Senior Associate/Vice President, Commercial Finance (Field Auditor)

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

The Internal ABL Field Auditor is responsible for conducting field examinations of existing and prospective borrowers to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and sufficiency of collateral securing asset‑based loans. This function provides a core risk‑management mechanism for the lender and directly influences credit decisions.

This role performs on‑site and remote collateral audits, identifies operational risks, tests internal controls, and prepares formal field exam reports used by Credit, Portfolio Management, and senior leadership.

Core Responsibilities

Collateral & Borrower Review

• Conduct on‑site and remote pre-loan and recurring field exams to assess collateral adequacy.
• Analyze accounts receivable, inventory, and other collateral pools for validity, aging, dilution, eligibility, and liquidation value.
• Perform detailed testing of accounting systems, internal controls, and reporting quality.
• Review general ledger accounts, including reserves, reconciliations, and related financial data.

Risk Identification & Control Testing

• Identify operational weaknesses, process gaps, and potential fraud indicators.
• Evaluate borrower internal controls and collateral monitoring capabilities.
• Recommend enhancements to strengthen lender collateral position.
• Escalate issues requiring management attention.

Reporting & Communication

• Prepare comprehensive field exam reports summarizing collateral trends, risks, and credit implications.
• Communicate findings clearly to Credit Officers and Portfolio Managers.
• Support underwriting and portfolio monitoring through timely delivery of exam results.

Team & Cross-Functional Work

• Work closely with Credit Quality Assurance, Underwriting, and Portfolio teams.
• Mentor junior employees on the Portfolio and Underwriting teams
• Participate in scoping discussions to determine exam procedures based on borrower complexity.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• Typically 5+ years of ABL field exam, audit, or related experience
• Strong understanding of asset-based lending, collateral valuation, and accounting systems
• Proficiency in analyzing A/R, inventory, and general ledger data
• Strong communication and report‑writing skills
• Ability to travel for field work

Desired Skills

• Proven experience leading exams
• Experience in collateral audits, internal controls, or credit risk review
• Strong Excel, analytical, and investigative abilities
• Knowledge of ABL borrowing base structures, advance rates, and liquidation concepts

Reporting Relationships

Compensation

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.