Kimberly Louis-Charles
Washington,DC
Summary
Dynamic and results-driven Accounting Manager with a proven track record of enhancing financial processes, driving cost savings, and fostering cross-functional collaborations. Adept at managing budgets, developing strategic plans, and promoting data-driven decision-making to support growth planning. Demonstrated expertise in overseeing financial close processes, reconciliations, and financial analysis. Seeking an Accounting Manager role to leverage comprehensive skills in financial management and process optimization.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager
Greystar
01.2024 - Current
- Communicate and manage company-initiated entries to third-party administrators for accurate financial reporting
- Implement streamlined processes, leading to a significant increase in team productivity
- Develop and execute strategic plans, achieving departmental goals through effective performance metrics.
- Reduce operational costs by spearheading comprehensive process improvement initiatives and optimizing resource management
- Facilitate cross-functional collaborations, fostering strong working relationships to ensure the successful completion of key projects.
- Manage budgets effectively, ensuring optimal financial performance and strategically investing resources for business growth.
- Develop and track annual business plans and budgets, providing regular progress reports on results and business impact
- Effectively communicate company-initiated entries to third-party administrators, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting.
- Increase team productivity through the implementation of streamlined processes and effective communication strategies.
- Successfully achieve departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans, and utilizing performance metrics for continuous improvement.
- Reduce operational costs through comprehensive process improvement initiatives and efficient resource management.
- Facilitate successful cross-functional collaborations, fostering strong working relationships and ensuring the completion of key projects.
- Manage budgets effectively, ensuring optimal financial performance and strategically investing resources for business growth.
- Promote data-driven decision-making to support growth planning and enhance financial performance.
Senior Associate
Greystar Management
08.2022 - Current
- Close books annually and quarterly
- Complete daily cash functions like account tracking, payroll and wage allocations, budgeting, and cash and banking reconciliations.
- Set up and improve accounting systems and processes to meet business needs and maximize operational success.
- Partner with auditors on annual audits and realized compliance with governmental tax guidelines.
- Track financial progress by creating quarterly and yearly balance sheets.
- Prepare and file state and federal tax forms
- Identify and investigate variances in financial
plans and forecasts. - Collect monthly activity from third-party administrators and review activity for reasonableness
- Communicate any entries initiated by the company to third-party administrators
Senior Real Estate Fund Accountant
State Street
04.2021 - 12.2021
- Prepared comprehensive financial reporting package to reflect growing real estate developments and performed monthly and quarterly account closing procedures
- Prepared year-end audited financial statements and coordinated audit activity with third-party audit firms and property-level colleagues
- Effectively communicated accounting process and financial reporting deliverables with internal parties (ownership and other teams requiring fund information) and external parties (third-party ownerships, lenders, auditors, and asset managers)
- Prepared monthly fund packages, including bank reconciliations, financial statements, equity roll forwards, and trial balances for variances
- Ensured all fund transactions were adequately posted to accounting system for VP review and ensured transactions were reconciled to client statements, sub-ledger, and related accounts, and resolved discrepancies to reduce risks
- Prepared real estate transaction journal entries (acquisitions, dispositions, refinancing) and maintained, monitored, and reconciled fund-level accounts.
- Recognized areas of reporting inefficiencies between monthly reporting and required auditing statements and collaborated with VP to develop and integrate customized automated reports
- Point of contact for auditors and created strategies to promptly deliver requested work papers to auditors.
- Maintained working relationships with all client contacts, auditors, tax, lawyers, and banking personnel and managed client relationships with both client personnel, fund investors, and executives
- Assisted VP with monthly management reporting and developing financial reports under IFRS 15 and ASC 606
- Followed up with delinquent accounts to obtain funds and reduce aging balances.
Lead Assurance Senior Associate
KPMG LLC
07.2019 - 04.2021
- Managed and led team of two to ten people on three accelerated, large public clients and seven private clients with strenuous deadlines
- Completed three filing deadlines (one public client of $170M in Net Assets and two private clients with $101M in Net Assets and $101K in Revenue) simultaneously promptly by effectively overseeing staff and managing project status
- Utilizes data and analytical software, such as IDEA, to evaluate risk of fraud by testing high-risk journal entries and top-side journal entry adjustments
- Trained and coached audit staff to properly perform audit test work while also analyzing & reviewing audit associate's job to ensure readiness for next-level review
- Perform audit procedures over investment fair value pricing, gains/losses, and dividend income for investments portfolio of $607M - which included common collective trusts, mutual funds, and common stocks
- Implements inherent risk assessment practices from extensive research resulting in application of researched methods within Employee Benefit Audit Practice
- Audit clients to ensure compliance with GAAP and ensure adequate internal controls are in place
- Kept team in line with compliance requirements.
- Clients included: Emory Healthcare, Inc ($60M in revenues), Spelman College ($526M in Net Assets), Carter Center ($814M in Net Assets), Aflac Incorporated ($170M in Net Assets), Boehringer Ingelheim – Merial Inc. ($1.6B in Revenue)
Assurance Associate
KPMG LLC
01.2018 - 07.2019
- Engaged in complex reporting issues for both PCAOB and AICPA reporting across multiple industries, including financial services, manufacturing, not-for-profit, and telecommunication
- Introduced more efficient way of preparing bank confirmation by creating excel module that automated completion process resulting in 8 hours of working time
- Supported audit procedures through research, analysis and presentation development
- Clients included: AGCO Corporation ($9.4B in revenues), Raycom Media, Inc.'s merger with Gray Television ($3.6B Transaction)
- Assisted with independent internal and external audits
Education
Master of Science - Accounting
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL05.2017
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL05.2016
Skills
- Financial Management
- Budgeting and Forecasting
- Process Optimization
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Strategic Planning
- Data Analysis
- Financial Reporting
- Risk Management
- Reconciliation
- Team Leadership
- Expense Tracking
Accomplishments
- Led monthly financial close processes, including adjusting entries, reconciliations, and financial analysis of insurance accounts.
- Oversaw and approved financial transactions for various financial statements and accounting reports.
- Proposed appropriate accounts for tax and IBNR reserve accounts, improving financial reporting presentation.
- Created tracking and reconciliation tools for GL claims, supporting audit documentation and managerial review.
- Conducted monthly meetings with risk associates to discuss loss runs for accurate and efficient reporting.
- Developed master Excel files for journal entry activity, remapping and reconciling accounts for accurate accounting.
- Improved property liability accounting processes through cover sheet requirements and an aggregate tracker for claims.
- Advised risk branch on appropriate documentation and support needed for general liability claim accounting.
Certification
- FINRA Series 6, 63
- Life Insurance Licensed - Georgia
Timeline
Manager
Greystar
01.2024 - Current
Senior Associate
Greystar Management
08.2022 - Current
Senior Real Estate Fund Accountant
State Street
04.2021 - 12.2021
Lead Assurance Senior Associate
KPMG LLC
07.2019 - 04.2021
Assurance Associate
KPMG LLC
01.2018 - 07.2019
Master of Science - Accounting
Florida State University
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Florida State University