The Family Office Management (FOM) group at Bessemer Trust, a large and rapidly growing team which provides operational and administrative services to ultra-high net worth families, family offices, and foundations, is actively recruiting an experienced accountant to serve as a Director of Family Office Management in its Woodbridge, New Jersey office. The FOM group delivers a broad scope of services to clients, including but not limited to consolidated investment reporting, general ledger accounting, bill pay/accounts payable, payroll/HR, and foundation grantmaking/operational support.
The three primary objectives of this position will be: 1) delivery of FOM services to existing clients (typically among Bessemer's largest and most complex), 2) coordinating the onboarding of new clients into the group, and 3) directly managing several of the individual FOM service teams. This position requires proven competency in high-touch client service and complex accounting and financial reporting. This role will report into the Head of Family Office Management.
Primary Responsibilities:Existing Client Service DeliveryAnalyze and summarize current as well as historical client financial data in order to support the preparation of unaudited statements, including balance sheets, statements of net worth, income statements, budgets, and cash flow statements.Provide consolidated statements of financial activity for complex families and their trusts, partnerships, and other entities. Candidates should possess an understanding of investment accounting, including alternative investments and K-1 data.
Interact successfully with high net worth individuals and their representatives (eg, CFO or head of family office) in a professional and confidential manner to ensure that all client needs and requests are met.Carefully manage client and client advisor team expectations to support successful service delivery experience.Onboarding of New ClientsServe as the primary point of contact for new clients, family office staff, and their advisor teams to oversee of all aspects of client onboarding, including review of FOM service agreement and fee, coordination of data receipt from prior service providers, transfer of that data to Bessemer platforms, and all other transition planning details.
Coordinate initial monthly or quarterly closings with relevant FOM service teams (ie, consolidated reporting, GL accounting, bill pay, payroll/HR, foundation operational support), advisor teams, and other Bessemer experts (eg, Tax Department, Philanthropic Advisory).Work with client, family office staff, and client advisor teams to customize FOM services and financial reporting to individual family needs.Manage Individual FOM Service TeamsPerform all levels of accounting work directly as needed, especially as relates to quality control (ie, serve as the ultimate quality control on all services delivered to clients).
Serve in the administrator role over QuickBooks data files, managing both staff and client access and the creation of new client data files.Lead FOM service team leaders in direct people management and development, team structure, and procedures/processes.Provide department management in terms of maintaining and enhancing controls and procedures.
Proactively incorporate regulatory requirements and operational risk management in all areas with an audit mindset.Review billings from FOM third party service providers for accuracy and ensure timely payment.Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance with a minimum of 10-12 years relevant work experience, CPA preferred.
Small business accounting experience is beneficial.Proficiency in the use of QuickBooks accounting software and Microsoft Office is required. Demonstration of a progression in responsibility of direct staff management with strong corresponding team results.
Proven ability to use tact, discretion, confidentiality and good judgment in handling sensitive and confidential matters and documentation
