Senior Managing Director, Risk Advisory, Global Investigations & Forensic Accounting

Ankura; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Ankura is seeking a Senior Managing Director for its Global Investigations & Forensic Accounting team in San Francisco. This executive role will drive complex investigations and manage client engagements, generating significant revenue annually.

The ideal candidate will have over 20 years of relevant experience, strong personal branding, and expertise in forensic accounting. Responsibilities include client relationship management, business development, and mentoring staff.

Ankura is an equal opportunity employer, promoting diversity and inclusion across all levels.

Qualifications

• Minimum 20+ years of relevant forensic accounting experience.
• Proven track record of generating $3–$5million+ annually.
• Certification in accounting (CPA preferred) and fraud examination.

Responsibilities

• Leads and manages complex investigations and client engagements.
• Monitors and manages risks throughout the engagement cycle.
• Designs client proposals and delivers presentations.

Skills

Technical and research skills

Expertise in financial reporting

Exceptional negotiation skills

Ability to handle complex situations

Strong written communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Tools

GAAP

IFRS

PCAOB Standards

Job description

Practice Overview

Ankura’s Global Investigations &Forensic Accounting team assists companies with addressing issues related to corruption, fraud, or accounting misstatements. We offer clarity and guide decision‑making during times of crisis, particularly when our clients are under scrutiny from regulators or other stakeholders. With a unique blend of expert forensic accountants, investigators and former regulators, we are exceptionally qualified to advise on high‑stakes matters.

Role Overview

The Global Investigations &Forensic Accounting Senior Managing Director role is an executive level position that sells, leads and manages complex investigations and forensic accounting client engagements. The successful candidate will be a "person of stature" and self‑sustaining rainmaker who generates $3–$5million+ annually. The candidate will possess a strong personal brand within Investigations and Forensic Accounting advisory and deep market‑making relationships resulting in a robust flow of inbound calls and bookings. The candidate will be a hands‑on, passionate consulting executive who will work with team members in developing and executing on key account plans, nurturing executive level client relationships of the most strategic accounts, and achieving revenue targets. The successful candidate must be a commercial leader able to drive revenue growth and capture market share.

Responsibilities

• Initiates and converts business opportunities and collaborates with other Senior Managing Directors to sell and deliver engagements that generate $3–$5million+ annually.
• Leverage your expertise to analyze accounting, auditing, and independence rules and standards.
• Assist Ankura Senior Managing Directors and clients with communications with the PCAOB, SEC, or other regulators on auditing, accounting, and independence matters.
• Provide an independent perspective based upon your expertise in GAAP, IFRS, and PCAOB Standards to assist audit firms with the identification of enhancements to their audit methodology and system of quality control.
• Assist external and internal counsel to perform investigations of corporations surrounding breaches in a corporation’s internal policies, procedures, and ethical behavior.
• Work with colleagues, clients, fraud examiners, internal and external auditors, lawyers, and regulatory authorities on challenging, sensitive and adversarial situations.
• Lead and conduct forensic investigations, technical accounting research, fraud risk assessments, compliance reviews, forensic accounting audits, background interviews and searches, asset searches, fund tracing, electronic data reviews.
• Review and finalize engagement work plans, working papers, project documentation, progress and final reports to the highest level of quality.
• Lead and manage work of engagement teams comprised of internal and external experts in close, intermittent, and distant collaboration modes.
• Plan, manage and control budgets on investigations engagements.
• Monitor and manage risks throughout the engagement cycle.
• Adhere to the strictest standards of client and engagement confidentiality and integrity.
• Maintain active communication with counsel, clients, and internal team to manage expectations and ensure satisfaction.
• Manage, develop, train, and mentor staff on projects and assess performance for engagement and year‑end reviews.
• Design, craft and deliver client proposals, presentations, and marketing materials.
• Participate in business development activities such as public speaking events, conferences, seminars, marketing events and client meetings.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, with strong technical and research skills, and expertise in financial reporting, disclosure and ICFR awareness.
• Minimum 20+ years of relevant forensic accounting and investigations experience.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience with professional services or international audit firms, and/or specialized forensic accounting and investigatory services firms.
• A successful track record of generating $3–$5million+ annually.
• Strong personal brand within accounting investigations and deep market‑making relationships resulting in a robust flow of inbound calls and bookings.
• Proven track record of working on complex accounting investigations, national and/or international investigations, compliance risk assessments, forensic audits, disputes support or expert witness engagements.
• Certification and ongoing professional education in both accounting (CPA strongly preferred), and fraud examination (Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified in Financial Forensics designations considered positively).
• Expertise defining, influencing and driving change at executive levels and across the broader community of stakeholders.
• Exceptional negotiation skills with complex/sophisticated situations involving executive and board level stakeholders.
• Ability to develop credible recommendations under shortened time constraints and imperfect information.
• High energy style, flexible and adaptive, with ability to work well in a very fast paced environment.
• Ability to adapt to complex client environments and situations.
• Expert written communication skills, self‑directed with preparation of client ready document and presentation development.
• Articulate, persuasive communicator who is adept at handling executive and difficult audiences well including ability to adapt style to audience.

Ankura is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability. Equal Employment Opportunity Posters, if you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening, submit an online application, or participate in an interview/assessment, please email [e-mail] or call toll‑free +1.312‑583‑2122. This email and phone number are created exclusively to assist disabled job seekers whose disability prevents them from being able to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or technical issues unrelated to a disability, will not receive a response.