Industry News and Updates:

Based on the activity we’ve had this past quarter, CFS is in for a very busy 2018 both locally and nationally. I am excited to report that the Houston economy is on the upswing! We have been very busy assisting hiring managers as they add additional headcount, a large number of which were replacements of positions that were previously eliminated in the last few years. Also, several of our clients have been supplementing their additional workload with temporary workers due to increased business. All of this is great news for our local economy and job market.

Here are some highlights from the Greater Houston Partnership and The Perryman Group:

• Oilfield services added 3,500 jobs in the past 12 months
• Manufacturing added 4,800 workers – the driving force behind this has been linked to drilling activity
• The construction sector added 3,700 workers – majority of these are tied to Harvey
• Unfortunately, some oil & gas firms are still restructuring – approximately 2,200 workers were laid off in the past 12 months
• Rig counts have increased by more than 100 since this time last year
• Capital Investment is UP
• Texas population is expected to grow by more than 2M in the next 5 years – these new Texans will need housing, healthcare, retail services, etc.
• Last but not least: The Texas economy is projected to outpace the nation over the next 5 years! 

CFS Resource for Hiring Managers: Interview Guide

Local Statistics:

• National Unemployment Rate: 4.4 (last year 4.9)
• Houston Unemployment Rate: 4.7 (last year 5.7)
• Labor Participation Rate: 62.9% (last year 63%)
  • January 2007 66.4% Highest / September 2015 62.3% Lowest
• Manufacturing Index: 55.6 (last year 5.2) 
• Oil Rig Count: 991 (last year 789)
• Price of Oil: $65.59 (last year $53.36)

Interesting Articles:

• Top 5 things to take with you on an interview: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-5-things-take-you-interview-diane-delgado-lemaire/
• Interview Preparation Checklist: https://dianedelgadolemaire.com/short-interview-preparation-checklist/

The Houston Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), a short-term leading indicator for regional production, registered 56.5 in March, up from 55.6 in February. The region’s PMI slipped below 50 in the three months immediately following Hurricane Harvey, but climbed above 50 in November and has signaled expansion for five consecutive months.

The Finance Director will lead a team focused on the revitalization of affordable-housing in the greater Houston area. The Finance Director reports to the Executive Director and will be responsible for the financial management, accounting and risk systems.

Duties of the Finance Director

• Preparing budgets and financial reports
• Reviewing expenditures for compliance with contracts
• Maintenance of insurance policies
• Supervising Asset Manager responsible for oversight of rental housing portfolio
• Providing oversight for technical operating systems (IT, telephones and office equipment)
• Administering employee benefit plans including health care coverage and Avenue’s 401(k) plan

COMPETENCIES

• Excellent people skills, experience collaborating in a multidisciplinary and diverse team
• Resourcefulness in setting priorities, proposing new ways of creating efficiencies, and guiding investment in people and systems
• Effectiveness in leading professionals in finance and accounting
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to Avenue’s mission and values.
• Flexible and a self-starter; able to multitask while also being highly detail-oriented.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (MA/MBA preferred) in Business, Management, Accounting, or Finance. CPA preferred.
• Experience: A minimum of five years in financial management and accounting, preferably in the non-profit sector, including budgeting, reporting, audit, and compliance.
• Computer Skills: Ability to work with IT staff to implement new systems to increase efficiency.

Our client is an innovative healthcare company located in North-Houston. They have over 1000 employees, operate in 6 states and are focused on providing greater access to healthcare for the communities it operates in. This is a relatively new company in rapid-growth mode.

Accounting Analyst Duties

• Assists Directors in reporting maintenance
• Develops and maintains internal and external reporting methods
• Leads monthly revenue recognition process
• Researches variances & unusual items on the income statement
• Other financial data analysis

Accounting Analyst Requirements

• 3+ years of experience
• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance or Accounting
• Public Accounting required

Why work here?

• Rapid growth opportunities
• Family Culture
• Complex corporate structure (new challenges)
• Monthly recreational activities
• Culture Clubs
• Health programs
• Direct exposure to Board/Directors

Our client is over a 50-year-old publicly-traded Oilfield Services company. They operate internationally in over 70 countries and serve major fortune 500 clients. This is a highly-exposed position with rapid growth and rotation opportunities. The company boasts strong tenure across the company an provides constant training & development. Subsidized study programs for post-graduate and certification efforts are provided.

Duties:

• Reviews financial Data for the assigned business unit and region
• Detailed account analysis supporting data and reconciliations
• Analyzes operational results including financial statements and financial schedules
• Proposes improvements of system methodology and process review
• Assists in special projects as needed
• Lease guidance support
• Flash forecasting

Requirements:

• 4-5 years of accounting experience
• Accounting or Finance degree
• Oracle is a plus
• Self Starter/Personality

About the Company:

Our client is a top Commercial Real Estate Management company located in West Houston and serving a wide-variety of US markets. They are internationally oriented and serve over 30 countries. Consistently nominated and awarded as a “best place to work”, they provide their employees a challenging and supportive working environment. This company is primarily involved in the management of Class “A” properties and asset/investment services.

Location: Energy Corridor

Duties:

• Liaison between property management, ownership and the accounting department
• Work with management to develop the annual budget
• Review financial statements and reports
• New lease/amendment creation, work with leasing coordinators and create strong relationships
• Evaluate and analyze cash flows for selected properties

Needs:

• Property Accounting experience (open to any)(prefers commercial)
• MRI/Yardi experience
• Accounting or Finance degree (preferred)

Why work here?

• Small company environment with large company growth potential
• Rapid growth; financial stability
• Casual office setting
• Brand new office
• Internal promotion opportunities
• Free PTO to use towards a charity of your choice

Responsibilities:

• Master Addepar investment management software tool used to track the performance of public securities and private investments
• Record weekly, monthly and quarterly transactions related to public securities including dividend income, interest, gain/loss, foreign tax withholding and management fees
• Perform monthly custodial and bank reconciliations
• Record monthly oil and gas joint interest bills, revenue checks, and calculate related depreciation, depletion, and amortization.
• Perform monthly close duties included but not limited to:
  • Reconciliation of cost, FMV, income, gain and foreign taxes
  • Maintain accrued interest schedule for bonds
  • Post FMV adjustments to the general ledger
  • Import offline fund transactions and valuations to Addepar
• Assist in the preparation of weekly and monthly securities reports for Management Committee and Investment Committee
• Attend weekly Securities meeting with CEO and Investment team (Associates, Analyst, Accountant)
• Assist in the preparation of quarterly Board reports for oil and gas, marketable securities and private investments
• Prepare schedules and provide requests for external audit
• Assist in the preparation of budgeting and forecasting schedules for the annual budget
• Maintain relations with custodians, request trades, and managing accounts
• Responsible for accounting, audit and investor reporting of the main fund and several investment entities that it manages.  Duties included but not limited to:
  • Prepare and send quarterly management fee invoices and capital calls for new investments as needed
  • Maintain accounting records following GAAP
  • Coordinate annual external audits (includes preparation of financial statements and providing audit schedules and requests)
  • Prepare annual reports for investors (includes calculation of carried interests)

Requirements:

• BBA – Accounting
• Two to three years of accounting experience
• Knowledge of public and private equity investments and oil and gas would be helpful
• Prefer knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics/Solomon accounting system or similar program
• Proven track record as an effective team player and good interpersonal relationships
• Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals
• Uncompromised reputation for discretion, honesty, and personal integrity
• Excellent communication (verbal, written, and listening) skills
• Proficient in Excel

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for monthly cash/bank reconciliations, prepaid amortization, and various accrual entries for HQ
• Manage fixed assets process – additions, depreciation, and dispositions
• Prepare monthly/quarterly/annual reconciliations and journal entries
• Assist with quarterly governmental reporting
• Prepare monthly stock option invoices to foreign locations
• Update Accounts Payable forms and signature authority levels
• Assist with intercompany reconciliations and the booking of any corporate allocations
• Provide first level review of Accounts Payable items (invoice coding, payment register reconciliations, etc)
• Assist in the closing of the books of the Corporate office and domestic holding companies
• Examines, analyzes, reconciles, adjusts, prepares, and reviews reports and correspondence affecting various accounts on the corporate general ledger
• Assist in ensuring that corporate office is in compliance with Sarbox
• Interface with auditors during quarterly reviews and annual audit
• Internal reporting including monthly financial reporting and analysis utilizing a multi-dimensional database reporting tool (Khalix)

QUALIFICATIONS

• Fully qualified candidates will possess the following attributes: Experience 2+ years with evidence of expanding responsibilities
• Makes a professional impression at all times and displays high-level customer service skills to both internal and external clients
• Excellent Excel skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• An energetic and self-motivated person with a focus on maintaining continuous process improvement
• Must be proactive, eager to learn and able to step in when needed especially to meet deadlines
• Ability to multi-task and demonstrate strong organization skills

Overview:

• Coordinate the global monthly closing and consolidation for operating companies into Longview Financial System.
• Ensure compliance with established consolidation, financial reporting, tax reporting and control procedures for the Company.
• Serve as System Administrator for Longview for all company applications and provide user support across the global organization as needed.
• Provide periodic training to new/intermediate users as needed.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Coordination with IT, Finance and Accounting departments to meet business requirements and drive process improvements in Longview environment.
• Manage day-to-day Longview operations and ensure database integrity.
• Drive Longview reporting improvements to increase reporting abilities in financial planning & analysis, SOX controls, etc.
• Oversee continued feasibility of Longview in current environment and potential future state, keeping abreast of technological advances consolidation software and reporting systems.  Ensure proper resource allocation evaluating maintenance efforts against overall company business goals (e.g., cost of maintenance, ease of transition, system capability and capacity, maintenance and processing involved for acquisitions/divestitures, etc.)
• Control security access to all applications and coordinate network permission in compliance with SOX requirements and corporate policy.
• Maintain key Longview data elements to ensure integrity of Legal Entity hierarchy, Chart of Accounts, and Longview reporting database.
• Maintain documentation of system processes, reports and system functionality.
• Support statutory and other regulatory compliance filings (e.g., SEC, Taxes, etc.) through generation of financial reports to support underlying file information.
• Ensure proper coordination of purchases/divestitures within Longview for audit purposes.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or Financial Information Systems
• 10-15 years of progressively responsible experience and demonstrated success in accounting and/or financial systems management.
• Demonstrated, hands-on experience and working knowledge of global consolidation software tools and processes.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in closing of the books for the Corporate office and domestic holding companies
• Responsible for preparation and review of financial reporting for Corporate Office, including providing explanations on financial fluctuations
• Assist with accounting and reporting for health and welfare plan, including monthly cash activity transactions, fluctuation analysis, preparing monthly financial reporting package and researching variances
• Prepare/process journal entries, and perform monthly general ledger account reconciliations
• Review/approve accounting staff’s journal entries and reconciliations Monitor consolidated lease accounting and reporting, as required
• Pension reporting, accounting, and review of pension accounts on a consolidated basis
• Calculate tax expense, accruals and deferred taxes for Corporate entities and domestic holding companies
• Prepare quarterly tax inputs and roll forward schedules and analysis in reporting system
• Assist in ensuring that all Corporate entities are compliant with SOX
• Interface with auditors during quarterly reviews and annual audit including preparing schedules and spreadsheets
• Assist management with ad-hoc requests, including special projects and initiatives Assist with preparation of management reports

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience (5+ years) with evidence of expanding responsibilities
• Solid understanding of U. GAAP, financial reporting, and analysis Energetic, self-starter that has a “hands on” approach and strong focus on continuous improvement initiatives
• Excellent communication skills and professionalism required Microsoft Office skills, primarily Excel, Outlook, and Word
• Experience in Oracle and database reporting tools (particularly Longview) a plus

Searching for purple squirrels!!!! Email if you are interested! dlemaire@cfstaffing.com

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Cost Accountant Summary

Responsible for conducting moderately complex cost audits and preparing and analyzing cost reports. Analyzes cost records to ascertain the distribution of costs of various divisions of management and production. Classifies labor, material and overhead costs to compute the unit cost of product or service. Records cost data for use by management in controlling expenditures. Determines and installs cost accounting methods and procedures. Analyzes actual costs versus standard costs and explains variances. Prepares estimates of new or proposed product costs.

Cost Accountant Responsibilities
• Business partner with plant management to provide day-to-day accounting and finance support in inventory control and SOX compliance.
• Prepare monthly Net Income Models to analyze variances between actual and standard cost.  Summarize the operating insights into what is driving the financial variances.  Explain variances from the forecast.  Monitor performance to key financial and operating goals.
• Planning, studying and collecting data to determine costs of business activity such as raw material purchases, inventory and labor cost.
• Analyzing changes in product design, raw materials, manufacturing methods or services provided, to determine effects on cost.
• Reconcile shipments at standard cost to cost of goods sold/manufactured.
• Monitors and audits physical inventories and cycle count program providing support to enhance the process.
• Reconciles finished, WIP and raw goods inventories on a monthly basis.  Report changes to the components and quantities that makeup inventory on a monthly basis.
• In charge of the Month-end close of the General Ledger specifically to cost, manufacturing and inventory but also other areas that might be assigned to enhance departmental controls.
• Support special projects or financial analysis when needed

Cost Accountant Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting / Finance or equivalent.
• 2+ years of experience in cost accounting or Master’s Degree with 3+ years of experience.
• Possesses and applies a broad knowledge of cost accounting principles and practices
• Familiarity with business processes and products.
• Good attention to detail with good analytical skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.