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Corporate Finance Accounting Analyst - Start Date Winter 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 Accounting 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 Accounting Analyst will play a key role across all WP-managed funds and will have close interaction with management, investment team, operating partners, fund administrators, and other third-party stakeholders. The Accounting Analyst will be involved in all facets of the accounting process and primary responsibilities are as follows: 
 
Investor Reporting and Support
-         Interact closely with and help oversee a third-party team of former Big-4 accountants, who handle accounting, preparation of quarterly and annual financial statements, cash-management, administration of capital calls, etc.
-         Review and ensure the accuracy of quarterly and annual fund-level financial statements produced by third-party fund administration
-         Oversee the preparation of quarterly and annual investor reports
-         Research important accounting, reporting, and investor questions on a regular basis
-         Perform variance analysis, reconciliations, and other testing procedures over the general ledger
-         Review and ensure the accuracy of tax filings and reports produced by third-party experts
-         Gather, ensure timeliness, and oversee the accuracy of asset-level financial statements, operating reports, performance metrics and other key financial information from underlying portfolio companies and joint venture partners


-         Assist in the aggregation of asset-level data into proprietary databases
-         Track asset-level performance metrics, including investment commitments and key milestones
-         Coordination with tax planning experts for Management Company partners
                      
Managing Capital Needs
-         Review asset-level capital call requests, gather required approvals from key stakeholders and ensure funding within required timeframe
-         Manage the expense and invoicing process, which includes providing recommendations of appropriate accounting treatment and allocations to various legal entities
-         Oversee the aggregation and forecasts of cash needs from funds and their underlying portfolio investments, and review necessary capital calls and distributions

Innovation / Strategy / Growth
-         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
-         Assist in the recruitment of additional Corporate Finance team members (as the fund’s AUM continues to grow)

Fund and SEC Compliance
-         Manage compliance reporting aspects of the fund, in coordination with 3rd party fund administrator and compliance experts, including necessary filings with the SEC
-         Managing compliance checklists for each fund and ensuring the company is following process/procedures to be compliant
-         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.