Vice President, Accounting Advisory

Palm Tree • Chicago, IL

9d • $175,000 - $200,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

About Palm Tree
Palm Tree is a modern M&A value creation firm that integrates financial consulting, operational consulting, and investment banking services. Founded in 2010, Palm Tree partners with private equity firms, business operators, and management teams through strategic events including acquisitions, carve-outs, recapitalizations, restructurings, integrations, and performance improvement initiatives.
Palm Tree’s Transitions & Transformations group provides strategic FP&A, financial modeling, performance improvement, accounting advisory, and other Office of the CFO initiatives to portfolio companies of private equity sponsors and other middle-market businesses. As part of our continued growth, Palm Tree is expanding its Accounting Advisory practice to support clients navigating complex technical accounting challenges, financial reporting requirements, and finance function transformations.
The Vice President Position
The Vice President is an engagement management leader within Palm Tree’s Accounting Advisory practice. Vice Presidents oversee day-to-day client engagements, lead technical accounting workstreams, and manage teams responsible for delivering high-quality accounting and reporting advisory services.
This role requires deep technical accounting knowledge combined with strong client service capabilities. Vice Presidents work directly with CFOs, controllers, private equity sponsors, and external auditors to help clients address complex accounting matters while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their finance organizations.
The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and be motivated to help grow Palm Tree’s Accounting Advisory platform.
Who We Are Seeking
An accounting advisory professional from a Big 4 or other large consulting firm seeking to help grow a practice in an entrepreneurial environment
An industry accounting professional with deep knowledge of US GAAP who is interested in transitioning into client services and advisory work
A motivated accounting professional who enjoys solving complex technical accounting issues while improving finance and reporting infrastructure
Candidates with experience in the following areas are particularly well suited for this role:
Purchase accounting and transaction accounting
Complex debt and equity instruments
Derivatives and financial instruments
Stock-based compensation
Revenue recognition
Lease accounting

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required
• Active CPA license strongly preferred
• 6–8+ years of relevant professional experience in technical accounting and financial reporting
• Prior experience in public accounting (Big 4 or national firm audit practice) strongly preferred
• Experience in accounting advisory, transaction accounting, or corporate accounting/finance roles preferred
• Demonstrated experience managing teams and leading multiple client engagements
• Experience coordinating year-end audits with external accounting firms
• Strong leadership and project management skills
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

• Candidates who strongly align with Palm Tree’s entrepreneurial culture and have an interest in private equity, M&A, and transaction-driven environments will excel in this role.

Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of Accounting Advisory engagements across multiple clients
• Provide direction, management, and task delegation to Associates and other junior team members
• Serve as a primary point of contact with client leadership teams throughout engagements
• Ensure engagement timelines, deliverables, and client expectations are managed effectively
• Lead preparation and review of technical accounting deliverables including accounting memoranda, accounting policies, financial statement disclosures, and supporting schedules
• Support purchase price accounting analyses and related journal entries
• Assist clients in navigating complex US GAAP accounting issues and financial reporting requirements
• Coordinate with external auditors and assist clients in managing year-end audit processes
• Assess accounting and finance processes to identify opportunities for improvement in areas such as month-end close, financial reporting, automation, and internal controls
• Diagnose root causes of reporting inefficiencies and propose practical solutions
• Support implementation of improved reporting processes and finance infrastructure
• Review and finalize analyses of financial and operational data including KPIs, cash flow, net working capital, and debt items
• Manage investigation and Q&A processes related to key financial statement fluctuations
• Translate financial reporting insights into operational recommendations
• Lead meetings and conference calls related to financial reporting, operational discovery, and change management initiatives
• Guide clients in integrating Palm Tree’s reports, processes, and financial frameworks into ongoing business operations
• Communicate engagement progress and key findings to senior leadership and internal stakeholders
• Train, mentor, and develop junior team members
• Manage multiple team members across concurrent engagements
• Support proposal development and new client opportunities
• Participate in business development activities and help expand Palm Tree’s client relationships

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision premium coverage.
• Competitive 401(k) program.
• Unlimited paid time off (PTO).
• Robust maternity and paternity leave program.
• Hybrid work environment with access to offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees