Vice President, Accounting Policy

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 Description

Ares Management Corporation is seeking an experienced Vice President to join our Corporate Accounting team focused on technical accounting.

The Ares Accounting Policy / Technical Accounting team oversees and manages the technical accounting function for the publicly-traded management company, Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES). Under the leadership of the global Chief Accounting Officer, the Technical Accounting team collaborates with several teams across the organization, including fund finance & accounting, legal, corporate strategy, investment professionals and other teams within the corporate finance & accounting function.

This role requires a hands-on, agile professional who will lead analyses and conclusions on complex, non-routine and judgmental transactions, draft and defend accounting position papers and advise on transaction structuring and disclosure implications in a fast-paced, rapidly growing environment.

Primary functions & responsibilities

The Vice President will be primarily responsible for the following tasks:

• Serve as a trusted advisor on the accounting implications of new products, transactions and strategic initiatives, partnering with business, legal and finance and accounting teams throughout the transaction lifecycle to assess accounting, reporting and structuring considerations
• Lead technical accounting analyses for complex fund structures, including consolidation assessments under the variable interest entity and voting interest entity models in accordance with ASC 810
• Evaluate acquisitions, investments, strategic transactions and other arrangements to determine appropriate GAAP and non-GAAP implications and disclosure considerations
• Ability to analyze complex and judgmental accounting matters, reach well-supported conclusions and communicate clear, practical recommendations to diverse audiences, including senior management and executive-level stakeholders
• Lead the firm’s assessment and implementation of emerging GAAP, SEC and interpretive guidance, including stakeholder education and auditor coordination
• Ensure that accounting policies are properly disclosed and conform with GAAP
• Lead initiatives to streamline existing processes through technology, automation and other improvement opportunities
• Develop and mentor team members, fostering a strong culture of accountability, performance and continuous learning

Qualifications

Education and Certification Required:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Accounting
• CPA required

Desired Experience:  

• 12+ years of relevant professional experience in public accounting and/or industry experience
• Demonstrated technical accounting expertise, including experience researching complex U.S. GAAP issues, drafting accounting position papers and evaluating accounting and disclosure implications for complex or non-routine transactions
• Prior experience in a national office accounting consultation or a transaction advisory role a plus
• Financial services industry experience a plus
• Experience leveraging AI-enabled tools to enhance technical accounting research, analysis and workflow efficiency a plus

General Requirements:

• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-performance environment, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work under time-sensitive deadlines
• Self-directed, resourceful and execution-oriented, with strong ownership, accountability and judgment to resolve issues independently while escalating appropriately
• Highly collaborative and relationship-focused, with the ability to build trust and partner effectively with cross-functional stakeholders, senior leaders and external auditors
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex accounting and reporting issues into clear, practical guidance for diverse audiences
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with sound judgment, attention to detail and a practical, solutions-oriented approach to complex accounting and reporting matters
• Proactive and adaptable, with a continuous-improvement mindset and interest in leveraging technology and automation to enhance processes
• Flexibility to collaborate with teams and stakeholders across multiple time zones, as needed
• Demonstrated alignment with Ares’ culture and core values of being Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware and Trustworthy

Reporting Relationships

Compensation

$200,000 - $230,000

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.