Intern – Financial Accounting

Job Description

Accounting Intern | American Tower

The Tone:
This is an in-person internship at American Tower, located in the US, offering an opportunity to join the U.S. Tower division’s Finance team. American Tower is a global digital infrastructure company that delivers tower sites and other real estate solutions, supporting connectivity and fostering opportunities across 25 countries. As a publicly traded (NYSE:AMT) Fortune 500 company and one of the largest global Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), American Tower operates on Core Principles that emphasize long-term thinking, value-driven leadership, and creating value through strategic decisions. This role provides a practical introduction to the operations of a major accounting organization, where you will support various accounting teams day-to-day. The intern’s contributions are vital in the preparation and reporting of financial figures that consistently align with GAAP standards, directly supporting the company’s commitment to building a more connected world.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Temporary
• Location: In-person, US

• Team: U.S. Tower division’s Finance team
• Mission: To support the UST Finance team in preparing and reporting financial figures in alignment with GAAP standards.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Monthly Close Support: Actively assist the finance team with the monthly financial close process, contributing to the timely and accurate finalization of financial statements and records.
• Financial Record Preparation: Prepare detailed account analyses, execute comprehensive balance sheet reconciliations, and draft accurate journal entries to ensure integrity in financial record-keeping.
• GAAP Application: Apply generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to various accounting tasks, working under the guidance of a team leader to develop a strong practical understanding of compliance.
• Reporting Assistance: Provide support in the meticulous preparation of various financial reports, aiding the team in fulfilling its regular and ad-hoc reporting obligations for internal and external stakeholders.
• Operational Support: Support different departments by applying analyses of basic operating statistics and financial data, enhancing their understanding of financial information, and assisting with various ad-hoc requests to learn the operations of a large accounting organization.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-level position for an individual actively pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting, or a business degree with a distinct concentration in accounting.
• Experience: Candidates must be within 18 months of graduating from their degree program at the time the internship commences.
• Skills: A foundational understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), alongside the ability to perform basic account analyses, prepare balance sheet reconciliations, and draft journal entries.
• Bonus: A preferred minimum GPA of 3.3 and an expressed interest in obtaining a CPA or another relevant professional designation.