Assurance Experienced Senior at BDO USA in Chicago, IL

Assurance Experienced Senior

Location: Chicago, IL, United States

Job Summary:

The Assurance Experienced Senior will be responsible for coordinating the day-to-day "in-charge" duties of planning, fieldwork, and "wrap-up" to include the preparing of financial statements with disclosures, applying most areas of GAAP as necessary and documenting, validating, testing, and assessing various control systems. This position is also responsible for acting as the client contact for basic questions and information and may be involved in reviews and agreed-upon procedure engagements.

Job Duties:

Control Environment

• Applies knowledge and understanding of the collective effect of various factors on establishing or enhancing effectiveness, or mitigating the risks, of specific policies and procedures.
• As Auditor in charge is responsible to the engagement manager for the day-to-day conduct of the audit work and in particular for ensuring that the field work is executed and completed as planned, in accordance with timetable, with Firm’s policies and procedures and to budget
• Applies knowledge of transactional flow and key transactional cycles to complete audit work
• Documents, validates, and assesses effectiveness of internal control system
• Determines and communicates improvements to client internal controls and accounting procedures
• Supervise the work of audit staff and review workpapers and conclusions and explaining any shortcomings to them

GAAP

• Applies knowledge and understanding of governing principles; applying these principles to client transactions; and documenting and communicating an understanding and application of these principles.
• Understand and effectively communicate financial statement disclosure requirements to clients
• Identifies and applies new pronouncements to client situations
• Identifies, analyzes, and discusses alternative generally accepted accounting principles for the client, when necessary, with the Manager, Senior Manager and engagement partner
• Identifies complex accounting issues and brings them to the attention of superiors for resolution

SEC and PCAOB

• Applies knowledge and understanding of SEC regulations and PCAOB guidelines, and documents and communicates the application of these principles.
• Reads and reviews clients’ SEC filings, ensuring accuracy and completeness, and also ensuring all financial information is supported in the workpapers and appropriately tested
• Prepares required communications to the Client and the Audit Committee
• Plans and executes Section 404 internal control audit including obtaining an understanding of the control environment, designing test plans, evaluating deficiencies, and assessing the overall financial reporting control environment.

GAAS

• Applies knowledge and understanding of professional standards; application of the principles contained in professional standards; and the ability to document and communicate an understanding and application of professional standards on an engagement.
• Formulates and communicates the audit plan
• Applies GAAS to a variety of complex issues and consults others as appropriate
• Applies of audit skepticism and determines when to reduce or expand testing
• Uses BDO audit manuals as appropriate for the situation
• Documents deviations from BDO policy with approval
• Look for opportunities to suggest improvement to company’s internal controls and prepare draft communication required by professional standards.

Methodology

• Applies knowledge and application of BDO standards that guide effective and efficient delivery of quality services and products.
• Applies BDO audit approach and methodologies, including tools and technology, to execute the audit with quality, efficiency, and completeness despite pressures of deadlines
• Identifies and proposes outcomes to critical issues

Research

• Applies methodology used to seek or maintain information from authoritative sources and to draw conclusions regarding a target issue based on that information.
• Applies knowledge of the use of internal and external research tools and selects methodology for routine research requests
• Researches more complex areas of accounting and forms an initial opinion on the correct treatment independently and considers and documents the impact on the client and audit engagement
• Documents and organizes complicated findings in a usable format, based on information obtained from Accounting Research Manager, BDO Assurance Manual, Yahoo Finance, etc.
• Assist the engagement manager with gathering sufficient appropriate information about the business and information system, including the accounting system, to form an adequate basis for the preparation of the audit strategy

Project Management

• Coordinate timing of planning, fieldwork, and review with audit team and client and assist engagement executives in developing the audit engagement budget and identify appropriate resources.
• Develop the draft Audit Engagement Planning Memorandum, audit programs and budgets
• Establish with the engagement manager the responsibilities of individual audit staff for specific areas of audit work
• Monitor and report engagement budget to actual and advise engagement executives of possible overruns

Other duties as required

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervise a team of audit professionals ranging in size from 1 to 5
• Provide verbal and written performance feedback to associates
• Teach/coach associates to provide on the job learning

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics or Statistics, required OR Bachelor’s degree in other focus area and CPA certification, required Master’s degree in Accountancy, preferred

Experience:

• Three (3) or more years of prior relevant audit experience and/or public accounting, private industry accounting or consulting/professional services experience, required
• Prior basic supervisory experience, preferred

License/Certifications:

• Eligible to sit for the CPA exams upon starting employment, required, and actively pursuing completion of the exams, required
• CPA, preferred

Software:

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, preferred
• Experience with assurance applications and research tools, preferred

Language:

• N/A

Other Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Possess proven solid verbal and written communication skills
• Possess people development and delegation skills
• Possess executive presence - needs to be able to be primary contact for the client
• Ability to "in-charge" all stages of the audit, including planning, fieldwork, and "wrap-up"
• Ability to perform the completion of an audit of a complex company
• Ability to prepare and/or review financial statements with disclosures in accordance with GAAP requirements.

Individual salaries that are offered to a candidate are determined after consideration of numerous factors including but not limited to the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and geography.

California Range: $95,000 - $135,000
Colorado Range: $80,000 - $105,000
Illinois Range: $85,000 - $100,000
Maryland Range: $92,000 - $110,000
Minnesota Range: $80,000 - $92,000
New Jersey Range: $96,000 - $103,000
NYC/Long Island/Westchester Range: $80,000 - $115,000
Ohio Range: $80,000 - $92,000
Washington Range: $85,000 - $105,000
Washington DC Range: $92,000 - $110,000

Join us at BDO, where you will find more than a career, you’ll find a place where your work is impactful, and you are valued for your individuality. We offer flexibility and opportunities for advancement. Our culture is centered around making meaningful connections, approaching interactions with curiosity, and being true to yourself, all while making a positive difference in the world.

At BDO, our purpose of helping people thrive every day is at the heart of everything we do. Together, we are focused on delivering exceptional and sustainable outcomes and value for our people, our clients, and our communities. BDO is proud to be an ESOP company, reflecting a culture that puts people first, by sharing financially in our growth in value with our U.S. team. BDO professionals provide assurance, tax and advisory services for a diverse range of clients across the U.S. and in over 160 countries through our global organization.

BDO is the first large accounting and advisory organization to implement an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). A qualified retirement plan, the ESOP offers participants a stake in the firm’s success through beneficial ownership and a unique opportunity to enhance their financial well-being. The ESOP stands as a compelling addition to our comprehensive compensation and Total Rewards benefits* offerings. The annual allocation to the ESOP is fully funded by BDO through investments in company stock and grants employees the chance to grow their wealth over time as their shares vest and grow in value with the firm’s success, with no employee contributions.

We are committed to delivering exceptional experiences to middle market leaders by sharing insight-driven perspectives, helping companies take business as usual to better than usual. With industry knowledge and experience, a breadth and depth of resources, and unwavering commitment to quality, we pride ourselves on:

• Welcoming diverse perspectives and understanding the experience of our professionals and clients
• Empowering team members to explore their full potential
• Our talented team who brings varying skills, knowledge and experience to proactively help our clients navigate an expanding array of complex challenges and opportunities
• Celebrating ingenuity and innovation to transform our business and help our clients transform theirs
• Focus on resilience and sustainability to positively impact our people, clients, and communities
• BDO Total Rewards that encompass so much more than traditional “benefits.” Click here to find out more!

*Benefits may be subject to eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets