Accounting Associate, Finance Operations

Job Description

Accounting Associate, Finance Operations | CIP Fund Solutions

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at CIP Fund Solutions, located in Chicago, United States of America. CIP Fund Solutions supports the global leader in renewable energy infrastructure, CIP, by providing professional and efficient financial, legal, tax, and business operations. As an Accounting Associate, you will play a key role in supporting the accounting, financial reporting, and close processes for a portfolio of renewable energy investments across the U.S. and Canada. This position is crucial for ensuring accurate, timely, and GAAP-compliant financial reporting for operational onshore wind, solar, and battery projects, as well as those under development and construction.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Hybrid Chicago, IL

• Team: Reports to Senior Manager, Finance Operations, collaborates closely with the Senior Associate and Manager within the Finance Operations team.
• Mission: This person ensures accurate, timely, and GAAP-compliant financial reporting by reviewing accounting work performed by external service providers and supporting core finance processes for renewable energy investments.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Review and ensure compliance of financial statements: Review monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, trial balances, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules prepared by external accounting service providers, ensuring accuracy and compliance with U.S. GAAP.
• Support financial close processes: Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes by reviewing accounting entries, accruals, reconciliations, and financial reporting deliverables.
• Facilitate external audits: Partner with external auditors during annual audits and help ensure timely resolution of audit requests and findings.
• Implement process improvements and controls: Support the implementation, monitoring, and enhancement of internal controls and identify and implement process improvements and automation opportunities across accounting and financial reporting processes.
• Analyze legal agreements: Review legal agreements, including purchase and sale agreements, to identify accounting implications and contractual reporting requirements, with support from the Manager and Senior Manager.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor or Master’s degree in Accounting strongly preferred; candidates with a Finance degree and substantial accounting coursework will also be considered. Solid understanding of accounting principles, financial statements, and financial reporting processes.
• Experience: 1-3 years of relevant full-time experience in accounting, audit, fund accounting, financial reporting, or finance operations. Experience reviewing journal entries, account reconciliations, accruals, and close-related activities.
• Skills: Familiarity with U.S. GAAP and financial reporting concepts; self-motivated with a structured, methodical, and disciplined approach to work; keen attention to detail and ability to prioritize effectively while managing changing priorities; results-driven with a high execution orientation and the ability to manage multiple workstreams.
• Bonus: Experience working with external auditors, accounting service providers, or fund administrators; experience in improving, automating, or streamlining key processes and workflows; experience in renewable energy, infrastructure, private equity, or asset management is preferred.