Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Leah Baras

Watertown,MA

Summary

Versatile and reliable Fund Accounting Manager with 16+ years experience in Mutual Fund Accounting and Audits. Motivated leader with strong organizational and prioritization abilities. Areas of expertise include client relations, project management and research and analysis.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience

Work History

Associate - Fund Accounting

JPMorgan Chase
02.2017 - 08.2020
  • Worked closely with investment operations, reconciliations, investor relations, fund administration and financial reporting teams to ensure external client deliverables were met.
  • Developed a thorough knowledge of the client base and built relationships with Investment Managers and other related third parties.
  • Assisted with the transition of funds from State Street Corporation to JPMorgan Chase by working closely with the new business team and the client throughout the on-boarding process.
  • Overcame various technology issues by working closely with IT department to resolve in order to meet client deliverable deadlines.
  • Frequently assisted with the training and coaching of new team members.

Associate - Boston Audit Team

JPMorgan Chase
01.2015 - 06.2016
  • Established a leadership role within the audit responsibilities by conducting meetings, engaging the audit firm, providing commentary to visible client inquiries, and communicating cross-departmentally with minimal oversight.
  • Supported service delivery and excellence by, proactively leading efforts to improve performance and, building a strong, collaborative relationship with the client, ultimately became their primary point of contact.
  • Participated in post-mortem discussions to provide feedback and evaluate performance and the effectiveness of controls in past audit cycles in the efforts to improve operational efficiency and mitigate risk.
  • Helped to streamline the excise income projection process in order to deliver to the tax department within 48 hours of commencement by participating in systems testing and training and creating new detailed procedures and checklists.
  • Increased productivity for the company and reduced exempt overtime by attending Best Practice meetings and constantly seeking to standardize functions, eliminate redundancies, and consolidate processes.

Supervisor - Boston Audit Team

JPMorgan Chase
08.2012 - 01.2015
  • Made a seamless transition to a new role in the audit team by learning and becoming familiar with all new various elements such as adjusting entries, audit confirmations, new fund reporting, and other internal/external deliverables.
  • Assisted external auditors with their evaluations by providing all relevant business records and documents and promptly researching and providing responses to their inquiries.
  • Demonstrated effective pre-audit planning by conducting a thorough review of fund trial balances and other various reconciliations pertaining to securities lending, manual amortization, aged income.
  • Contributed to the performance of risk assessment of business operations and processes by providing daily audit summaries to management, developing recommendations for areas of improvement, and subsequently ensuring proposed solutions were implemented to the daily workflow.
  • Played a major role in the accomplishment of many successful audit cycles by working closely with the audit firm, the client, and other internal departments such as financial reporting, fund administrations, and tax, in order to resolve issues in an effective and timely manner.

Supervisor - Fund Accounting

JPMorgan Chase
10.2006 - 05.2012
  • Performed multiple managerial administrative duties by delegating work and planning coverage, creating agendas and running weekly team meetings, and conducting interviews for internal promotions and new personnel.
  • Monitored staff on a daily basis, coached and developed employees by setting objectives, giving performance reviews and providing ongoing and regular feedback, all in the efforts to promote a positive and productive work environment.
  • Managed the successful implementation of all new business, such as fund/class launches, mergers, and conversions, into the business operations by ensuring that all pertinent information and timeline of events were agreed upon with the client, adequate staffing levels were maintained, and all processes and checklists were completed and reviewed.
  • Actively participated in the multiple phases of migration of tasks to Mumbai and Manila by creating standard operating procedures and checklists, developing and enhancing User Defined Tools, training peers, and overseeing the processes to ensure a smooth transition.
  • Involved in several technology initiatives, such as Prodiance that tracks all client specific User Defined Tools to ensure they are in accordance with company policies, in order to improve processes during the Phase 1 and 2 migrations.

Senior Fund Accountant

JPMorgan Chase
10.2005 - 10.2006
  • Assumed responsibility for more challenging tasks and assignments, including the review of particularly complex and diverse mutual funds and, the review, research, and variance resolution of other reconciliations such as cash and assets and futures margins.
  • Became the subject matter expert for several multifaceted processes such as Periodic Distributions and India Capital Gains Tax.
  • Actively participated in the testing and implementation of new technology in order to enhance the daily workflow and minimize risk.
  • Assisted with the release of a training guide for new fund accountants by putting together a comprehensive Power Point presentation on trade processing, conducting several training classes on the subject matter, and ensuring that new members of the staff were well trained.
  • Contributed to the overall group development by acting as a team player and assisting peers when help was needed.

Fund Accountant

JPMorgan Chase
10.2004 - 10.2005
  • Possessed a complete understanding of all entries that impact a mutual fund’s total net assets (i.e Income, expenses, shareholders activity, corporate actions, pricing) and was, therefore, able to carry out all aspects of the daily fund accounting operation, including calculation and delivery of NAV’s to NASDAQ.
  • Ensured the completeness and timeliness of reporting to clients, outside parties, and other internal departments.
  • Displayed accuracy and organization, complied with controls and procedures, and retained all required documentation for audit purposes.
  • Recognized, researched, and elevated through the proper channels any issues found, often times resulting in the correction of an impacting error.
  • Demonstrated a diligent work ethic and high tolerance for stress by maintaining stable performance under pressure in order to meet rigid daily deadlines.

Education

Real Estate License - Salesperson -

American Real Estate Academy
Waltham, MA
02.2019

Bachelor of Science - Economics-Finance

Bentley College
2004

Skills

  • Proficient in MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Bloomberg
  • Administration and Management
  • Time Management
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Service Orientation
  • Project Management
  • Operations Analysis
  • Fluent in Greek

Timeline

Associate - Fund Accounting

JPMorgan Chase
02.2017 - 08.2020

Associate - Boston Audit Team

JPMorgan Chase
01.2015 - 06.2016

Supervisor - Boston Audit Team

JPMorgan Chase
08.2012 - 01.2015

Supervisor - Fund Accounting

JPMorgan Chase
10.2006 - 05.2012

Senior Fund Accountant

JPMorgan Chase
10.2005 - 10.2006

Fund Accountant

JPMorgan Chase
10.2004 - 10.2005

Real Estate License - Salesperson -

American Real Estate Academy

Bachelor of Science - Economics-Finance

Bentley College

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