Description

SUMMARY: Liaison between partners, directors, professional staff, and clients; responsible for managing multiple client engagements simultaneously by scheduling, staffing, and coordinating engagement workflow; provides training and feedback to team members and develops relationships to generate new business for the firm by performing the following duties.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Client Service & Technical

• Exhibits the technical knowledge and ability to manage and oversee fieldwork on assigned engagements in an organized and efficient manner including, but not limited to, oversight and review of engagement scheduling, engagement planning, timeline and budget monitoring, timely review of work papers, timely closing of engagement binder, timely completion of staff evaluations, and other similar responsibilities.
• Stays up-to-date on new accounting pronouncements/standards and is able to effectively communicate how those changes will impact the Firm’s clients.
• Manages, plans and organizes audits, communicates with clients to conduct fieldwork at client sites to gather and review documentation necessary to complete the engagement.
• Performs accounting research to solve issues that arise during the course of audit or compliance engagements.
• Ensures engagement procedures comply with professional requirements and identifies engagement efficiencies.
• Demonstrates ownership and responsibility of engagements and tasks assigned including the proactive communication of status, issues, and other concerns with the engagement director or partner in an organized, accurate and timely manner.
• Manages deadlines and internal and external expectations in a timely and organized manner.
• Meets with client contact on questions, recommendations, and findings.
• Prepares workpapers, writes audit reports, management letters, and other client deliverables.
• Maintains knowledge of accounting and audit requirements, ensuring compliance with internal and external requirements, staying abreast of any changes.
• Maintains the required CPE for Firm and licensing standards.
• To accommodate needs of clients, 20-30% time may be spent traveling, with 10-15% being overnight travel.

Client Relationships & Development

• Participates in proposal process, client presentations, board presentations, firm marketing initiatives, and other similar functions.
• Develops an understanding of the service capabilities and offerings of the Firm, recognizing opportunities to provide additional services to new or existing clients.
• Establishes and maintains long-term working relationships with clients.

Leadership & Administration

• Demonstrates appropriate leadership skills including, but not limited to, effective and timely engagement oversight, timely and accurate communications with Seniors and Staff as well as Senior Managers, Directors, and Partners timely and accurate identification of technical issues, timely and appropriate identification of any staff issues and/or concerns, timely client communications regarding open items, and other similar items.
• Monitors workload to meet billable hour and realization expectations and to ensure efficient scheduling of staff.
• Mentors and develops staff, including participation in the recruitment and retention of professional staff.

COMPETENCIES:

• Strong communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to interact and maintain professional relationships with all staff as well as clients.
• Ability to handle multiple engagements simultaneously while maintaining consistency, accuracy and providing superior service.
• Must be well organized, detail oriented, and thorough.
• Exhibits strong analytical ability and diligently performs assigned tasks with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity.
• Must exhibit a high degree of professionalism including the ability to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality.
• Must be able to set an example for staff at all times and realize that they are constantly observing the manager’s behavior.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team with professionals at all levels.
• Exhibits excellent client service skills including the identification of actual opportunities to provide additional services to clients and/or non-clients.
• Participates in Firm, professional and civic activities that contribute to the community and overall marketing effort of Heard, McElroy, & Vestal.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervises lower-level Audit staff. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Firm’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities may include training employees; planning, assigning, and overseeing work; appraising performance; recognizing employees and offering constructive criticism; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor’s degree from four-year college or university in Accounting with strong academic track record (minimum GPA of 3.0); CPA certification required; six years current and/or recent public accounting audit experience required; supervisory experience required.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, as well as have working knowledge of office equipment, computer hardware and peripheral devices. Proficient with computer audit applications and technology as well as Firm software applications and procedures. Proficient with on-line research products.

Other Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Statements on Auditing Standards (SAS), and audit procedures.

Firm Culture/Client Service:

Promotes the firm’s culture, including supporting Heard, McElroy & Vestal’s philosophy of developing a relationship with each client on a personal level, catering to their specific needs. Ability and judgment to interact and communicate appropriately with other employees, clients and management. Actively develops team members at all levels. Ability to serve clients, both internal and external (community/public) in a manner that will support superior client relations.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk or use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions. It does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Heard, McElroy & Vestal shall, in its discretion, modify or adjust the position to meet the Firm’s changing needs. This job description is not a contract and may be adjusted as deemed appropriate in the Firm’s sole discretion.

Heard, McElroy & Vestal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We actively seek and employ qualified persons in all job classifications and administers all personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender or sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran/military status, genetic information, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.