Senior Fund Accountant

Lazard•New York, NY

1d•$150,000 - $200,000

About The Position

Lazard is seeking a Senior Fund Accountant to serve as the direct deputy and right hand to the CFO and Treasurer of Lazard’s retail Funds. This role involves oversight of approximately 36 registered funds (exchange traded funds and mutual funds) with $32B in assets and 37 non-registered US and Canadian funds with $10B in assets. The US ETF business has experienced significant growth. This is a highly visible role for an individual who combines strong technical accounting skills with the judgment and gravitas to interact with Boards, auditors, regulators, and senior management. Beyond core accounting deliverables, the role requires a passion for developing and mentoring team members and modernizing operations using AI. Demonstrated experience in adopting automation to strengthen controls and free the team for judgment-intensive work is desired, with a foundation in technical accounting rigor, sound judgment, and credibility to represent the function at the highest levels.

Requirements

CPA designation plus 8 or more years of progressive professional accounting experience within an accounting or asset management firm.
Minimum 5 years of fund accounting experience for '40 Act funds (mutual funds, open/closed-end, ETFs) and non-registered vehicles with direct NAV oversight, financial statement prep (N-CSR/N-CEN filings), and auditor liaison responsibilities.
Deep, demonstrated command of registered mutual fund and ETF reporting requirements, auditing, and budgeting — with the fundamentals sharp enough to catch what others miss.
Demonstrated experience applying automation, data analytics, or AI/GenAI tools (e.g., Claude, Rogo, GPT, or AI-assisted reconciliation/reporting tools) to streamline fund accounting, reporting, or reconciliation processes, with the judgment to know where automation strengthens controls versus where it introduces risk.
Comfort evaluating new tools and process improvements, including automation, as part of a broader continuous-improvement mindset — but no substitute for strong technical fundamentals.
Proven executive presence — the gravitas and communication skill to represent the function to Boards, senior management, auditors, and regulators without hesitation, and to build trust quickly with stakeholders at every level.
Sound, decisive judgment — ability to move quickly while remaining thoughtful, and to make defensible calls on ambiguous issues under time pressure.
Deep familiarity with external custody and admin service providers, including their operating and technology platforms.

Responsibilities

Review and approve annual and semi-annual reports and prepare and review fund expenses, including allocations and complex expense analysis.
Own the accuracy of regulatory filings — registration statements, N-CSR, N-PORT, N-CEN, and related SEC filings — including final review before submission.
Direct the preparation and review of fund prospectus information and coordinate cross-functional input as required.
Act as the primary alternate for the Head of Retail Funds in Board, committee, audit, and senior management settings, with the standing and judgment to make decisions in the moment.
Coordinate deliverables for fund audits and lead dialogue with auditors during examinations, including negotiating scope and resolving technical accounting positions directly.
Translate complex accounting and operational matters into clear, board-ready narratives.
Own reconciliation integrity across the fund complex — reviewing reconciliations prepared by others, resolving variances at the root cause, and setting the bar for accuracy across outsourced providers.
Identify exceptions and problems affecting accounting records and prices, communicate these issues to management, and drive their resolution.
Independently resolve and coordinate the resolution of problems within the budgeting and financial reporting process.
Identify inefficiencies, risks and control gaps in existing processes, and lead the design and implementation of improvements — including automation tools where they clearly strengthen accuracy or controls — always with the review rigor of the underlying accounting as the priority.
Conduct senior-level quality control over reports and daily NAVs generated by outsourced service providers, with authority to require remediation.
Review invoices and ensure accurate, well-controlled processing across the funds.
Lead the nightly fair valuation process for unpriced or stale-priced securities, developing well-reasoned marks and presenting recommendations directly to the firm's Fair Value and Liquidity Committee.
Serve as a confident, senior-level liaison to internal functional areas (front office, legal, compliance and tax) and external providers (fund administrators, accountants, custodians and auditors), resolving issues directly and without unnecessary escalation.
Help mentor and develop a high-performing team of professionals.