Assurance Manager
Kirkland, WA
Finance Operations – Finance Operations /
Full-Time /
Hybrid
Cascade Asset Management Company (“Cascade”) is proud to protect and grow capital in service of Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation Trust in support of their mission-related and philanthropic activities. Mr. Gates and the Foundation Trust are committed to creating a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.
Located in the Seattle area, Cascade applies its fundamental, long-horizon investment approach across asset classes and geographies, primarily through direct investing, as well as through a select group of funds and segregated accounts. Cascade offers the unique blend of being part of a team that manages a multi-billion-dollar portfolio while also working with professionals in a culture that values intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and respect.
Function Description
The Assurance function at Cascade serves as a trusted advisor that partners with Cascade’s operational departments to identify and implement process improvements that are fit-for-purpose. Cascade values operational excellence, and Assurance ensures that our firm has robust and resilient processes that fulfill our collective responsibility of stewardship over the assets entrusted to us. Assurance is an emerging function at Cascade today and reports to the Chief Financial Officer.
We operate in a hybrid work environment, with three in-office and two remote workdays per week.
Position Description
As the Assurance Manager, you will play a vital role in our organization by working closely with the CFO. This position offers a unique opportunity for you to shape and mature our Assurance function and amplify its purpose internally as practical and results-oriented. Additionally, you will serve as a trusted advisor to our department leaders, educating them on the role that Assurance can play to support them and guiding them on best practices in internal controls.
Your deep knowledge and experience in internal controls will be instrumental in developing innovative solutions. You will leverage your intellectual curiosity about our operations to ensure Assurance recommendations are fit-for-purpose and responsive to the needs of the organization. Your ability to listen to your stakeholders about their needs will drive the perception of Assurance’s value. This role requires a strong sense of ownership over the function as well as the ability to identify, design, resource and execute the strategy needed to mature our Assurance function.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide leadership and oversee all aspects to expand the capabilities and scope of our Assurance function. Define and implement the initiatives necessary to fulfill Assurance’s purpose of supporting operational excellence within Cascade. Improve existing Assurance tasks, processes, and reporting outputs. Educate and enroll internal stakeholders on Assurance’s purpose, goals, and processes.
- Define and execute an annual plan of Assurance reviews over critical operational processes. Oversee all aspects of such reviews (scoping, planning, fieldwork, process documentation evaluation, reporting and recommendations, and remediation monitoring). Supervise the work of any external resources used to complete such reviews.
- Develop guidelines/standards for documentation for processes and related risks/controls
- Collaborate and partner with our Legal team and risk executives to ensure that Assurance’s scope is properly aligned with, and supportive of, our company-wide operational risk management program. Provide feedback on the results of Assurance work to risk leadership.
- Be a trusted business advisor to our executives and department leaders on process and internal control matters. Offer innovative, practical, and business-oriented ideas and solutions, and assist with execution and implementation as appropriate.
- Collaborate with department leaders to review internal control or process breakdowns (i.e., “post-mortems”) to identify root causes and remediations needed, as well as inform future Assurance focus areas.
- Advise and assist Cascade’s separate portfolio investment internal control monitoring function, which focuses on executing internal control reviews over our real estate investment property management providers.
Skills & Qualifications
- At least 10+ years of relevant assurance/internal audit experience, including 5+ years in an internal audit consulting/advisory or Big 4 position.
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
- Experience with developing and implementing a successful internal audit program preferred.
- Demonstrated success identifying robust, but practical, internal control improvements and/or process changes.
- Experience with asset management, private equity, or financial services industries strongly preferred.
- Strong working knowledge in a broad range of operational, finance, and technology concepts, practices, and procedures.
- CPA or CIA preferred.
- Vision, strategic planning, and project management abilities; able to effectively function in both strategic and tactical capacities when needed.
- Proven track-record of effective collaboration with other departmental executives and company leadership. Customer / investor focused.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to successfully influence others.
- Intellectually curious with superlative analytical, problem solving and organizational skills.
- Highest level of professionalism and integrity.
$175,000 - $225,000 a year
Cascade is committed to paying employees equitably for substantially similar work. A reasonable estimate of the current base salary range for this position is listed above, with the exact amount driven by several factors including relevant experience, knowledge, education, degree to which a candidate meets the role requirements, and other qualifications. We believe that our employees are the reason for our success, and in recognition of their contributions, eligible employees may participate in a generous annual performance-based discretionary bonus program.
Cascade proudly supports our employees and their families with a comprehensive fully paid benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, long-term disability insurance, and a generous employer match to 401(k) retirement savings contributions. Employees are also eligible for 18 days of paid vacation each year for the first four years of employment, eight paid holidays, up to three floating holidays per year, up to 14 days of sick leave, and a generous paid parental and family leave program. Our benefits also include several employee wellness programs and mental health resources, a charitable giving match, and reimbursement for fitness, daycare, and/or commuter expenses.
What We Value
Cascade values diversity, equity, and inclusion and is deeply committed to providing equal employment opportunies for all employees and all applicants seeking employment. All employment decisions are based on a candidate’s or employee’s capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, age, national origin, citizenship, veteran, military, marital status, sensory, physical, or mental disability, genetic information, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. Questions regarding accommodation requests due to a disability should be directed to Human Resources.
Employment Requirements
Upon hire, you are required to present proof of your eligibility to legally work in the U.S.
