Associate

About Goldman Sachs

At Goldman Sachs, we connect people, capital and ideas to help solve problems for our clients. We are a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities and investment management services.

About the Role

The AWM Alternative Private Operations team is seeking an Associate to support and help lead Post Close Operations across the private alternatives platform. This role requires a strong understanding of alternative products and closed-end fund structures, independent management of complex operational workflows, and the ability to analyze issues, coordinate stakeholders, strengthen controls, and drive resolutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently manage the accurate and timely execution of post-close operational activities across alternative investment products and closed-end fund structures.
• Own complex transaction processing and shadow-booking workflows, position and security setups, data maintenance, and lifecycle events across credit, equity, infrastructure, and real estate strategies.
• Perform and review cash, position, cost, fair value, proceeds, income, and other completeness reconciliations; challenge unexplained differences and drive breaks to supported resolution.
• Prepare and review journal entries and supporting memos for fund payments, fees, invoices, taxes, credit facilities, interest, liquidity movements, and other investment or fund activity.
• Apply advanced Excel skills to analyze large datasets, build and review reconciliation logic, identify trends and anomalies, improve controls, and deliver decision-ready analysis.
• Use sound analytical judgment and critical thinking to interpret transaction structures, evaluate data across multiple sources, identify root causes, assess downstream impact, and propose practical solutions.
• Develop and maintain a strong front-to-back understanding of closed-end funds, fund structures, cash flows, valuations, accounting treatment, and the operational lifecycle of private-market investments.
• Serve as a knowledgeable point of contact for internal stakeholders across Portfolio Management, Fund Accounting, Investment Accounting, Servicing, Deal Teams, Engineering, Controllers, and Operations.
• Review work performed by Analysts or peers where assigned, provide clear guidance, and support knowledge sharing, cross-training, and consistent execution across the team.
• Proactively identify, communicate, and escalate risks, control gaps, capacity constraints, and potential delays, with clear impact assessment and recommended next steps.
• Lead or materially contribute to process improvement, workflow standardization, documentation, system enhancements, automation, and migration of new PCO functions.
• Maintain strong governance through procedure adherence, maker-checker controls, evidence retention, tracker accuracy, timely escalation, and readiness for audit or control review.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Strong working knowledge of alternative investment products and closed-end fund structures, including private credit, private equity, growth equity, infrastructure, and real estate strategies.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking capability, with the ability to assess complex issues, challenge assumptions, evaluate downstream impacts, and communicate a clear recommendation.
• Advanced Excel skills, including complex formulas, XLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, SUMIFS, pivot tables, data validation, reconciliation design, exception analysis, and efficient review of large datasets.
• Understanding of fund accounting and administration concepts, including journal entries, liquidity, valuations, interest calculations, fund payments, reconciliations, and investment lifecycle events.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and work effectively across levels, functions, and regions.
• Demonstrated ownership, initiative, organization, accountability, and ability to prioritize multiple time-sensitive deliverables.
• Strong risk and control mindset, including disciplined documentation, independent review, escalation, and root-cause analysis.
• Ability to coach junior team members, share product and process knowledge, and promote consistent execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification with a strong academic record.
• Typically 2-5 years of relevant experience in alternative investments, fund accounting, investment accounting, fund administration, financial operations, asset management, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated experience with alternative products, closed-end funds, private-market transaction lifecycles, and operational or accounting controls is strongly preferred.
• Experience independently managing reconciliations, journal entries, valuations, payments, position setup, exception resolution, or related fund operations workflows is preferred.
• Advanced Excel proficiency is required; experience with PowerPoint, Word, workflow tools, data visualization, automation, or process re-engineering is beneficial.