Lindsey M. Smith
North Reading,MA
Summary
Finance and accounting professional with 15+ years of progressive experience providing financial leadership across corporate accounting and financial planning and analysis. Developed a strong accounting foundation through financial reporting and close responsibilities across multiple legal entities before progressing into senior financial analysis and lead roles. Currently leading financial planning for Personal Wealth Technology and Procurement at Empower, combining accounting knowledge, financial analysis, and cross-functional partnerships to provide senior leadership with meaningful insights and support financial decision-making.
Overview
1
1
Certification
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Financial Analyst Empower
Empower Retirement, LLC
Remote/Boston, MA
09.2024 - Current
- Lead financial planning and analysis for Technology and Procurement, overseeing operating expense, headcount, capital expenditures, budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning while delivering financial insights and recommendations that support senior leadership decision-making.
- Support monthly accounting close and financial reporting, including preparation and review of journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, account-level variance analysis, capitalization, and depreciation impacts to ensure accurate and complete financial results.
- Partner across Accounting, Finance, Technology, and Procurement to analyze financial performance, resolve accounting and reporting issues, improve data accuracy, and provide consolidated reporting and executive-level analysis of key financial risks, opportunities, and business drivers.
- Lead financial process and reporting improvements, including reporting standardization, automation, systems enhancements, and development of complex financial models and analyses supporting enterprise initiatives, strategic investments, business cases, and product initiatives.
Senior Financial Analyst
Putnam Investments, LLC
Boston, MA
09.2016 - 04.2024
- Managed annual budgeting, monthly forecasting, and performance analysis, evaluating financial results and underlying business activity to identify trends, cost-saving opportunities, performance gaps, and recommendations for executive leadership.
- Owned complex revenue and cost accrual analyses as part of the monthly financial close, evaluating underlying activity and financial results to support accurate and timely recognition and reporting.
- Developed financial models and scenario analyses to support strategic and operational decisions, translating complex financial information into actionable recommendations and presenting results directly to executive leadership.
- Strengthened financial processes, controls, and performance reporting by developing process narratives and key control metrics and streamlining commission calculations and KPI reporting for the external sales organization, improving accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and performance visibility.
Senior Corporate Accounting
Putnam Investments, LLC
Boston, MA
11.2013 - 09.2016
- Managed accounting and financial reporting for multiple corporate and legal entities, executing monthly close activities and analyzing balance sheet and income statement results in accordance with US GAAP to support accurate and timely financial reporting.
- Developed and implemented expense allocation methodologies across multiple business entities, departments, cost centers, and products, appropriately assigning indirect corporate costs and strengthening the accuracy of legal entity and management reporting.
- Independently prepared and owned complex journal entries and accruals, researching underlying financial activity and ensuring transactions were accurately recognized and supported within the general ledger.
- Maintained general ledger integrity through detailed account reconciliations and financial statement analysis, investigating account variances and reconciling items, resolving discrepancies, and preparing supporting schedules for the close process.
Corporate Accountant
Putnam Investments, LLC
07.2010 - 11.2013
Account Service Representative
Putnam Investor Services
06.2008 - 07.2010
Education
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration -
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts05-2010
Skills
- Legal Entity Accounting
- Month/Quarter/Year-end Close
- General Ledger & Journal Entries
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Executive Reporting
- Budgeting & Forecasting
- Variance Analysis
- Financial Modeling
- Internal Controls
- Expense & Cost Allocations
Internal Application Target
Empower Accounting Manager | Boston Team | Requisition #0062332
SELECTED LEADERSHIP & ENTERPRISE IMPACT
IT Finance Transformation Team: Streamline and unify IT finance processes across purchasing, capitalization, and project Allocations- improving traceability, reducing manual effort, and ensuring alignment across systems, stakestakeholders, and cost center governance.
Certification
Advanced Excel Certificate
Timeline
Lead Financial Analyst Empower
Empower Retirement, LLC
09.2024 - Current
Senior Financial Analyst
Putnam Investments, LLC
09.2016 - 04.2024
Senior Corporate Accounting
Putnam Investments, LLC
11.2013 - 09.2016
Corporate Accountant
Putnam Investments, LLC
07.2010 - 11.2013
Account Service Representative
Putnam Investor Services
06.2008 - 07.2010
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration -
University of Massachusetts Lowell