Audit Analyst (Associate Analyst)

Why Consider HF&H Consultants?

HF&H has a mission-driven, collaborative, tightly knit, small company culture that values work-life balance. We provide recycling and solid waste, water, and wastewater consulting services exclusively to public agencies. Our services include financial and compliance auditing, rate and fee studies, planning, performance reviews, competitive procurements, negotiations, contract management, and litigation support. The success of our firm has been built on providing excellent client service and leadership to clients in particularly-challenging situations.

Please refer to our website www.hfh-consultants.com for a further description of our firm.

About This Role

This full-time employee will join HF&H’s team providing a wide range of advisory services to public agencies by applying their analytical skills and working with clients and teams. Initial project types include conducting contract compliance audits of waste and recycling companies and communicating results to public agency management. This position will also provide financial analyses in support of the other recycling and waste management projects. The successful candidate will work under the direction of partners and project managers, on a team and independently.

This employee will support our recycling and solid waste practice from our Irvine, California office. This position presently does not require in-office work (unless otherwise directed) but may be modified at any time at HF&H’s discretion. Employee will primarily work with our internal Project Managers and Analysts. Local travel will be required, with additional limited overnight travel (within California).

The selected candidate will join as an “Associate Analyst” consultant. Over time, this position offers significant advancement opportunity for a high-performing professional to grow into more senior positions within the firm with enhanced direct external client relationships and increasingly independent assignments and responsibilities.

What You Will Do

Reporting to a project manager, this position will provide oversight of sections of public agencies’ recycling and waste management agreements which may include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Review 3rd party financial information reported by waste management and recycling companies.
• Review contract language to understand contractor performance requirements.
• Testing supporting documentation to determine contract compliance.
• Prepare variance analyses identifying areas requiring further investigation.
• Meet with public agencies and their contractor(s).
• Review and analyze fee and tonnage reports submitted by the contractors.
• Summarize results of the tasks performed in a clear succinct manner (spreadsheets, tables, narrative, etc.).
• Perform financial evaluation of proposals to local governments for recycling, organics, and solid waste services.
• Perform quality control reviews on reports and written work products.
• Review rate adjustment requests submitted by the recycling and waste hauling companies to public agencies.
• Communicate issues and conclusions to partners and project managers effectively.
• Assist the preparation of proposals, written reports, and client presentations..

What You Will Gain

HF&H places a high value on investing in our team. One of our core values is that “we relate to each other positively, with respect, supporting personal growth, and recognizing superior achievement." This position will benefit from:

• Exceptional training and frequent coaching from a “mentor” assigned to you from your first day.
• On-project training from HF&H’s partners and a deep pool of senior consultants.
• Annual development of a “personal development plan” and formal continuing education and project assignments geared towards developing your depth and breadth of expertise.
• Rewarding and challenging work assignments that improve the efficiency, affordability, and effectiveness of public services.
• Development of new technical skills for managing processes, projects, and resources.
• Experience managing multiple simultaneous assignments with competing schedules.
• Build a solid foundation of best practice skills to thrive in your consulting career.

What You Bring

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, economics, or math. The key is for the candidate to have developed skills to work with numbers and quantitative concepts in an analytical manner.
• At least 2-5 years of experience in a professional office environment.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to organize thoughts logically and communicate them concisely.
• Strong logic skills, especially related to the development of spreadsheet models (e.g., rate models, report tables, etc.).
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Strong interpersonal skills capable of maintaining positive relationships with clients and parties being audited.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) with superior skills in Excel.
• California driver’s license and ability to work in the United States.

Bonus Points

• Prior experience in the recycling and solid waste industry in California.
• California-licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
• Audit experience.

We Offer

HF&H offers a competitive total compensation package while emphasizing work/life balance for our employees (in 2022, Associates averaged less than 43 hours per week). This is a full-time, exempt position. Some highlights include:

• Associate Salary Range of $72,590 - $93,330, depending on qualifications of selected candidate.
• Discretionary Annual Bonus: up to 20% of Annual Earnings, performance based.
• Profit Sharing: Minimum 3% contribution to a 401(k) profit-sharing plan; 2023 contribution was 5%.
• Fifteen (15) Vacation days per year (increases with tenure, maximum of 25 days per year).
• Ten (10) Holidays per year (including one “floating” holiday to be used at employee’s discretion).
• Five (5) Sick days per year.
• At least two days of off-site staff retreats and social events each year.
• Health Insurance:
  • HF&H contributes 95% of employee’s premium (and 67.5% of dependent premium) towards the premium of our health insurance plan.
  • HF&H contributes $2,500 per employee or $4,000 per family towards a Health Savings Account.
  • Dental/Group Term Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance.

Are You Ready? Apply Today!

Submit your cover letter and resume to HF&H at hr@hfh-consultants.com today! Please provide a valid email address and telephone number on your resume and/or cover letter. Application materials will be screened on a continuous basis. Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply early!

Candidates with the most relevant qualifications will be invited into the interview process with HF&H. Any resultant offer of employment may be conditioned on the results of professional and personal reference checks, which we will not conduct without prior approval of the candidate. Depending on the number and quality of applicants, HF&H reserves the right to modify this process at its sole discretion.

The Fine Print

This is an at-will position and, as such, can be released at any time without notice and for any reason. Prior to hire, candidates will be required to successfully complete performance assessments, reference checks, verification of academic performance, and any other due diligence HF&H deems appropriate prior to making an unconditional offer for employment. Candidates with a disability who may require special assistance in any phase of the application or assessment process should advise the hiring manager upon submittal of an application. Documentation of the need for accommodation must accompany the request. HF&H is an equal opportunity employer.