MATTHEW STURMS
WEST DES MOINES
Summary
Finance professional with extensive experience at Principal Financial Group, excelling in financial reporting and strategic planning. Proven track record in optimizing costs and enhancing business processes, while leading cross-functional teams. Adept at delivering actionable insights and fostering stakeholder engagement to drive financial performance and support major initiatives.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Assistant Director - Accounting
Principal Financial Group
06.2024 - Current
- Managed financial reporting for private debt funds with billions in assets under management.
- Coordinated audit, tax, accounting, and regulatory issues across diverse fund structures.
- Collaborated with portfolio management to efficiently deploy and return investor capital.
- Supported the launch of a new private credit fund.
Assistant Director - Accounting
Principal Financial Group
11.2021 - 06.2024
- Oversaw FP&A team, focusing on financial performance of corporate technology operations.
- Held accountability for financial reporting on ~$400 million in annual expenses.
- Implemented expense optimization strategies and delivered strategic financial insights for investments.
- Delivered quarterly management reporting to executive leadership and engaged key stakeholders.
Financial Analyst V
Principal Financial Group
09.2020 - 11.2021
- Formulated five-year financial forecasts supporting major enterprise-wide initiatives.
- Implemented detailed reporting structures to monitor project alignment with financial goals.
- Performed cost-benefit evaluations for strategic resource deployment decisions.
- Provided comparative insights on forecasts versus actuals to senior management and project teams.
Senior Accountant
Principal Financial Group
04.2017 - 09.2020
- Served as assistant controller for private equity real estate fund managing approximately $4 billion in assets.
- Delivered comprehensive reporting capabilities, including investor reports and property-level valuations.
- Coordinated preparation of audited year-end financial statements for the fund.
- Conducted monthly financial statement reviews, comparing income statements with budgets.
Financial Accountant III
Principal Financial Group
12.2014 - 04.2017
- Delivered forecasting and accounting support for corporate marketing, managing tens of millions in annual expenses.
- Developed financial models to assist marketing leadership in expenditure management.
Senior Tax Accounting Consultant
Ernst & Young LLP
07.2012 - 12.2014
- Generated multiple business development project proposals to attract new clients.
- Engaged in rotation through diverse function groups in EY DSG model, broadening industry knowledge.
- Directed project deliverables while overseeing EY staff in a supervisory capacity.
- Administered budgets efficiently to ensure project completion aligned with financial goals.
Education
Bachelor’s Degree - Accounting
Iowa State University
Ames, IA12.2011
Skills
- Financial modeling
- Cost optimization
- General ledger accounting
- Strategic financial planning
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Financial reporting and analysis
- Business process improvement
- Financial reporting
Certification
Certified Public Accountant License, Iowa
Timeline
Assistant Director - Accounting
Principal Financial Group
06.2024 - Current
Assistant Director - Accounting
Principal Financial Group
11.2021 - 06.2024
Financial Analyst V
Principal Financial Group
09.2020 - 11.2021
Senior Accountant
Principal Financial Group
04.2017 - 09.2020
Financial Accountant III
Principal Financial Group
12.2014 - 04.2017
Senior Tax Accounting Consultant
Ernst & Young LLP
07.2012 - 12.2014
Bachelor’s Degree - Accounting
Iowa State University