Corporate Finance Analyst - Start Date Spring/Summer 2023
Start Date: Spring or Summer 2023
Company Description
Whitman Peterson (“WP”) is a fast-growing, entrepreneurial real estate private equity company investing in and actively managing opportunistic real estate investments on behalf of large institutional investors. Since its inception in 2010, WP has raised over $1.5 billion in institutional equity and has closed on more than 150 investments through both acquisition and development, with an aggregate capitalization of over $15 billion across its current target sectors (lodging, industrial, multifamily, student housing, and seniors housing). The firm has investments across 50+ submarkets in the U.S. and also has investments in the U.K. and Latin America. WP has proprietary partnerships with some of the nation’s most respected operating, investment, and development companies in its target sectors. WP is currently in the process of deploying Whitman/Peterson Partners IV, a $692 million vehicle targeting investments in the industrial, rental housing, outdoor lodging, and conventional lodging sector. The firm has attracted a highly diverse and talented team from widely respected companies nationally.
Location
Whitman Peterson is based in Westlake Village, CA a desirable suburb located in Los Angeles County approximately eight miles north of Malibu and 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles. Team members commute 10-45 minutes, depending on locations within LA, with many doing a reverse commute from Santa Monica, on the Pacific Coast Highway and through Malibu Canyon. The firm operates under a hybrid work environment (2-3 in office days per week).
Job Description
WP is currently seeking an Analyst for its primary office in Westlake Village. Since its founding in October 2010, the firm has raised over $1.5 billion in capital across four opportunistic funds and one core fund. The Analyst will play a key role within the across all WP-managed funds and will have close interaction with management, investment team, operating partners, fund administrators, and other third-party stakeholders. The primary responsibilities are as follows:
Fund Management
- Track key timelines for acquisitions, dispositions and refinance activity of underlying assets
- Track asset-level performance metrics, including investment commitments and key milestones
- Roll-up investment-level cash flows into fund-level liquidation and life-of-fund models to calculate performance returns, fund composition metrics, investor performance, and the impact of carried interest, fees, and expenses (gross to net returns to the fund and investors)
- Oversee the Management Company budgets, contribution and distribution forecasts, and other reports as requested by partners
- Create ad hoc financial analyses requested by fund investors
- Participate in the preparation of quarterly and annual investor reports
Valuations
- Oversee and review the asset valuation models for all investments populated and maintained by the third-party valuation expert (utilizing Argus software), ensuring the accuracy of all information, including historical and projected operating cash flows, capital budgets, investor distributions/contributions, etc.
- Prepare liquidation and life-of-asset equity models utilizing asset valuations and asset-level financial statements
- Oversee and review equity models for all funds set up by third-party software vendor, ensuring accuracy of investment and fund cash flows
- Closely coordinate with the asset and portfolio managers in valuing portfolio investments on a quarterly basis in accordance with Fair Value (ASC 820)
- Act as liaison between fund administrator (accounting team), asset valuation firm, investment team, and portfolio companies to verify accuracy of financial information shared among the parties
Information Systems and Data Management
- Participate in the implementation, testing and ongoing management of Taliance, a financial analysis and data management system
- Bridge the gap between the internal implementation team, Taliance team and the end user in various tasks during the system development cycle
Innovation / Strategy / Growth
- Assist in the recruitment of additional Corporate Finance team members (as the fund’s AUM continues to grow)
- Identify, document and oversee both process and technology improvements to build efficiency and facilitate better information flow across the organization
- Research and stay current on latest trends in private equity corporate finance and ensure WP understands how these trends could benefit the company
Requirements
The firm is specifically searching for individuals who have the following skillset and background, in a culture that values integrity and collaboration:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; CPA or MAcc, a plus
- 0-2 years of prior relevant work experience in real estate accounting (public or private), finance or fund reporting
- WP will also consider qualified applicants who graduated in the past year or expect to graduate in December 2022. Such applicants must have strong internship experience.
- The ability to perform detailed financial analyses, including financial statement analysis, cash-flow modeling, carried interest/waterfall calculations, IRR and cap rate analyses, etc. A strong quantitative and analytical background is essential as is expertise in Excel.
- Strong interest in industry and macroeconomic conditions, as well as key drivers and fundamentals
- A strong work ethic and integrity. The ability to work well in a dynamic entrepreneurial environment. A proactive nature with the ability to take on tasks with limited direction.
- Strong written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills. Evidence of outstanding written presentation abilities in both Word and PowerPoint.