Senior Financial Analyst, Accounting Advisory

at  Manulife

The Global WAM Accounting & Reporting Accounting Advisory team is a valued resource for all internal and external partners globally, providing financial information and analysis, and decision support in pursuit of enhancing shareholder value.
The person will be reporting to the Director, Accounting Advisory. The role is accountable for accounting advice for General Account and Private Market investments and third-party products and mandates; transaction advisory support on issues such as consolidation, derecognition; and participation in implementation of new accounting standards for investments. In addition, the Senior Financial Analyst will support the Private Alternative Investment Valuation Committee (PAIVC) in fulfilling its oversight and responsibilities of private alternative investment valuations, particularly private equities. The Senior Financial Analyst will provide accounting advisory support for all private asset classes including Real Estate, Infrastructure, Private Equity, Senior Credit, Agriculture, and Timber & Farmland investments.
The ideal candidate will have some accounting technical knowledge, preferably with financial instruments including private alternative investments, and is accountable for staying current on IFRS, US GAAP and NAIC Statutory accounting standards. This person will have the drive to determine the critical issues and have the creativity and strategic thinking to support the team in arriving at the ideal solutions through working collaboratively with various team members throughout the organization.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• University degree in Accounting or Finance
• 2+ years accounting/financial services experience.
• Working knowledge of accounting principles and procedures, including IFRS and US GAAP. Some knowledge of NAIC accounting is preferable.
• Must be diligent and quick to understand and apply new concepts.
• Strong project management skills to effectively control the course of special projects.
• Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills to work productively with business unit partner and to exchange information with others.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A professional accounting designation or in the process of obtaining a professional accounting designation (i.e., CA/CPA) is required; Finance designation (CFA) is a plus.
• Background with a technical accounting policy, advisory, consulting, or similar function within a large public accounting firm or financial institution is preferable.

• Assist in researching and providing guidance on the appropriate and practical accounting treatment for all new private equity or alternative long duration assets as well as new products and entity structures;
• Work with various partners, including legal, corporate policy, capital advisory, investment teams across our US, Canada and Asia Segments in launch of new third-party products or mandate to achieve desired accounting treatment.
• Assist in providing transaction advisory support on issues such as consolidation, derecognition, and participation in implementation of new accounting standards for investments in collaboration and consultation with the Group Accounting Policy team.
• Prepare memos and other formal documentation on accounting treatments discussed with Private Markets stakeholders.
• Assist in ad-hoc projects and implementation of new accounting standards and other projects in the accounting advisory area.
• Prepare first level interim and full reviews of internally valued private equity investments and summarize results