Job Description

Who we are

The Goldman Sachs Group is a bank holding company and a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Goldman Sachs provides a wide range of services worldwide to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high net worth individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York with offices in major financial centres around the world. We are committed to growing our distinctive Culture and upholding our core values which always place our client's interests first. These values are reflected in our Business Principles, which emphasise integrity, commitment to excellence, innovation and teamwork.

Legal Entity Controller – Your Impact

As a Legal Entity Controller you will take complete ownership of the financial reporting and monitoring for a range of our legal entities.  You will develop an in-depth understanding of these entities, including their business strategies, products and associated technical accounting and disclosure requirements. 

We’re looking for an experienced and driven professional to join our Controllers team in Frankfurt, who is keen to use and develop their technical accounting skills to provide high quality reporting and analysis of our entities’ assets and profitability in a challenging and varied environment.   

Controllers – Our Impact

Controllers are a diverse team of specialists charged with ensuring the firm meets the financial control and reporting obligations of a global, regulated and public financial institution. Whether Legal Entity Controllers are ensuring the integrity of our entities’ financial information, facilitating the firm’s consolidation, or offering analytical and regulatory support, our work will contribute directly to the firm’s success. 

As contact with virtually every part of the firm is essential to Controllers, professionals in the department have the opportunity to experience Goldman Sachs businesses, products and sophisticated information technology systems on a daily basis. If you are keen to develop an in-depth understanding of financial services, Controllers is a great place to further your career.   

The division is ideal for collaborative individuals who enjoy working in a strong team focused culture, and are motivated by opportunities for challenging stretch assignments.  You will receive continuous training, both formal and informal, to ensure your ongoing professional development and have exposure to - and support from - senior members of our team from the outset. 

Responsibilities

• Coordination of annual financial statements and statutory audit, liaising directly with the firm’s auditors.
• Lead on technical accounting areas, particularly German GAAP.
• Facilitation and liaison with the regulators on accounting topics.
• Review of monthly and quarterly management accounts under US GAAP, IFRS and German GAAP.
• Facilitating the quarterly consolidated reporting of the Goldman Sachs Group with regular interaction with Financial Reporting in New York.
• Review of monthly and quarterly board reports.
• Review and analysis of reporting to the Federal Reserve Board.
• Coordination with the US, UK and EU tax teams on local and foreign tax issues, VAT returns and submission of annual tax returns
• Understanding the business and keeping up-to-speed with business developments and being able to communicate this effectively to team members.
• Proactively seeking to identify improvements to manual processes and management reporting information leading to higher value added work.
• Involvement in a broad range of department–wide projects and initiatives as well as cross-departmental initiatives.
• Serve as role model to other team members and champion best practices.

Skills and experience

• Qualified accountant (German Chartered Auditor or National equivalent).
• Minimum of 5 years of post-qualification experience in an accounting environment, preferably in the financial services industry in Germany.
• Academic degree in finance or business administration preferred.
• Business fluency in German (native) and English.
• Detailed knowledge of accounting rules (German GAAP / IFRS / USGAAP).
• Attention to detail and time management are essential skills for this role. In addition, the candidate should have the flexibility required to work in a dynamic environment under tight deadlines.
• Strong computing skills – comfortable with large data sets.
• Strong communication – ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, to a broad range of people across the firm at various levels of seniority.
• Self-motivated and proactive - Ability to run with issues, get involved and be hands-on, and provide constant high-quality feedback.
• Ability to maintain mutual support within a high energy, high profile team.

Competencies

• Functional Expertise - Keeps up-to-date with emerging business, economic, and market trends.
• Technical Skills - Demonstrates strong technical skills required for the role, pays attention to detail, takes initiative to broaden his/her knowledge and demonstrates appropriate financial/analytical skills.
• Drive and Motivation - Successfully handles multiple tasks, takes initiative to improve his/her own performance, works intensely towards extremely challenging goals and persists in the face of obstacles or setbacks.
• Client and Business Focus - Effectively handles difficult requests, builds trusting, long-term relationships with clients, helps the client to identify/define needs and manages client/business expectations.
• Teamwork – Gives evidence of being a strong team player, collaborates with others within and across teams, encourages other team members to participate and contribute and acknowledges others' contributions.
• Communication Skills - Communicates what is relevant and important in a clear and concise manner and shares information/new ideas with others.
• Judgement and Problem solving - Thinks ahead, anticipates questions, plans for contingencies, finds alternative solutions and identifies clear objectives.  Sees the big picture and effectively analyses complex issues.
• Creativity/Innovation - Looks for new ways to improve current processes and develop creative solutions that are grounded in reality and have practical value.
• Influencing Outcomes - Presents sound, persuasive rationale for ideas or opinions.  Takes a position on issues and influences others' opinions and presents persuasive recommendations.

Your career

Goldman Sachs is a meritocracy where you will be given all the tools to help you develop. At Goldman Sachs, you will have access to excellent training programmes designed to improve multiple facets of your skills portfolio. Our in-house training programme, ‘Goldman Sachs University’ offers a comprehensive series of courses that you will have access to as your career progresses. Goldman Sachs University has an impressive catalogue of courses which span technical, business and leadership skills training. 

In order to help you navigate the organisation, you will be given a mentor from outside of your immediate department. This person will be positioned to provide you with objective advice and guidance on your career development.

We value internal mobility. The chance to take on new challenges in the firm over time will ensure that you remain stimulated and will help in your continued professional and personal development. 

ABOUT GOLDMAN SACHS

At Goldman Sachs, we commit our people, capital and ideas to help our clients, shareholders and the communities we serve to grow. Founded in 1869, we are a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Headquartered in New York, we maintain offices around the world. 

We believe who you are makes you better at what you do. We're committed to fostering and advancing diversity and inclusion in our own workplace and beyond by ensuring every individual within our firm has a number of opportunities to grow professionally and personally, from our training and development opportunities and firmwide networks to benefits, wellness and personal finance offerings and mindfulness programs. Learn more about our culture, benefits, and people at GS.com/careers. 

We’re committed to finding reasonable accommodations for candidates with special needs or disabilities during our recruiting process. Learn more: https://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/footer/disability-statement.html 

Applicants who wish to request for a medical or religious accommodation, or any other accommodation required under applicable law, can do so later in the process. Please note that accommodations are not guaranteed and are decided on a case by case basis.

© The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., 2023. All rights reserved.

Goldman Sachs is an equal employment/affirmative action employer Female/Minority/Disability/Veteran/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity