Assurance Experienced Senior

About the role

The Assurance Experienced Senior coordinates day-to-day "in-charge" duties for planning, fieldwork, and wrap-up of audit engagements. This includes preparing financial statements with disclosures, applying GAAP, documenting and testing control systems, acting as a client contact for basic questions, and participating in reviews and agreed-upon procedure engagements.

Responsibilities

• Control Environment
  • Applies knowledge of factors affecting effectiveness of policies and procedures
  • Serves as auditor in charge, responsible to engagement manager for day-to-day audit conduct, ensuring fieldwork is executed per plan, timetable, firm policies, and budget
  • Applies knowledge of transactional flow and key cycles to complete audit work
  • Documents, validates, and assesses effectiveness of internal control systems
  • Determines and communicates improvements to client internal controls and accounting procedures
  • Supervises audit staff, reviews workpapers and conclusions, explains shortcomings
• GAAP
  • Applies governing principles to client transactions; documents and communicates understanding and application
  • Understands and communicates financial statement disclosure requirements to clients
  • Identifies and applies new pronouncements to client situations
  • Identifies, analyzes, and discusses alternative GAAP treatments with management when necessary
  • Identifies complex accounting issues and escalates to superiors for resolution
• SEC and PCAOB
  • Applies knowledge of SEC regulations and PCAOB guidelines; documents and communicates application
  • Reads and reviews clients’ SEC filings for accuracy, completeness, and workpaper support
  • Prepares required communications to the client and audit committee
  • Plans and executes Section 404 internal control audits: understanding control environment, designing test plans, evaluating deficiencies, assessing overall financial reporting control environment
• GAAS
  • Applies professional standards; documents and communicates understanding and application on engagements
  • Formulates and communicates the audit plan
  • Applies GAAS to complex issues, consults others as appropriate
  • Exercises audit skepticism; determines when to reduce or expand testing
  • Uses BDO audit manuals appropriately; documents deviations from BDO policy with approval
  • Identifies opportunities to suggest improvements to company’s internal controls; prepares draft communications required by professional standards
• Methodology
  • Applies BDO standards guiding effective, efficient delivery of quality services
  • Applies BDO audit approach, methodologies, tools, and technology to execute audits with quality, efficiency, and completeness under deadline pressure
  • Identifies and proposes outcomes to critical issues
• Research
  • Applies methodology to seek information from authoritative sources and draw conclusions
  • Uses internal and external research tools; selects methodology for routine requests
  • Researches complex accounting areas, forms independent initial opinion, considers and documents impact on client and engagement
  • Documents and organizes complicated findings from Accounting Research Manager, BDO Assurance Manual, Yahoo Finance, etc.
  • Assists engagement manager with gathering sufficient information about the business, information systems, and accounting systems to form audit strategy basis
• Project Management
  • Coordinates timing of planning, fieldwork, and review with audit team and client; assists executives in developing engagement budget and identifying resources
  • Develops draft Audit Engagement Planning Memorandum, audit programs, and budgets
  • Establishes individual staff responsibilities for specific audit areas with engagement manager
  • Monitors and reports engagement budget vs. actual; advises executives of possible overruns
  • Performs other duties as required
• Supervisory Responsibilities
  • May supervise and manage day-to-day work assignments of Assurance Services Associates
  • Provides verbal and written performance feedback to associates
  • Teaches/coaches associates for on-the-job learning

Requirements

• Education
  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or Statistics required; OR Bachelor’s degree in other field with 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 CPA exams upon starting employment required; actively pursuing completion required
  • CPA preferred
• Software
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite preferred
  • Experience with assurance applications and research tools preferred
• Language
  • No specific language requirement stated
• Other Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
  • Proven solid verbal and written communication skills
  • People development and delegation skills
  • Executive presence; ability to serve as primary client contact
  • Ability to "in-charge" all stages of the audit (planning, fieldwork, wrap-up)
  • Ability to complete an audit of a complex company
  • Ability to prepare and/or review financial statements with disclosures in accordance with GAAP

Pay

• California: $95,000 – $135,000