About Palm Tree
Palm Tree is a modern M&A value creation firm that integrates financial consulting, operational consulting, and investment banking services. Founded in 2010, Palm Tree partners with private equity firms, business operators, and management teams through strategic events including acquisitions, carve-outs, recapitalizations, restructurings, integrations, and performance improvement initiatives.
Palm Tree’s Transitions & Transformations group provides strategic FP&A, financial modeling, performance improvement, accounting advisory, and other Office of the CFO initiatives to portfolio companies of private equity sponsors and other middle-market businesses. As part of our continued growth, Palm Tree is expanding its Accounting Advisory practice to support clients navigating complex technical accounting challenges, financial reporting requirements, and finance function transformations.The Vice President Position
The Vice President is an engagement management leader within Palm Tree’s Accounting Advisory practice. Vice Presidents oversee day-to-day client engagements, lead technical accounting workstreams, and manage teams responsible for delivering high-quality accounting and reporting advisory services.
This role requires deep technical accounting knowledge combined with strong client service capabilities. Vice Presidents work directly with CFOs, controllers, private equity sponsors, and external auditors to help clients address complex accounting matters while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their finance organizations.
The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and be motivated to help grow Palm Tree’s Accounting Advisory platform.Who We Are Seeking
- An accounting advisory professional from a Big 4 or other large consulting firm seeking to help grow a practice in an entrepreneurial environment
- An industry accounting professional with deep knowledge of US GAAP who is interested in transitioning into client services and advisory work
- A motivated accounting professional who enjoys solving complex technical accounting issues while improving finance and reporting infrastructure
- Purchase accounting and transaction accounting
- Complex debt and equity instruments
- Derivatives and financial instruments
- Stock-based compensation
- Revenue recognition
- Lease accounting
Engagement Management
- Lead the execution of Accounting Advisory engagements across multiple clients
- Provide direction, management, and task delegation to Associates and other junior team members
- Serve as a primary point of contact with client leadership teams throughout engagements
- Ensure engagement timelines, deliverables, and client expectations are managed effectively
- Lead preparation and review of technical accounting deliverables including accounting memoranda, accounting policies, financial statement disclosures, and supporting schedules
- Support purchase price accounting analyses and related journal entries
- Assist clients in navigating complex US GAAP accounting issues and financial reporting requirements
- Coordinate with external auditors and assist clients in managing year-end audit processes
- Assess accounting and finance processes to identify opportunities for improvement in areas such as month-end close, financial reporting, automation, and internal controls
- Diagnose root causes of reporting inefficiencies and propose practical solutions
- Support implementation of improved reporting processes and finance infrastructure
- Review and finalize analyses of financial and operational data including KPIs, cash flow, net working capital, and debt items
- Manage investigation and Q&A processes related to key financial statement fluctuations
- Translate financial reporting insights into operational recommendations
- Lead meetings and conference calls related to financial reporting, operational discovery, and change management initiatives
- Guide clients in integrating Palm Tree’s reports, processes, and financial frameworks into ongoing business operations
- Communicate engagement progress and key findings to senior leadership and internal stakeholders
- Train, mentor, and develop junior team members
- Manage multiple team members across concurrent engagements
- Support proposal development and new client opportunities
- Participate in business development activities and help expand Palm Tree’s client relationships
- Undergraduate degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required
- Active CPA license strongly preferred
- 6–8+ years of relevant professional experience in technical accounting and financial reporting
- Prior experience in public accounting (Big 4 or national firm audit practice) strongly preferred
- Experience in accounting advisory, transaction accounting, or corporate accounting/finance roles preferred
- Demonstrated experience managing teams and leading multiple client engagements
- Experience coordinating year-end audits with external accounting firms
Candidates should also demonstrate:
- Strong leadership and project management skills
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Base salary range of $175,000–$200,000, plus performance-based incentive bonus.
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision premium coverage.
- Competitive 401(k) program.
- Unlimited paid time off (PTO).
- Robust maternity and paternity leave program.
- Hybrid work environment with access to offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
Skills Required
- Undergraduate degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
- Active CPA license
- 6-8+ years of relevant professional experience in technical accounting and financial reporting
- Demonstrated experience managing teams and leading multiple client engagements
- Experience coordinating year-end audits with external accounting firms
- Strong leadership and project management skills
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Prior experience in public accounting (Big 4 or national firm audit practice)
- Experience in accounting advisory, transaction accounting, or corporate accounting/finance roles
- Purchase accounting and transaction accounting experience
- Experience with complex debt and equity instruments
- Experience with derivatives and financial instruments
- Experience with stock-based compensation
- Experience with revenue recognition
- Experience with lease accounting
What We Do
Palm Tree is the modern M&A advisor. Our model is a hybrid of consulting, investment banking, and accounting, and we integrate with our clients to enable them to prepare for, respond to, and execute strategic events. Palm Tree navigates the time-sensitive, demanding, uncompromising rigors of M&A from the perspective of owners and investors. We provide comprehensive financial, transactional, and operational solutions to our private equity and corporate clients. This gives them the advantage of experience and expertise across the full continuum of transactions, transitions, and transformations. Our elite teams at Palm Tree are led by seasoned M&A professionals who have worked in private equity, investment banking, Big Four accounting, Elite Three consulting, and business operations. We provide a unique opportunity for high-performing Big Four & Elite Three individuals to break into the M&A industry and experience accelerated career growth. In addition, Palm Tree offers real-world experience internships and entry-level programs to undergraduate and graduate students and entry-level candidates. We pride ourselves on training well-rounded individuals to be prepared for a career in M&A. We provide our employees with proprietary training that leverages “best practices” from Palm Tree’s collective experience, training you on how to evaluate a business, improve a business and facilitate a transaction. We are presently hiring in the Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and Dallas markets for all experience levels within each of Palm Tree’s service lines: financial due diligence, consulting, and investment banking. If you have an interest in developing a unique skill set for the world of M&A, drawing from our direct middle market experience, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at www.palmtreellc.com/contact. We’d love to hear from you!
