What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (2024)

Fund accountants are primarily responsible for the aspects of day-to-day accounting for their assigned mutual or institutional funds. They prepare timely and accurate fund accounting output, including net asset values, yields, distributions for subsequent review, and accounting for investment portfolios including securities, real estate, or commodities. They calculate and report net asset values per unit and compile standard weekly and monthly financial statements and income expense accruals.

Fund accountants conduct daily analysis of various financial metrics to help firms set a price or value of their funds. They also calculate and report income, expense, and item-specific accrual statements including a dividend or interest income worksheet and other schedules including a T-bill. They monitor and record security transactions including trade, interest payment, maturity and corporate actions. They report findings promptly to clients and ensure their findings adhere to laws, compliance, and protocol. Fund accountants need a minimum bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related fields.

What responsibilities are common for Fund Accountant jobs?

  • Implement fund structures on accounting system.
  • Assist in design and implementation of internal audit practices and procedures.
  • Coordinate with fund administrator for accounting and reporting matters.
  • Review and coordinate fund expense analysis and expense processing.
  • Assist in development of policies and procedures for work performed.
  • Prepare reports provided to internal and external customers, including maintenance of supporting documentation.
  • Analyze fund performance on a daily and monthly basis.
  • Oversee, as a resource, acquisitions of new business and portfolio management.
  • Generate quarterly financial statements, accompanying notes, and supporting schedules.
  • Daily/Monthly/Quarterly reconciliation of investment positions and fair market values.
  • Assist with reviewing compliance and regulatory filings.
  • Support and review the work produced by lower level staff.
  • Prepare and maintain goals and career development plans for all direct reports.
  • Quarterly calls: Track participants and take notes for calls.
  • Assist in tracking PSC member information participation in meetings and teleconferences.
  • Ensure accurate and timely recording of general journal entries.
  • Where applicable, support the tax team with information to prepare tax compliance/reports.
  • May participate in annual and strategic business planning process.
  • Develop strong business relationships with both internal and external clients.
  • Provide fund advisors with forecasted available cash for fund every morning in a quick and accurate manner.
  • Prepare allocations of capital calls and distributions and setup notices accordingly.
  • Assist other departments with the acquisition and disposition of real estate properties.

What are the typical qualifications for Fund Accountant jobs?

  • Bachelor's Degree in accounting or business, or GED/high school diploma and equivalent experience.
  • Experience with C#, IRR, and SOC software and systems.
  • Fluent in GAAP updates and requirements.
  • Experience with legal documentation and enterprise resource planning.
  • Prior experience in a consulting position.
  • A sound decision maker and natural problem solver with demonstrated critical thinking and collaboration skills.
  • A good work ethic and natural leader.

Education--

Work/Life Balance

3.2 ★

Total Pay--

Career Opportunity

3.3 ★

Avg. Experience2-4 years

How much does a Fund Accountant make?

Confident

$80,371

/yr

$54K

$147K

$42K$310K

Most Likely Range

Possible Range

See More Insights

Fund Accountant Career Path

Learn how to become a Fund Accountant, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.

Average Years of Experience

0 - 1

23%

2 - 4

57%

8+

5%

Not including years spent in education and/or training

See Career Path

Fund Accountant Insights

Read what Fund Accountant professionals have to say about their job experiences and view top companies for this career.

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (1)BNP Paribas

Hedge Fund Accountant

Jun 4, 2021

“Good lifts and ambience is nice”

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (2)Citi

Fund Accountant Manager

Aug 2, 2021

“You get to learn and do a lot but I terms of benefits don't expect much.”

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (3)U.S. Bank

Fund Accountant

May 9, 2022

“it was good and I got a bonus after <1 yr”

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (4)Northern Trust

Fund Accountant Team Lead

May 16, 2021

“best to expect nothing when it comes to yearly salary review even with exceptional performance rating”

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (5)RBC Investor Services

Fund Accountant

Jul 23, 2020

“You get to learn so many new things there along with a good team to work with”

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (6)STRAIT

Senior Fund Accountant

Mar 12, 2021

“Reward your hard work and personal development with financial incentives and wider career opportunities”

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (7)HSBC

Senior Fund Accountant

Jan 29, 2022

“Good team work and colleague”

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (8)Cerebral (CA)

Fund Raiser

Oct 3, 2021

“Good team work and organisation”

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Fund Accountant Interviews

See all fund accountant interviews

Frequently asked questions about the roles and responsibilities of a Fund Accountant

The most similar professions to Fund Accountant are:

  • Management Accountant
  • Accountant
  • Accounting Manager
  • Cost Accountant

Related Careers

Management Accountant$98,356No skills overlapAccountant$91,161No skills overlapAccounting Manager$96,775Cost Accountant$89,278No skills overlap

Fund Accountant Jobs

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities (2024)

FAQs

What does a Fund Accountant do? Role & Responsibilities? ›

Fund accountants manage consolidated accounts and reports for investment funds such as debt, equity and real estate. They review the fund portfolios prepared by the administrator and ensure the accurate allocation of funds.

What are the roles and responsibilities of fund accountant? ›

Main Responsibilities of a Fund Accountant

Deliver accurate and timely production and delivery of reporting to clients by ensuring efficient and accurate trade processing, NAV review, Corporate Actions processing, security valuation, financial statements production, query handling and other ad hoc reporting for funds.

Why do you want to be fund accountant? ›

The Fund Accounting role enables you to gain a solid grounding in accounting, the fund administration process, the various financial instruments and investment types but more importantly it equips you with an extremely transferable skill set which includes relationship management, business analysis, reporting and ...

What is your role as an accountant? ›

The main role of an accountant is to collect, analyse, record and report the financial data of a company or an individual. They ensure that a company complies with all the government rules and regulations. An accountant also helps analyse financial data to make data-driven business decisions.

Is a fund accountant a good job? ›

Becoming a fund accountant may be a smart choice paved with several career paths at your disposal. Whether you opt to work in the federal government or want to manage a hedge fund, fund accountants are in demand across the board. With enough experience, accountants can advance to supervisory or management roles.

What is fund accounting in simple words? ›

Fund accounting is an accounting system for recording resources whose use has been limited by the donor, grant authority, governing agency, or other individuals or organisations or by law. It emphasizes accountability rather than profitability, and is used by Nonprofit organizations and by governments.

What are the types of fund accounting? ›

Fund Types and Accounting Principles
000General (Current Expense) Fund
100Special Revenue Funds
200Debt Service Funds
300Capital Projects Funds
700Permanent Funds

What should a fund accountant know? ›

A fund accountant job description might outline the following fund accountant responsibilities:
  • Account for capital activity (subscriptions and redemptions)
  • Calculate and/or monitor expense accruals.
  • Process expense payments.
  • Account for fund income.
  • Process and/or monitor corporate actions.
  • Price financial instruments.

What is the difference between fund accounting and regular accounting? ›

Fund accounting differs in purpose from the system used in regular for-profit businesses because the goal is to maintain accountability and track how funding is used rather than monitor the profitability of a company.

What is the career path for fund accountant? ›

One of the major advantages of the funds industry is a clear and defined career path for fund accountants. In only a relatively short space of time, often just 2 – 3 years, a fund accountant could progress to a senior post and subsequently to a supervisor post before eventually moving into management.

What are 5 responsibilities of an accountant? ›

Duties of an accountant
  • Preparing accounts and tax returns.
  • Monitoring spending and budgets.
  • Auditing and analysing financial performance.
  • Financial forecasting and risk analysis.
  • Advising on how to reduce costs and increase profits.
  • Compiling and presenting financial and budget reports.

What are the 5 roles of accounting? ›

There are five basic roles or functions within the department:
  • Accounts receivable.
  • Accounts payable.
  • Payroll.
  • Financial controls.
  • Financial reporting.
Nov 24, 2021

What are the questions asked for an accountant interview? ›

How to answer Accounting interview questions
  • Why do you want to do accountancy?
  • Are you able to convey technical information to someone of more or less technical ability? ...
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • Can you give examples of when you've helped a team be successful?
  • Why do you want to work for this firm?

Is fund accounting a stressful job? ›

Unlike other roles, it's heavy on routine and offers little to no client-facing time. The good news is that accounting finished as the least stressful job across the industry in our informal survey last year. The bad news is that compared to other jobs in financial services, the pay is on the low end.

Does fund accounting count towards CFA? ›

Yes it count towards CFA/CMA.

What are the 3 types of funds? ›

There are three major types of funds. These types are governmental, proprietary, and fiduciary.

What is the purpose of fund? ›

A fund is a pool of money that is allocated for a specific purpose. A fund can be established for many different purposes: a city government setting aside money to build a new civic center, a college setting aside money to award a scholarship, or an insurance company that setts aside money to pay its customers' claims.

What is the importance of fund? ›

Similar to public services the quality of product or service a business can provide is dependent on its financial situation. A business without appropriate funding sources will be drown in a sea of debt. Funding is the fuel that powers a business.

What is fund accounting reconciliation? ›

What Is Reconciliation? Reconciliation is an accounting process that compares two sets of records to check that figures are correct and in agreement. Reconciliation also confirms that accounts in the general ledger are consistent, accurate, and complete.

What are the disadvantages of fund accounting? ›

Disadvantages. Maintaining the amount in separate funds makes it difficult to separate the amount from the general fund to a specific purpose fund. The account doesn't reflect the actual value of the fund. Sometimes no-profit organization misappropriated the fund by including the use of cash.

What is fund accounting in private equity? ›

Fund accounting refers to the maintenance of the financial records of an investment fund. Accounting records must be kept for the investor activity, the portfolio activity, the income earned and the expenses incurred by the fund.

How does hedge fund accounting work? ›

Hedge accounting is a method of accounting where entries to adjust the fair value of a security and its opposing hedge are treated as one. Hedge accounting attempts to reduce the volatility created by the repeated adjustment to a financial instrument's value, known as fair value accounting or mark to market.

Is fund accounting a good career in India? ›

A mid-career Fund Accountant with 4-9 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹5.4 Lakhs per year, while a Senior Fund Accountant with 10-20 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹9.3 Lakhs per year.

What is mutual fund administration? ›

Fund administration is the name given to the execution of back-office activities including fund accounting, financial reporting, net asset value calculation, capital calls, distributions, investor communications and other functions carried out in support of an investment fund, which may take the form of a traditional ...

What are the 7 functions of accounting? ›

Your accounting department should master and perform seven crucial functions. They include account receivable and payable, payroll, inventory management, budgeting, reports and financial statements, legal compliance and financial control, and record-keeping.

What are the 4 functions of accounting? ›

The functions of accounting include the systemic tracking, storing, recording, analysing, summarising and reporting of a company's financial transactions.

What are the 3 rules of accounting? ›

Take a look at the three main rules of accounting: Debit the receiver and credit the giver.
...
  • Debit the receiver and credit the giver. ...
  • Debit what comes in and credit what goes out. ...
  • Debit expenses and losses, credit income and gains.
May 20, 2022

What is your weakness best answer? ›

Answer “what is your greatest weakness” by choosing a skill that is not essential to the job you're applying to and by stressing exactly how you're practically addressing your weakness. Some skills that you can use as weaknesses include impatience, multitasking, self-criticism, and procrastination.

How do you introduce yourself in an accounting interview? ›

The key point to a self-introduction for an accounting interview is to be precise about the strengths and achievements you mention. Give examples of what sets you apart from the other candidates. You can start with: your work experience, skills sets, key strength, and then finish with your career objective.

Is private equity accounting a good career? ›

A career in private equity can be highly rewarding, both financially and personally. Private equity managers often take a great deal of satisfaction from successfully guiding their portfolio companies to new high levels of profitability.

Is fund accounting back office? ›

Many fund administration responsibilities are thought of as being back-office tasks including fund accounting, shareholder servicing besides billing, invoicing, and post-trade compliance.

Can you become a CFA without work experience? ›

The short answer is, again, no. The CFA Institute simply requires you to have a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) or be in the final year of your bachelor's degree program. You'll also need to have four years of relevant work experience, and, of course, you must pass all three levels of the CFA exam.

How much do CFA make? ›

The average total compensation for charterholders (in the U.S.) is approximately $300,000 according to the CFA® Society. The median base salary for charterholders is approximately $180,000, which leaves the balance being a split between cash bonuses and equity or profit-sharing.

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