Financial Model Reviewer to Check M&A Models Against Source Documents

Looking to start in the next one to two days. Ongoing work potential I build financial models for lower middle market M&A deals. These are mostly acquisition and operating models in Excel: three statement models, debt and amortization schedules, sources and uses, scenario cases, and returns analysis. I am looking for someone to review my work before it goes to a client or a lender. You would not be building models from scratch. You would be checking what I have already built, telling me what is wrong, and cleaning it up. What the work looks like I send you two things. The first is a model I have built. The second is the source material behind it, which can be a Quality of Earnings report, a set of financial statements, a letter of intent, or a lender term sheet, etc. Your job is to answer two questions. Do the numbers in the model match the source documents? And do the formulas actually do what their labels say they do? Specific things I would want checked: -Every input that comes from a source document traces back to a specific page, tab, or line item -Formulas are consistent across a row, with no hardcoded values buried in the middle of a calculation -Things like balance sheet balances in every period -Ending cash on the cash flow statement matches cash on the balance sheet -Interest expense on the income statement matches the debt schedule -Subtotals capture everything they should and do not double count anything -Scenario switches actually reprice the whole model rather than part of it -No circular references, broken links, or error values anywhere in the file You would then either send me a written list of what you found, or fix it directly in the file and tell me what you changed. I am happy with either approach and we can decide that per project. What I am looking for -Very strong Excel skills, including real comfort reading and unpicking someone else's formulas -Experience with three statement models, M&A models, debt schedules, and purchase accounting -Ability to open a Quality of Earnings report or a set of financial statements and find the number you need without hand holding -Careful rather than fast. I would rather you find one real error than skim the whole file in an hour. -Willingness to tell me I am wrong, clearly and directly A background in audit, transaction services, investment banking, private equity, or corporate finance would help. A CPA or CFA is a plus but I do not require one. How to apply Please do not send a generic cover letter. Instead, answer these two questions in a few sentences each: -A model's balance sheet is out by a small amount in one month but ties in every other month. Walk me through how you would track down the cause. -Tell me about a real error you found in someone else's model. What was it, and what made you look in the right place? If you have a sample review, a redlined model, or an audit you have done that you can share, I would like to see it. Redact whatever you need to. Terms This is ongoing work rather than a one off project. Volume follows deal flow, so I would expect somewhere between five and fifteen hours in a busy week and possibly nothing in a quiet one. I would like to start with one paid test project on a real file so we can both see whether it works before committing to more. The work involves live transaction data. You would need to sign an NDA before I send you anything. Please include your hourly rate and your general availability.