you will be encouraged to build on your strengths and acquire new skills and experiences. We are committed to fostering an environment of inclusion that promotes mutual respect among all employees. Understanding and valuing these differences optimizes the potential of both the individual and the firm. HarbourVest is an equal opportunity employer. This position will be a hybrid work arrangement. You will receive 18 remote workdays per quarter to use at your discretion, subject to manager approval. For example, you may choose to work in the office 4 days per week and take one remote day weekly (typically 13 weeks per quarter), leaving 5 additional remote days to be used as needed. The Senior Associate, Fund Accounting Transformation, is responsible for facilitating the adoption of new technologies, policies, and procedures in alignment with firm-wide and departmental transformation initiatives affecting the Fund Accounting & Administration Department. The role will include close collaboration with the different teams within Fund Accounting & Administration and ongoing partnership with a diverse set of colleagues across the firm, including Enterprise Continuous Improvement, Information Technology, Client Operations, Legal, as well as external providers and advisors. The ideal candidate is someone who is: Experienced or possesses a strong knowledge of private equity fund accounting. Detail oriented and able to drive operational decisions on significant enterprise projects while seeking input from different perspectives. Highly organized and able to balance multiple priorities at any given point in time. Collaborative; a great teammate who excels in a collegial setting. Analytical; makes recommendations using acquired data and cumulative experience. An agile learner; able to readily apply past findings in new situations to generate solutions to organization challenges. Able to clearly communicate complex technical concepts in simple terms by building a template/model and summarizing in writing and verbally. Experienced working in team environments, with the ability to lead or facilitate group efforts.

Requirements

Financial Services / Alternative Asset Manager experience required.
Strong knowledge of financial systems, automation tools, and data analytics.
Ability to communicate professionally and confidentially with people at all levels.
Demonstrated excellence in implementing multi-dimensional projects.
Strong Fund Accounting skills with in-depth understanding of all stages of the fund life cycle.
Advanced PC Skills – Microsoft products (Excel, Power BI, PowerPoint, etc.)
Strong ability to manage tasks effectively.
Accounting background and general understanding of financial organization.
3 to 6 years of experience in private equity or alternatives asset class.

Nice To Haves

Experienced or possesses a strong knowledge of private equity fund accounting.
Detail oriented and able to drive operational decisions on significant enterprise projects while seeking input from different perspectives.
Highly organized and able to balance multiple priorities at any given point in time.
Collaborative; a great teammate who excels in a collegial setting.
Analytical; makes recommendations using acquired data and cumulative experience.
An agile learner; able to readily apply past findings in new situations to generate solutions to organization challenges.
Able to clearly communicate complex technical concepts in simple terms by building a template/model and summarizing in writing and verbally.
Experienced working in team environments, with the ability to lead or facilitate group efforts.

Responsibilities

Participate in assessment, selection, implementation, and adoption of a new fund accounting technology platform, including new process development, documentation, and data migration.
Drive change management initiatives to ensure successful implementation of transformation projects, including collaborator engagement, communication, and training.
Strong partnership and collaboration with an experienced group of professionals within Fund Accounting, Enterprise Continuous Improvement, Information Technology, Client Operations, Legal, as well as external providers and advisors.
Support firm transformation projects that relate to system strategy and implementation, process improvement, operating model transition, change management, program and project management, data analytics, and business analysis.
Assist in the initial assessment of key dependencies and new operational processes to support implementation of new technology and automation.
Draw on efficiencies and opportunities gained from previous transformation projects.
Assist with tracking key performance indicators associated with transformation initiatives to assess the success and progress of the change.
Facilitate change initiatives by gathering input from key participants.
Provide detailed business requirements to internal teams and external partners.
Support subject matter experts during acceptance testing of these initiatives.
Understand, follow, and demonstrate compliance with all relevant internal policies and procedures, as well as provide input to further development of protocols.
Other responsibilities as required.