Bill Gilmer, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, El Paso Branch, was the speaker. And he had a lot of good things to say about Houston.

Here are some highlights:

• Jobs: Houston has created 325,000 jobs between 2003 and 2008, outpacing the country.

“The jobs market has been the most disappointing part of the (overall) economic picture,” Gilmer said.

• Economy: The city has been able to recover to pre-recession levels. Houston hit bottom in August 2008. No other area in Texas has gotten back to pre-recession levels.

• Reasons why Houston has not done better: The end of NASA’s role in manned space flight, health care reform (“This is the first time ever there is no construction planned at the Texas Medical Center,” he said), the deepwater drilling moratorium and the threat of cap and trade proposals.

• Auto sales: Still in recovery. Look for nationwide sales to get back to the 16 million mark in 2014.

• Housing: Market is still weak. Plan to see a turnaround in Houston real estate by the end of the year.

• Construction: In 2000, there were 1.2 million housing permits. Now there are 400,000. In Houston, we saw a 60 percent decrease in the number of housing permits.

• Oil: He said that for the first time since 1995, there are more rigs looking for oil than natural gas.

• Gross Domestic Product: The country’s growth over the next several quarters is expected to be in the 3 percent to 3.5 percent range.

• Endgame: “Houston is doing OK by Houston standards, by U.S. standards doing well and by Texas standards, it is in the middle of the pack,” he said.

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 6:30am CDT – Last Modified: Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 8:19am CDT

 

Houston-area employers are slowly ramping up hiring plans, according to the quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released Tuesday.

About 25 percent of companies surveyed intend to hire more employees during the third quarter of 2011, about five percent higher than the national average.

About seven percent of Houston-area employers said they would trim payrolls in Q3, while 65 percent will maintain staff at current levels.

The survey shows that overall hiring trends are higher than during the first two quarters of 2011.

Houston had the highest percentage of employers looking to add staff in the second quarter (19 percent) compared to the other three major Texas metro areas of Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin.

For the third quarter, job prospects appear best in manufacturing, transportation & utilities, finance, professional services, leisure and Hospitality. The government and education sectors face job cuts during the quarter.

“Compared to a year ago … employers are more confident about their staffing plans,” said Manpower spokesman Bill Floyd, in a statement.

The survey is based on interviews with 18,000 employers nationwide.

http://www.houston.org/pdf/research/eag.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Economy+at+a+Glance+-+June+2011+3363&utm_content=Economy+at+a+Glance+-+June+2011+3363+CID_076fd963f4245571f55c919eb440e95b&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_term=Preview+the+June+issue+of+Houston+The+Economy+at+a+Glance

 

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

SUMMARY OF POSITION

This individual will assist the Corporate Payroll Manager with Canadian and US multi-state payroll taxes, timely deposits, working with multiple legal entities.  All payrolls for US andCanadaemployees will be processed in-house using J&E software including set up of new employees, enter hours and deduction changes by employees or mandated by government agencies.  Experience with Canadian payroll tax and Master Tax will be high priority factors in the hiring decision.

 

This position will report to the Corporate Payroll Manager and is located inHouston,Texas.

Position includes:

• Ensuring accuracy and compliance with current government regulations
• Ensuring all taxes are collected and remitted according to government regulations
• Obtain proper approvals and authorizations according to established DOA (financial policy) of time sheets, pay increases, special payments, etc. prior to entering into the system
• Prepare necessary payments and reports for timely remittance for all 3^rd parties in compliance with regulatory agencies and agreements
• Keep up-to-date with current payroll and benefits practices and legislation in Canadaand US
• Create and maintain confidential payroll files
• Provide excellent internal customer service at all times to all employees and 3^rd parties
• Work closely with Human Resources to ensure efficient and accurate information flow; policy and procedure management

 

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

 

 

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

 

Responsibilities include:

• Account reconciliation and analysis for all entities in the USLAC region
• Journal Entries including maintenance of recurring journal entries and allocations
• Assist with the coordination of the month end close
• Supervise the month end HFM processes
• Monthly reconciliation of HFM results to projected operating results
• Supervise the benefits/payroll accounting process and associated analysis
• Develop and implement policies and procedures with emphasis on internal controls
• Special projects as required
• He or she will take an active role in implementing and maintaining a system of internal controls that will ensure that company assets are adequately safeguarded and that all financial reporting is prepared in compliance with all financial policies and US GAAP.

Job Requirements 

• BA/BS in Accounting, Certified Public Account or (CPA) equivalent. Thorough knowledge of applicable theories, practices, and accepted procedures related to US GAAP and IFRS. 8-10 years of experience in industry; experience should include 2-4 years supervisory/management experience in progressive roles.  Project accounting experience and Big 4 experience is preferred.
• Possesses and is recognized as having a specialized depth or breadth of expertise within the department. Interprets internal and external business challenges with impact on the organization and recommends best practice solutions. Contributes to implementation plan development and program coordination. Advanced proficiency with applicable software applications in related field.
• Large enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and reporting systems experience (Oracle 11i, HFM, Hyperion Planning are preferred)
• Advanced analytical and problem solving skills.
• Accuracy and attention to detail critical.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage priorities is critical.

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

 

Responsibilities:
• Prepare the monthly/quarterly/annual tax provisions
• Prepare sales and use tax returns, property tax renditions and coordinate payments to various tax authorities
• Assist in the preparation of federal and state income tax returns
• Assist in the preparation of annual audited financial statements and related footnote disclosures
• Assist in the research of tax issues and special projects as needed
• Assist with the automation of the income tax compliance & provision processes including analyses of various software packages
• Support tax audits
• Assist or prepare Annual tax preparation work papers for external tax preparers
• Assist or prepare tax forecasts for planning and cash flow purposes
• Additional duties as assigned by management

Qualifications:
• Degree in Accounting or Finance, required.  CPA is preferable 
• 2-4 years public accounting and/or industry tax experience with a solid tax technical background including a good working knowledge of the IRS code and regulations as they relate to the offshore E&P industry
• Strong understanding and experience with tax provision preparation and analysis including ASC 740 Accounting for Income Taxes is required
• Strong understanding and/or experience with FAS 109 & FIN 48
• Ability to research tax related issues and respond to tax questions from management and various internal users of data
• Experienced tax preparation and provision software user is a plus
• Strong organizational and communication skills including the ability to effectively communicate with all levels of management
• Strong Proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Office Suite including: Outlook, Word  and PowerPoint
• Experience with coordinating various external audits is a plus

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

Project Accountant to ensure the accuracy and propriety of all financial data and reports. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: assist with management reporting; financial statement preparation and/or review; budgeting; preparation and/or review of monthly and quarterly reports; coordinate audit and prepare and/or review audit work papers for internal and external audits; prepare and/or review cash flow projections for valuation model and variance analysis; assist with the formation of new projects; assist with supervision of Staff Accountants.

Minimum Requirements include:
– Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in accounting from an accredited university
– Two or more years professional accounting experience encompassing similar duties
– Public accounting experience strongly preferred
– CPA preferred

Job Responsibilities:

• Performing enterprise/business risk assessments and audit planning.
• Performing financial statement, SOX and operational audits.
• Reviewing work product and deliverables of staff-level auditors.
• Assisting with the completion of process-improvements, special projects and/or special investigation/fraud audits.
• Learning a thorough knowledge of the Company’s business and related needs.

The successful Auditor candidate will demonstrate:

• A high-level of proficiency working with financial statements, operational audit plans/work programs and SOX documentation and testing.
• Excellent communication (both verbal and written) skills to all Company levels and positions.
• Excellent time management skills.
• A high-quality work product that is consistent, timely, accurate and complete with minimal supervision.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• At least four to six years audit experience in financial statements and operations.
• Up to 25% travel is required.
• SOX experience with both documenting and testing internal controls.
• Proficiency in use of computer applications is required for this position (i.e. Excel, Hyperion, etc).
• Current CPA/CIA/CFE licenses, public accounting and consulting experience a plus.

 

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

Responsibilities:

• Assists the AVP of internal audit in managing audit staff and in the planning, organizing, directing, and monitoring of internal audit operations, including assisting in hiring, training, and evaluating staff; taking corrective actions to address performance concerns.
• Assists the AVP of internal audit with the identification and evaluation of the organization’s risk areas and provides major input to the development of the annual audit plan.
• Manages the performance of audit procedures, including identifying and defining issues, developing criteria, reviewing and analyzing evidence, and documenting client processes and procedures.
• Develops and maintains productive client, staff, and management relationships through individual contacts and group meetings.
• Pursues professional development opportunities, including external and internal training and professional association memberships, and shares information gained with co-workers.

• Perform financial, operational and information technology control audits of functional areas and report significant issues related to processes and controls, including risks inherent in, and potential improvements to, those processes and controls.
• Deliver technical advice, assistance and instructions.
• Review the implementation of new systems and procedures to assess the adequacy of internal controls.
• Respond to, and investigate allegations of fraud and other financial wrongdoing including those received through the corporate whistleblower program.
• Communicate and interact with management across all divisions.

• Provide consulting services to organizational management and staff.
• Provide development, coaching and leadership support for Internal Audit staff.
• Maintains all organization and professional ethical standards.
• Managing department budget and maintaining cost controls.

 

Qualifications:

• Track record in planning, assigning and supervising the daily activity and work of other auditors.
• Thorough knowledge of CMS and other federal agency rules.
• Have a working knowledge of Medicare Advantage plans.
• Strong, knowledgeable and effective communicator.
• Ability to influence and negotiate.
• Considerable knowledge of the Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing and Code of Ethics developed by theInstitute ofInternal Audit

 

Experienced Required:

• 6 years of audit experience including, 3 years of management/supervisory experience.
• Experience working across a matrix organization, with multiple levels of management interface and competing priorities.
• Experience in working with multiple divisions and locations.

• Experience working in a fast-pace environment with changing priorities and direction.

 

Skills:

• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work closely with people at all levels of the organization and facilitate the implementation of corrective action.
• Works independently under general direction with excessive latitude for initiative and independent judgment.
• Significant experience with Excel and with audit and financial software systems.
• Working knowledge of ACCESS and SQL databases.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills.

 

Education/Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration or related field.
• Certification as a CIA or CPA.
• A graduate degree in businesses administration, accounting or a related field is desirable.

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

 

Houston Business Journal – by Dallas Business Journal

Date: Friday, June 3, 2011, 6:31am CDT

 

Texas employers posted 14,200 more openings online last month, the second highest increase in the South.

Online advertised vacancies were up 148,000 in May to about 4.5 million, according to a report from The Conference Board. The May increase follows a decline of 124,000 in April and a gain of 198,000 in March.

Among the regions, the South posted the largest gain of 54,000 posts. Maryland led the region with a 14,500 jobs gain, followed by Texas (+14,200) and Georgia (+13,100).

There are just over three unemployed workers for every online advertised vacancy, the report showed, and nationally there are 9.4 million more unemployed workers than advertised vacancies.

In May, there were 608,200 advertised vacancies for workers in computer and mathematical science occupations, a rise of 25,100, reflecting increased demand for a wide range of skills including network designers, biostatisticians, and geographic information system technicians. Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations were up 4,700 to 59,000 with increases for jobs such as building cleaners and landscape workers such as tree trimmers.

Among the top 10 occupation groups with the largest numbers of online advertised vacancies, categories posting increases included office and administrative support, up 16,900. General office clerks, receptionists, and information clerks were among the occupations that saw increases in advertised vacancies that were partially offset by a drop in demand for billing and accounting clerks and data entry clerks.

Click here to read the full report and see state details

1. Off ice Manager / Bookkeeper – Dealership exp – East Houston – 40 to 50K
2. Accounting Manager – Southwest Houston – Stepping stone to Controller – 100 to 120K
3. Senior Auditor – Greenway Plaza – less than 10% travel – 6o to 70K
4. Audit Manager – Greenway Plaza – less than 10% travel – 80 to 90K
5. Staff and Senior International Accountant – Greenspoint 60 to 85K
6. Controller – Small Co. MAS 200 – Galleria
7. SEC analyst – 80 to 90K
8. International E&P Manager – 15 to 25 years of experience – EXPAT
9. Fixed Asset Supervisor – Power Gen – 90 to 110K
10. Senior Accountant – Southeast Houston – 60 to 70K
11. IFRS Analyst – Downtown – 75 to 90K
12. Audit Mgt Traning Program – 18 months – International travel – Big 4 – Galleria
13. Senior Financial Analyst – Galleria – 75K
14. State & Local Tax Accountant – Downtown
15. Federal & State Tax Accountant – Galleria 50 to 75K DOE
16. IT Auditor – Downtown – less than 20% travel
17. Real Estate Accountant – Galleria – 50 to 75K
18. Banking Auditor – Public Accounting
19. Non Profit Audit Senior/Supervisor / Mgr – Public Accounting

Contract Jobs and Temp to Hire:

1. Time & Billing Auditor
2. AP Clerk – Woodlands
3. AP Clerk – Downtown
4. Staff accountant – West Chase
5. commercial Collector – Greenspoint
6. AP specialist – NW Houston
7. AP Clerk – Timberline
8. Senior GL Accountant – West Houston
9. Payroll Specialist – West Houston
10. Non Profit Tax Accountant – Part time – indefinite contract
11. FCPA Auditor – local and international
12. Joint Venture Auditor – Downtown
13. Internal Audit Projects – multiple – local and international
14. Travel Assistant / Coordinator – NW Houston
15. Inside Sales Assistants (2) – NW Houston

 

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

 

If you’re in the professional world for a while, you will invariably be asked to “help out” a college kid – one of your co-worker’s children, a friend of a friend, or maybe even your own cousin.

They may not be carrying a skateboard in their hand like this girl, but they most likely have zero or no experience. You probably don’t know them or their areas of personal strength well. How are you supposed to help them? You know what always happens…

You say, “Sure, have them send me their resume.” Maybe you interview them and talk about their sports and their major – and maybe that job waiting tables when they were 19. If you’re a professional recruiter, maybe you drop their resume to a few clients, or circulate their resume to a few internal hiring managers with a meager endorsement of their personality.

To sum it up, you give them a ray of hope; then, you move on and get back to your job. Did you really help them? Or did you give them some lip service and a few perfunctory gestures?

How do you really help college kids get started in their careers? How do you help them not only start a profession, but help them navigate an incredibly difficult job market? Here are some tips:

• Give them Experience, not a Connection: Passing their resume to a client or work friend helps a little. They will probably land an interview through your recommendation, but often out of your contact’s commitment to you. It can get them one interview, but it won’t help them get the next. Give them the opportunity to do something for you. If you’re a recruiter, have them source names for you on the web and pay them something. If you’re in marketing, have them do some research for you. Think carefully about what tasks would help you grow your business if you could offload the work.
• Be Honest: We all have our share of stories about interviewing with companies, long job hunts, or bad employers and work. They are facing a high hurdle and should know that. Don’t sugarcoat your evaluation of their skills and background. This is not a call for brutal honesty however – the harsh reality of the current job market has probably already made that impression. You want to set their expectations high, not low – but apply that expectation to their work as well. They need to understand how hard they have to work for whatever it is they want – but that it is possible.
• Inspire: Be honest in your evaluation of their work, but also try to inspire them with long term goals and aspirations. If they want to get into “business” or “technology”, that’s not enough. Get specific in helping them envision a bright future with a highly specific career path. Tell them about a highly successful person in their field of interest and put them in touch with them.
• Talk about Life, not Careers: Lots of people tell college kids about different professions, but very few tell them about the personal ramifications of their career decisions. Do college kids really understand what it means to have to work 80 hour weeks to make partner? Or having to move across the country to find a job for a PHD? Or how $60,000 in debt can force you into working bad jobs? Understanding the life of a particular professional can often be more helpful than understanding their daily job function.
• Help them be Themselves: Most people help college kids with interviews by saying, “Look people in the eye and have a firm handshake.” But in a hard job market, this isn’t enough. You want to discover all the things that are best about them and be sure that they present this to a future employer. Emphasize personal strengths and be sure they have confidence in the uniqueness of their talents. Whether they are particularly creative or good at math, get them excited to convey their strengths. People hire based on personality, and if they have a good one, it’s their best asset – maybe the girl holding the skateboard should ride it to the interview.

We always want to help that college grad, but often we fall short of the task and then feel guilty about it. The next time someone applies to your company or your friend passes you their kid’s resume, have some fun with it. One of the joys in life is helping kids get their start. With some thought, you can do more than give them false hope – you can help shape their life.

Industry News and Updates

I hope you are having a great 2011. It has been an interesting year so far and there is a lot of new economic data as it relates to the Great Recession and Houston. According to the information I have received from the Greater Houston Partnership the Great Recession started in December 2007 and lasted for 18 months. Houston was more fortunate and entered the recession in September of 2008. Houston actually experienced the shortest downturn of 16 months. According to the data our city started adding jobs again in January 2010. We lost over 121,000 jobs during recession (New York lost 389,600 and L.A. lost 519,500). So again we really weathered the storm much better than other cities around the U.S. The GREAT news is that we have recouped a lot of the lost jobs and are past the half way point in the recovery. As a Recruiter I can definitely tell you that the market is shifting in Houston. This may be a good time to dust off that resume that you have not looked at in over 2 years. The job market is improving and companies are starting to add headcount again! I will send my next update in July.

I try to post most of our news jobs on my blog (updated 3 to 5 times a week):

https://dianedelgadolemaire.wordpress.com/

You can also follow me on Twitter: @CPARecruiterHOU

Local Statistics:

• National / Houston Unemployment Rate: 9.0% / 8.3%
• Price of Oil:  $102.00 (last year $80)
• Oil Rig Count: 1720 (last year 1419)
• Industries hiring: Exploration & Production, Manufacturing, Service Companies, Oil & Gas Field Services & Healthcare
• Positions in demand: TAX (all levels), Financial Analysts, Senor Accountants, Auditors & Controllers

Industries not hiring or flat: Homebuilding, Small Construction companies

• IT Auditor- Downtown (Less than 20% travel)
• Controller – Galleria – 80 to 9
• Audit Manager – Galleria – Looking for Seniors ready for the next step – 80 to 85K
• Staff Accountant – Alvin
• Senior Tax Accountant – Galleria – 50 to 80K (Federal & State)
• Tax Accountant – Downtown – 50 to 80K (International)
• Senior Banking Auditor – Galleria – 65 to 80K
• Tax Accountant – Downtown -75 to 90 (State & Local)
• Senior Internal Auditor – Greenway – 65 to 75K
• Staff Auditor – Galleria – 45 to  50K
• Financial Analyst – DT – E&P, 65 to 85K
• Accounting  Manager – Sugar Land – 100 to 120K
• Controller – Sugar Land – 110 to 130K
• Controller – Downtown – 130 to 150K
• CFO / VP Finance – Private Equity – 125K plus 25K bonus
• Inventory Accounting Manger – West – 85 to 95K
• Credit Manager – Southeast – 75 to 85K
• SEC Accountant – Greenway – 55 to 70K
• Senior GL Accountant – Southeast – 60 to 75K
• Senior Auditor (Rotational Role) 50% Travel – Fortune 500 – 60 to 85K
• Fixed Asset Supervisor – 90 to 110K – Galleria
• Payroll Accountant (Oracle) – 55 to 70K – Northwest Houston
• Payroll Accountant (Canadian) – 65 to 75K – Southeast Houston

 

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

Primary Responsibilities:

The primary areas of responsibility for the Accounting Manager cover four main areas:

• Accounting: Comprehensive control and knowledge of the General Ledger system for all reporting entities, including process control, compliance with corporate and accounting standards and adherence to a disciplined approach to account control, reconciliation and reporting.
• Team Lead: As the leader of the accounting group within the finance team, the Accounting Manager will be responsible to hire, mentor, train and supervise accounting staff. Key will be the integration and interaction with all members of the finance team as well as responsiveness to company needs.
• Audit Lead: Maintain control of internal and external audits, including responsible preparation, continual guidance and successful conclusion.
• Tax: Coordinate tax compliance and planning with the tax staff. Ensure compliance and accurate recording of all tax entries.  

Duties:

This individual will work to ensure accurate and timely reporting of results to corporate management and provide guidance through formal and informal communication designed to maximize individual and organizational results. Some examples of specific duties are as follows:

• Develops and prepares operational and financial reports that assist the Vice President of Accounting and other senior management in the analysis of operations. 
• Ensures accurate and timely reporting of results to corporate business management.
• Provides corporate-level guidance in all business management functions through formal and informal communication designed to maximize individual and organizational results.
• Assists in the oversight of business standards and controls through financial reviews, and formal internal and external audits.
• Provides information to the VP of Finance on the necessary processes and systems to improve total performance.
• Develops advanced-level spreadsheets to analyze current operations and model projected financial results. Develops annual financial and operational plans through the budget process for multiple locations.
• Will work with accounting for business units, rolled up into legal entities, then rolled up into corporate structure.  

Additional areas of valuable previous experience include the following: consolidation of multiple entities, revenue recognition, budgeting, tax accounting, hedge accounting, financial statement preparation, SOX compliance, and process improvement.

Requirements:

• Bachelor degree in Accounting* (MUST HAVE)
• CPA with prior audit experience strongly preferred* (MUST HAVE)
• Five plus year’s progressive experience including financial statement preparation, consolidations, budgeting and SOX
• Solid communication, technology and analytical abilities 
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of corporate accounting functions
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of GAAP and SEC guidelines
• SAP knowledge a plus
• Bilingual (Spanish) strongly preferred* (MUST HAVE)

 

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

To perform accounting duties and to assist the Vice President in the development, coordination, and administration of the financial, budgetary, forecasting, tax and government reporting functions of the company.  To lead and participate in the month-end close.   To perform finance special projects as needed.

BS in Accounting; CPA required; minimum 5-7 years relevant experience; in-depth knowledge of accounting principles and methods with the ability to apply such knowledge to the accounting function; strong working knowledge of computerized accounting (MAS200 and Oracle preferable), spreadsheet, and word processing packages; ability to effectively supervise other accounting personnel. Strong analytical skills and knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles.   Good oral and written communication skills, with ability to interact with all levels of personnel.

Reports directly to the Vice President.  One Senior Accountant, one Junior Staff Accountant and two Accounts Payable / Accounts Receivable Administrators report to position.  Position must be capable of dealing with all levels of personnel in the organization, as well as third parties.

•  Manage designated accounting department personnel
• Lead role in month-end and year-end accounting functions
• Lead role in timely production of the monthly financial book
• Lead role in external audit

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

http://www.houston.org/pdf/research/eag.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Economy+at+a+Glance+-+May+2011+3363&utm_content=Economy+at+a+Glance+-+May+2011+3363+CID_282974b56308ada3054a67b8d0b28b63&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_term=Download+the+Economy+At+A+Glance+PDF

Division of a US publically traded Company – Listed on the NYSE.  Manufactures & Distributes products.

Scope: Provides support to the Division’s Management Team and is a member on the Company’s Credit committee.

Specific Duties:

–          Maintain Compliance with the Company’s Credit Policy and SOX

–          Manages daily Cash Collection & Application

–          Prepares monthly allowance for bad debts and write-off recommendation

–          Assists with the preparation & follow up of Letters of Credit

–          Maintains the customer master file.

–          Assists with the Various Audits requirements (Sales Tax, Bank, Internal (including Self-Monitoring) & external Audits.) 

Direct Reports:  4 – (2 Collectors; 2 Cash Application)

Experience:  10-15 years

–          Some international, Canada, Nigeria, Kenya, Japan, Ireland,  Jamaica

–          Letters of credit, UCC Filings, Joint checks etc…

–          Under Graduate Degree in Finance, Accounting, and/or Economics’

Traits:

–          Customer Friendly, Energetic team player, willing to jump in where needed, with good attention to detail.

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

 

Primary Responsibilities

The Sr. Financial Analyst on the team is responsible for the following:

• Supporting both the BU and Corporate in Month-End Close Activities including:
• Journal Entry posting, General Ledger responsibilities, and Account Reconciliations
• Providing Quantitative Financial Variance Analysis of accounts and respective month end close notes for both Forecast and Budget
• Preparing supporting roll-forward schedules and ad-hoc analysis as needed
• Department level P&L preparation and distribution
• Partnering with functional groups and identifying drivers to forecast account level expenses
• Supporting the Internal Operational Groups in the Business Unit including:
• Meeting with, supporting, and creating a partnership with the Director, Area Managers, and Managers of the group across the BU’s major markets:Houston,Dallas,San Antonio, andNew Orleans
• Identifying opportunities for improvement from a financial reporting and modeling standpoint; Searching out ways to improve decision making accuracy and process efficiency
• Managing the CAPEX Process including:
• Partnering with requesting parties to ensure all expected guidelines are met and thorough risk / reward assessment is made on the investment
• Providing in-depth quantitative analysis to provide a range of potential financial outcomes based on the investment including ROI and NPV
• Managing Capital Budget and Forecast
• Taking a lead role as one of the BU Peoplesoft / Essbase Super Users

Diane Delgado LeMaire | Senior Managing Director, Accounting & Finance Recruiting | Creative Financial Staffing, a division of Fitts, Roberts CPA Firm | 5718 Westheimer Suite 800 | Houston, TX 77057 | 713-260-5238 | dcd@fittsroberts.com| Blog| Twitter| LinkedIn

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting directly to the Director of Internal Audit in Houston.

This is a key role within the organization; the successful candidate will have the responsibility for assisting and conducting internal audits of worldwide facilities with primary emphasis placed on the review and evaluation of financial and operational controls and related procedures.

Audits may or may not have staff assigned, so the successful candidate will be able to manage 2-3 personnel as well as work independently performing detail testing.

This position involves a wide scope of activity, interaction with many key individuals throughout the business units and around 30-40% of the role involves travel to other business locations globally.

KEY DELIVERABLES

•To provide value added consultative services, which include identifying opportunities to improve financial and operational processes that will enhance overall plant performance and profitability

•To plan, organize, execute and conclude on the internal audits including the preparation of an audit plan and audit report which fulfils the responsibility of the department, scheduling and assigning work and estimating resource needs

•To make recommendations on the systems and procedures being reviewed, report on the findings and recommendations and monitor management’s response and implementation

•To review and report on the accuracy, timeliness and relevance of the financial and other information that is provided for management

•To work with management to ensure a system is in place which ensures that all major risks are identified and analyzed on an annual basis

•To provide both management and the internal audit department with an opinion on the internal controls in place within the organization

•Undertake additional operational audit reviews, Ernst and Young SOX reviews, investigations, internal consultancy and other special projects on an ad hoc basis, either individually or as part of a team

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Candidates will have 8+ years proven internal or external audit experience and be versed in USGAAP applicable to an E&C (engineering and construction) entity, including specific experience auditing percentage of completion contracts. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are a pre-requisite. CPA designation required. Experience in fraud investigations and IT internal controls helpful. CIA, CFE and CISA a plus. Public accounting experience a plus.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• BS Accounting Degree at an accredited university or college.
• CPA professional certification required, which implies a thorough knowledge of the principles, procedures and practices of accounting and financial records transaction.
• Other recognized professional qualifications a plus (with the IIA or CIMA, such as CIA).
• 8+ years of internal or external audit or related experience in/for an E&C (engineering and construction) entity, including specific experience auditing percentage of completion contracts.
• Previous experience and understanding of SOX is a must.
• Experience in fraud investigations and IT internal controls helpful. CFE and CISA a plus.
• Public accounting experience a plus.
• Ability to gather, analyze and evaluate facts and to prepare and present concise oral and written reports.
• Knowledge of auditing procedures, including planning, techniques, tests and sampling methods involved in conducting audits is essential.
• Must be PC literate and a good working knowledge of SAP will be an advantage.
• A second language is also desirable. Good English speaking and writing skills required.
• The role demands excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate at all levels of the organization and the ability to rapidly develop, and then maintain both external and internal business relationships.
• Candidates must be energetic, motivated and self-driven and able to work efficiently, independently and in a team environment.
• Other skills required include commercial awareness, organizational, analytical, decision-making, relationship management skills and the ability to prioritize and self-manage.

	Regular
Job Description	o Analyze and record varying aspects of intercompany eliminations. o Responsible for the load, consolidation, and tie out of the domestic company code. o Prepare and record journal entries for overhead allocations as well as additional journal entries as needed. o Compile and analyze financial information to prepare entries to general ledger accounts, documenting business transactions. o Correspond with Controllers on all Consolidations issues and ensure resolution. o Prepare and review the consolidated financial statements. o Prepare account reconciliations for assigned balance sheet accounts for the domestic company code. o Provide assistance to the various locations and divisions, as needed, to solve problems and issues o Projects as assigned.
Job Requirements/ Qualifications	o Possess a bachelor’s degree in Accounting o 5 – 7 years of experience in Accounting o 2 or more years of experience using SAP o 2 or more years of experience with inter-company accounting o Proficiency on a PC and related Microsoft 2007 software to include Outlook, Word and PowerPoint. Extremely high proficiency in MS Excel required (complex formulas, pivot tables, vlookups, sorting, etc) o Understanding of Foreign Currency exchange rates. o Demonstrated ability to communicate and express ideas verbally and in writing. o Previous Hyperion experience preferred. o Availability to work overtime is required