Senior Director, Disputes & Economics (Valuation and Transaction Disputes)

Ankura’s VTA practice is a diverse, tight-knit team of finance and accounting professionals. We currently have an opening for a qualified finance/accounting professional to join our VTA community as a senior director based out of our Chicago office. We look for candidates with strong valuation experience, financial statement analysis, detailed fact finding and research, and technical GAAP accounting skills. The individual will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with our senior consulting professionals (and directly with our testifying experts on a regular basis) on engagements across a broad range of industries and subject matters. This role will work hybrid in Monmouth County, NJ or New York City.

Responsibilities include:

• Analyze historical financial information and cash flow projections

• Perform detailed GL and trial balance analyses and reconstruct books and records

• Research and analyze accounting and auditing standards, such as under GAAP, GAAS, and IFRS regarding technical accounting issues, including revenue recognition, fair value accounting, business combinations, and deferred tax assets and liabilities, among other issues

• Contribute to the development of comprehensive, detailed valuation and other financial models

• Provide detailed review and analysis of large volumes of document production

• Prepare clear, concise, and compelling written reports, memos, and presentations

We seek smart, driven people to join our team who have

• Strong intellectual curiosity and problem-solving skills

• Ability to synthesize complex unstructured information rapidly and develop compelling insights and analysis for expert reports prepared for litigation, arbitrations, restructurings, fraudulent transfer matters, tax controversies, transaction disputes, and other high stakes matters

• 5+ years of experience at a:

  • Big-4 or other national public accounting firm or equivalent experience in audit, tax, or consulting, or

  • Leading expert services, global valuation, or economics consulting firm

• Strong aptitude for report writing, valuation assignments, and performing complex financial and accounting analyses

• Dedication to taking personal ownership of work product and consistently meeting internal and external client deadlines and high-performance expectations

• Excellent collaboration and proactive communication skills: ability to work with client, colleagues, and other stakeholders to define, influence, and drive complex analytical work

• Proficiency in Microsoft product suite (particularly Microsoft Word and Excel)

• Willingness to travel pending health and safety concerns

• Demonstrate the highest degree of professionalism, ethics, quality, and integrity

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future

Qualification Requirements

• Expert witness testimony exposure for complex valuation and solvency, forensic accounting, financial advisory, and tax controversy matters  

• Exposure to financial evaluation of various types of transactions and business arrangements, including mergers and acquisitions, contracts, financing arrangements, and joint ventures.

• Post-transaction disputes experience including determination of damages, analysis and calculation of pre- and post-transaction financial measures, application of U.S. GAAP including fair value and business combination accounting, and assessment of solvency and reasonably equivalent value

• Bachelor’s degree from a 4-year accredited public or private college or university

• MS or other advanced degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a related field is a plus

• Preferred Certified Public Accountant (CPA) (or progress towards a CPA with at least 1 exam passed and meeting the 150-credit hour requirement) and/or progress made towards obtaining the Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA), Accredited Business Valuation (ABV), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), or Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) professional certifications

For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in California, Colorado, or New York, Ankura is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This compensation range is specific to the said markets and considers a broad range of factors including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled.  The range does not include additional benefits outside of salary. At Ankura, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each role. A reasonable estimate of the current base pay range is between $110,000 to $240,000; this range is not a promise of a particular wage.