Transaction Accountant, Finance & Accounting Advisory Services

Intrinsic•Chicago, CO

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role is for a Transaction Accountant within the Finance & Accounting Advisory Services (FAAS) practice, focusing on the accounting events and financial consequences of acquisitions by PE sponsors. The position involves owning the technical execution of ASC 805 purchase accounting and Opening Balance Sheet preparation for PE-backed portfolio companies post-close. The Transaction Accountant will translate complex deal structures into financial records, manage workstreams independently, collaborate with finance teams and valuation specialists, and ensure deliverables meet high standards. The role also contributes to the FAAS practice's methodology, templates, and intellectual capital. The company emphasizes technical depth, direct access to stakeholders, hybrid flexibility, and a clear growth trajectory.

Requirements

5 or more years of progressive experience in Big 4 FAAS/Deals, national advisory, or in-house technical accounting with significant exposure to ASC 805 purchase accounting in PE-backed or acquisitive environments.
Proven track record leading PPA execution, OBS preparation, and technical accounting memoranda for business combinations and divestitures.
Authoritative command of US GAAP as applied to business combinations: fair value measurement, goodwill, intangible asset identification, contingent consideration, measurement period adjustments, and related disclosures.
Familiarity with valuation concepts and experience collaborating with third-party valuation specialists on PPA inputs.
Strong Excel and financial modeling skills; comfort navigating ERP systems and working with complex data across multiple entities.
Ability to manage workstreams with ownership and precision: tracking what's open, anticipating what's next, and communicating clearly when circumstances shift.
Decisiveness under pressure; ability to handle non-negotiable deal timelines and use ambiguity to sharpen judgment.
Ability to translate complex accounting into plain-English explanations that controllers, sponsors, and auditors can act on.
Clear, professional communication skills, effective in drafting technical memos and explaining implications to CFOs.
High standard of documentation and self-review; work is audit-ready before being submitted.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a PE-backed portfolio company or acquisitive corporate environment where you led or supported OBS/PPA workstreams in-house.
Exposure to divestiture and carve-out accounting beyond standard business combinations.
Familiarity with adjacent FAAS workstreams (close transformation, financial reporting, M&A integration) that broaden your contribution over time.

Responsibilities

Lead purchase price allocation (PPA) execution under ASC 805, including fair value measurement, goodwill calculation, and identification of acquired intangible assets.
Prepare and reconcile Opening Balance Sheet bridges for acquisitions and divestitures, translating deal mechanics into GAAP-compliant financial records.
Draft and review technical accounting memoranda for business combinations and divestitures, ensuring conclusions are clearly reasoned and audit-ready.
Book acquisition-related journal entries and post-close adjustments with precision; coordinate with controllers to ensure proper integration into the general ledger.
Develop and maintain GAAP-compliant calculations for purchase accounting, bargain purchase assessments, measurement period adjustments, and related disclosures.
Coordinate with third-party valuation specialists to align fair value inputs with accounting conclusions and ensure consistency across deliverables.
Work directly in client ERPs and close processes to support timely booking of acquisition accounting entries.
Help management teams translate deal terms into practical journal entries, reconciliations, and close checklists.
Make judgment calls when information is imperfect, documenting conclusions while keeping the close moving.
Bridge the gap between technically correct and operationally executable accounting in lean finance environments.
Serve as a technical resource on complex accounting issues arising from business combinations, including contingent consideration, earn-outs, step acquisitions, and carve-out transactions.
Collaborate with controllers, FP&A teams, and external auditors to ensure accurate post-close financial reporting and smooth audit cycles.
Partner with controllers and CFOs to evaluate accounting alternatives, explain implications, and support informed decision-making under tight timelines.
Serve as a thought partner to management teams who may be encountering ASC 805 complexity for the first time.
Provide guidance on ASC 805 compliance requirements, emerging standards, and practical application in middle-market PE environments.
Anticipate audit questions and prepare supporting documentation proactively, not reactively.
Manage multiple concurrent workstreams independently, setting timelines, tracking deliverables, and communicating progress to engagement leadership and client stakeholders.
Deliver high-quality work under tight deal-driven deadlines without sacrificing accuracy or documentation standards.
Contribute to FAAS practice development: help refine OBS/PPA templates, build internal playbooks, and share knowledge that raises the team's technical capability.
Provide coaching and feedback to Associates and Senior Associates on transaction accounting methodology and workpaper quality.