The posting
ABOUT BEACON:
Beacon acquires and grows trusted software businesses by building the AI products their customers need next. We are a permanent home, investing for the long term and giving our businesses the people, technology, and capital to lead their industries.
Our teams work with businesses that serve the everyday economy. We combine their industry expertise with shared technology and operating capabilities to improve how they run and help them grow. Our finance team builds the accounting processes and reliable financial information that support that work.
THE ROLE:
We are seeking a Senior Financial Analyst to support accounting and financial analysis across a group of Beacon’s portfolio companies. Reporting to the Portfolio Accounting Manager, you will take responsibility for assigned close activities, prepare and review financial information, and explain the drivers behind business results.
You will work with portfolio company teams and outsourced accounting resources to resolve issues, maintain accurate records, and meet reporting deadlines. You will also help onboard acquired businesses and improve the systems and workflows we use across the portfolio. This role suits someone with a strong accounting foundation who enjoys understanding a business through its numbers and following an issue through to resolution.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
Deliver accurate closes and financial reporting:
- Execute month-end and quarter-end close activities for assigned portfolio companies, following established close calendars and review procedures.
- Prepare journal entries and supporting schedules; review work prepared by junior analysts and outsourced accounting teams within your assigned scope.
- Prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations, investigate reconciling items, and resolve or escalate outstanding issues accordingly.
- Maintain deferred revenue schedules for revenue recognition, in accordance with Beacon’s accounting policies.
- Prepare financial reporting packages for review by the Portfolio Accounting Manager, including schedules that support consolidated reporting.
Explain financial performance:
- Analyze monthly P&L and balance sheet movements, including variances against budget and prior periods, and provide clear commentary on the underlying drivers.
- Investigate unusual transactions and trends with portfolio company contacts; distinguish business changes from accounting or data-quality issues.
- Reconcile reported actuals to financial models and support requests for operating and financial information.
- Prepare analyses and responses for the Portfolio Accounting Manager or General Managers
Support acquisitions, controls, and audits:
- Help onboard acquired businesses by mapping legacy general ledgers and validating opening balances
- Support transitions into NetSuite or other core accounting systems, including data validation and reconciliation.
- Respond to requests from external auditors and tax advisors under the Portfolio Accounting Manager’s direction.
- Maintain supporting documentation and follow internal controls, including approval requirements and segregation of duties.
Process Improvements:
- Identify manual processes and develop improvements with a focus on incorporating AI tools.
WHAT YOU’LL BRING:
- A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, and a CPA designation or working towards a CPA designation.
- Two to four five years of progressive accounting experience, including hands-on preparation and review of journal entries, reconciliations, and financial statements.
- A strong understanding of accrual accounting and revenue recognition, with the judgment to identify issues and seek guidance when needed.
- The ability to connect financial results to business activity and explain findings clearly to finance and non-finance colleagues.
- Strong Excel or Google Sheets skills and experience working with accounting systems.
- Careful attention to detail, ownership of deadlines, and clear written communication across teams.
- Ability to work onsite from our Toronto office 4 days a week.
EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD HELP:
- Accounting for software or SaaS businesses, including subscription revenue and deferred revenue.
- Working across multiple entities or with outsourced accounting teams.
- Using NetSuite or supporting an ERP implementation or acquisition integration.
- Supporting audits, intercompany reconciliations, or reporting under IFRS or ASPE.
- Improving finance workflows through automation or approved AI tools.
WORKING AT BEACON:
You will work across businesses with different customers and operating models, with opportunities to deepen your accounting judgment and contribute to the way our finance function develops. We value people who take initiative, raise problems early, and improve the work they own. You will have significant access to AI tools and are encouraged to use these to their full possibility.
Our values are Humility, Honesty, Hunger, and Horizon. We stay open to better answers, communicate candidly, hold ourselves accountable, and make decisions with a long-term view.
Our Values at Beacon Software
- Humility: We acknowledge that the path to getting to the right answer involves being wrong along the way. We have strong beliefs which are weakly held. We actively seek new ideas and believe we can learn from anyone at any time.
- Honesty: We are truth seeking in our approach to business problems. Business is a repeat game and we believe that human relationships generate alpha. We understand that trust is earned over a lifetime and can be lost in an instant.
- Hunger: We play to win. We hold ourselves to high standards and will not be outworked. We take pride in having a deep sense of responsibility to ourselves, each other, our partners, and our customers. We believe to whom much is given much is expected.
- Horizon: We seek to build a generational software company. This will take decades. We manage our expectations and those of our partners to take advantage of the 8th wonder of the world - compounding growth.
How We Use AI in Our Hiring Process: To ensure transparency, we want candidates to know that Beacon Software uses Artificial Intelligence and AI-enabled tools to assist with screening, reviewing, organizing and highlighting profiles and applications that match the key requirements for each role.
AI does not make hiring decisions: Every application is reviewed by a member of our team, and all decisions throughout the process are made by humans. We use AI to support efficiency and consistency, not to replace human judgment. We are committed to a fair, thoughtful, and equitable experience for every candidate.
