Vice President, Partner Economics

About Davidson Kempner 

Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP is a global investment management firm. Founded in 1983, Davidson Kempner is headquartered in New York and has offices in Philadelphia, London, Dublin, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Mumbai and Abu Dhabi. Our Firm invests globally and opportunistically across the capital structure, in a variety of credit and equity strategies as well as real assets. We apply our multi-dimensional, research-driven investment process to evaluate and execute a diverse range of transactions across asset classes, geographies and market cycles. We target complex, global situations where our experience and expertise can unlock value.

We bring together exceptional people from different disciplines and backgrounds who are energized by the challenges of navigating complexity. We look for people who demonstrate exceptional critical thinking skills, innate curiosity, creativity and embrace diverse viewpoints to calibrate their decisions. These differentiators make our people successful beyond a specific job at Davidson Kempner – but throughout their journey with us over many years.

The Role
As part of the broader Finance department, we are seeking a Vice President to be the primary coverage supporting the Firm’s Partnership structure and compensation accounting. The primary focus of the role will be to oversee all aspects of global management company economics (GP capital balances and movements, P&L allocations). Related, and as part of Firm P&L, the VP will also have responsibilities for cross-functional coordination of compensation accounting. The VP will serve as a key partner to senior leadership, ensuring integrity and transparency of compensation, including discretionary bonuses, deferred compensation, and carried interest/incentive allocations.

• Oversee the accounting, allocation, and reporting of partner economics, including profit-sharing and carried interest
• Lead all compensation accounting processes, including bonus accruals, deferred compensation, equity-based awards, and complex incentive structures
• Oversee the development and maintenance of partner capital accounts, allocation models, and distribution calculations
• Review and approve journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations related to compensation and partner distributions
• Work cross functionally with Human Resources and the Corporate Accounting team
• Partner closely with senior stakeholders across HR, Legal, Tax, FP&A, and executive leadership on compensation strategy and execution
• Assist in budgeting and forecasting for compensation and partner allocations, including scenario analysis and stress testing
• Deliver executive-level reporting on compensation trends, partner profitability, and firm economics
• Act as primary point of contact for external auditors on compensation and partner economics matters
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, and internal controls; continuously enhance processes and controls
• Drive automation and system enhancements, including leveraging tools such as Workday Adaptive Planning to improve transparency and scalability

Candidate Profile  

Our most competitive candidates will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance; CPA preferred
• 10+ years of experience in public accounting and/or asset management finance, with significant exposure to hedge and private equity fund structures
• Experience in a global, multi-strategy investment firm
• Strong command of partner economics, including carried interest, profit-sharing arrangements, and allocation waterfalls
• Strong understanding of multi-entity structures (management company, GP/LP entities, offshore/onshore structures)
• Deep expertise in compensation accounting (bonus structures, deferred comp, equity plans)
• Proven experience managing teams and leading complex, cross-functional initiatives
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling capabilities
• Experience with Workday Adaptive Planning or similar planning/reporting platforms
• Exposure to partner tax reporting (K-1s) and capital account management
• Track record of driving process improvements and system implementations

 

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following expected skills and behaviors:

Delivers

• Delivers Results: Is reliable and delivers consistent, accurate, organized and client-ready work in a timely manner with a sense of urgency; is able to expertly multi-task without sacrificing a high standard of work product and output; identifies ways to improve products / processes / procedures to drive efficiencies and output
• Takes Accountability: Takes ownership of initiatives and holds self and others accountable for delivering against priorities; when challenges arise, faces facts, fixes issues, and learns from experience

Connects

• Builds Relationships: Is considered a valued, respectful and inclusive partner to stakeholders; proactively manages strong internal / external partnerships and identifies opportunities to build and strengthen relationships; contributes and celebrates the Firm’s and others’ success
• Influences for Outcome: Understands what’s important, including perspective, value and motivation, to the person or people being influenced; listens to find common ground, and tailors the message to articulate “what’s in it for them”

Leads

• Engages with Feedback: Seeks ways to continually develop self and others; contributes to the development of others through honest, real time and constructive feedback