Senior Financial Reporting Analsyt/Associate

(Job ID: 2015)

Greater Los Angeles, CA

Hybrid

Direct Hire

Fin Serv - Investment

$110,000 – $130,000 base

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Overview

A publicly traded financial services firm headquartered in Southern California is expanding its finance team with a Senior Financial Reporting Analyst focused on SEC filings and corporate accounting. This position offers direct collaboration with senior leadership and the opportunity to shape financial reporting processes within a hybrid work setting. Candidates with a CPA credential and Big 4 experience will find this role aligns with their expertise in U.S. GAAP and regulatory compliance.

Title: Senior Financial Reporting Analsyt/Associate
Industry: Investment Banking
Location: Greater Los Angeles

Responsibilities

Compile and review quarterly and annual SEC filings, including Forms 10-Q, 10-K, and 8-K, ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance.
Prepare detailed financial presentations and reports for executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and Audit Committee meetings.
Manage monthly and quarterly budget reporting across multiple regions and departments, supporting internal financial planning.
Maintain adherence to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) controls and support internal and external audit processes with timely documentation and responses.
Identify opportunities to enhance reporting efficiency by integrating AI tools and streamlining accounting workflows.
Collaborate cross-functionally with finance and business teams to clarify complex accounting issues and support decision-making.
Conduct ad-hoc financial analyses and reporting as requested by senior management to inform strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
- CPA license with 3-4 years of public accounting experience at a Big 4 or equivalent firm, emphasizing SEC reporting.
- Strong expertise in U.S. GAAP and SEC regulatory requirements for public companies.
- Proven ability to prepare and review complex financial statements and disclosures.
- Excellent communication skills to translate technical accounting matters for diverse stakeholders.
- Comfortable working independently in a hybrid environment with minimal supervision.
Nice-to-Have:
- Experience within financial services or broker-dealer sectors.
- Familiarity with ERP systems such as Oracle or SAP and advanced Excel capabilities.
- Prior exposure to corporate finance or accounting roles beyond public accounting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do companies mis-hire at the Senior Accountant level?
Because they hire based on task lists instead of ownership. Two candidates may both mention reconciliations, journal entries, and close support, but only one has truly owned balance sheet areas, resolved issues independently, worked directly with auditors, and operated with minimal supervision. Titles vary widely in the market. Ownership is the more reliable signal.
When is a Senior Accountant actually ready for promotion?
Usually when they stop simply executing assigned work and start identifying issues before they surface. Promotion to Accounting Manager or a broader leadership track is less about how many close tasks someone can perform and more about whether they have become a source of reliability, judgment, and escalation control.
Why is direct SOX or SEC reporting experience still so valuable?
Because it usually reflects exposure to real deadlines, real scrutiny, and repeatable compliance discipline. It is difficult to simulate that background without having lived it, and the learning curve can be expensive in roles where reporting accuracy and controls matter immediately.
How do strong candidates typically evaluate opportunities like this?
Strong candidates rarely evaluate a role based on title alone. They look at what the position actually owns, how the function is viewed internally, whether the environment is stable or in transition, and what success will realistically look like in the first 6 to 12 months. Many first discover a role through a posting, but the strongest career decisions usually come from understanding the context behind the opportunity, not just the job description. In accounting and finance hiring, that level of context is often what separates a lateral move from a meaningful one. Learn more about how strategic accounting and finance searches differ from transactional recruiting.
Why does ERP experience matter so much in roles like this?
Because many accounting and finance roles are really process-and-systems roles disguised as job titles. A candidate may know the accounting, but if they cannot operate effectively inside the company's environment, ramp time becomes risk. Exact system match is not always mandatory, but comparable complexity often is.

Senior Financial Reporting Analsyt/Associate — Greater Los Angeles, CA | Pacific Executive Search