Associate, Finance & Accounting

About Ares Management

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Summary

The Finance and Accounting team at Ares Management is seeking an Associate, Finance & Accounting to participate in a strategic initiative to further develop, implement, and manage an operating plan for the Ares Employee Co-Investment Program. This program facilitates investment by Ares employees in Ares managed funds. The individual will have day-to-day operational ownership for numerous funds, including investor onboarding and relationship management, operations, reporting and servicing, and limited fund accounting responsibilities.

The role requires a strategic thinker who can collaborate with various cross-functional teams to understand stakeholder challenges and needs. This position will also involve managing and continuously improving the data, reporting/insights, technology, and processes to deliver a seamless investor experience to internal investors. Ideally, candidates will have experience with investment accounting and/or investor portal implementations. This is an entrepreneurial opportunity offering significant responsibility to contribute to building and growing a successful team within a diversified platform, with a focus on continuous improvement in accuracy and timeliness of financial and operational reporting.

Primary Functions And Essential Responsibilities

• Assist in the coordination of new co-invest fund launches, including understanding fund structure and jurisdictions, coordinating with internal/external parties, reviewing draft legal documentation for reporting requirements, negotiating lines of credit, and resourcing planning.
• Effectively manage relationships with internal resources (US and Mumbai-based) and external providers such as fund administrator(s) and lenders.
• Assist in the system identification, assessment, and implementation processes for LP portal solutions (e.g., eFront, Investran) and AI solutions (e.g., ProSights, Pryon).
• Contribute to innovation efforts for structuring and implementing a streamlined and centralized Investor Operations 360 platform.
• Lead Investor Relations efforts, including direct liaison with Investors, Wealth Managers/Financial Advisors.
• Participate in project plans, milestones, and updates to executive management.
• Coordinate with third-party banking/lender relationships and internal/external auditors to meet all monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting deadlines.
• Manage debt facilities and review compliance reporting, as applicable.
• Assist in the preparation of quarterly reporting deliverables and processes in partnership with fund administrator(s).
• Responsible for ad-hoc limited partner, analyst, and investment team requests.

Qualifications

• Education: BS/BA with a major in Accounting, Economics, or Finance, with an outstanding academic record. CPA or CFA, a plus.
• Experience Required: 3-5+ years of relevant work experience. Public accounting experience (Big 4 preferred) a plus. Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Ability to assist in managing several third-party relationships. Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP, a plus. Strong verbal and written skills; ability to analyze and summarize complex information. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Ability to multi-task and manage various deadlines. Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills. Salesforce or other CRM system expertise, a plus. Sungard Dx, Intralinks, eFront, or similar investor portal implementation experience, a plus.

General Requirements

• Proven experience collaborating with teams in remote locations.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word (e.g., complex formulas, macros).
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, Alteryx, or other business intelligence tools.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to collaborate with others.
• Superior communication skills and a demonstrated ability to create content for a diverse audience.
• Strong client service orientation.
• Outstanding leadership and project management capabilities.
• Outstanding organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to successfully manage multiple priorities and competing demands; results-oriented.
• A solutions-oriented self-starter with the ability to see the big picture.
• An analytical mind and a passion/interest in bringing new ideas to increase efficiency of existing processes.
• Good judgment in terms of escalating issues versus solving problems independently.
• Comfort in dealing with ambiguity and uncertainty in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Energetic, self-motivated, and team-oriented approach; a zest for challenges in a fast-paced, dynamic environment – often under pressure to meet demanding deadlines.
• Strong work ethic, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a desire to learn.
• Dependable, great attitude, highly motivated, and a team player.
• Highest degree of integrity, motivation, and intellectual curiosity.

Reporting Relationships

This role reports to an Associate Vice President, Co-Investment.

Compensation & Benefits

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $100,000 - $120,000. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Ares offers robust Benefits, including Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit. Additional benefits include access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.

Key skills/competency

• Financial Accounting
• Investment Operations
• Investor Relations
• Fund Administration
• Project Management
• Process Improvement
• Data Analysis
• U.S. GAAP
• System Implementation
• Stakeholder Management