Franklin Templeton - Senior Accountant - Corporate Accounting

Job Summary :

The Senior Accountant-Corporate Accounting is responsible for maintaining the accounting books and records of a number of U.S. registered investment advisor entities, including the preparation of journal entries, supporting schedules, and variance analysis.

The Senior Accountant will primarily support the accounting for legal entities within U.S. Advisor Group (Franklin Advisers, Templeton Investment Council, LLC and other business units as needed) including :

- Preparation of monthly roll forward schedules for the balance sheet reconciliations

- Preparation of receivables from funds roll forward schedules and work with Global Fund Accounting for reimbursements

- Assist with the monthly calculation of Fiduciary affiliated fee allocation

- Coordination of monthly 3rd party sub-advisory fee payment process

- Assist with Advisory Fee Analysis and its related automation, and year-end audit support and annual financial statement preparation

The role is responsible for efficient and effective monthly, quarterly and year-end accounting close processes. The candidate will be expected to contribute to the production of external and internal financial schedules. In addition, with supervision, the role has the responsibility to ensure that the entities- financial statements are in compliance with U.S. GAAP, internal control requirements, as well as internal Franklin Templeton (FT) Finance policies and procedures.

The successful candidate will be required to work independently, have strong verbal and written communication skills and build effective working relationships with individuals both within and outside of FT Finance.

Daily Responsibilities :

- Review and post daily transactions

- Maintain cash journals and other supporting schedules

Monthly / Quarterly Responsibilities :

- Perform monthly close process for U.S. registered investment advisor entities

- Prepare monthly financial statements (income statements and balance sheets), variance analysis and supporting details for the above entities

- Perform review of the entities- interunit balances and monthly settlement of such balances

- Support the monthly 3rd party Sub-Advisory fees and Placement Fees schedules and coordinate payments with Accounts Payable

- Support the monthly/quarterly/annual reporting deliverables process

- Assist with the monthly calculation of Fiduciary affiliated fee allocation and related automation efforts

- Prepare quarterly invoices to obtain reimbursement from funds for expenses paid by the Company on behalf of the funds

Other Responsibilities :

- Timely and effective communication with the other team members and managers, including status update for the assigned entities

- Participate in annual audit for the Advisors indicated above or other business units as needed

- Participate in UAT (User Acceptance Testing) for Peoplesoft Financials system or other applications as needed

- Participate in various ad-hoc cross-departmental / cross-functional projects

Required Education & Training :

- This position requires a bachelor's degree in accounting or business with coursework in intermediate and advanced accounting.

- CPA, Chartered Accountant or equivalent (Qualified Accountant).

Experience :

Required experience :

- At least three years of financial accounting with reporting experience preferably within multinational corporations with a matrix organizational environment.

- Prior public accounting / external or internal audit experience required, with a Big 4 preferred.

- Attention to details.

- Thorough knowledge of U.S. GAAP.

- Strong analytical and reasoning skills.

- Strong problem solving and resolution skills.

- Strong written / verbal communication skills.

- Strong inter-personal skill to establish and maintain on-going working relationships with various individuals both within and outside FT Finance.

- Ability to organize and prioritize workflow and to coordinate performance of certain tasks with other teams with supervision.

- Ability to maintain updated knowledge of procedures, products and activities of assigned.

- Experience with automated financial systems, including a general ledger, preferably PeopleSoft Financials

- Strong Proficiency in Microsoft Excel including spreadsheet upload, pivot tables and related functions.

- Proficiency in Microsoft Word.

Preferred experience :

- Prior working experience within the mutual fund or asset management industry.

- Knowledge and exposure to International accounting issues, currency translation and consolidations.