Vice President, Fund Accounting — West Los Angeles, CA | Pacific Executive Search

Vice President, Fund Accounting

(Job ID: 2037)

West Los Angeles, CA

Hybrid

Direct Hire

Real Estate

$150,000 – $225,000 base

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Overview

A $500M real estate credit fund on the cusp of significant growth seeks a Vice President of Fund Accounting to lead the financial stewardship of complex investment structures. This role demands deep expertise in real estate debt accounting and US GAAP, with direct involvement in managing fund operations, audit coordination, and investor reporting. Situated within a specialized financial services firm with offices in New York and Southern California, this position offers a chance to influence fund accounting practices at a pivotal stage of expansion.

Title: Vice President, Fund Accounting
Industry: Investment Management
Location: West Los Angeles

Responsibilities

Oversee and validate month-end net asset value (NAV) calculations and investor allocations for funds and special purpose vehicles, emphasizing complex real estate credit entities.
Manage the preparation and review of quarterly and annual financial statements, ensuring compliance with US GAAP and coordinating with external auditors throughout the audit process.
Provide technical accounting guidance on intricate real estate credit transactions, including waterfall structures, priority of payments, and consolidation accounting.
Collaborate closely with investment, legal, tax, and investor relations teams to support fund launches and ongoing operational requirements.
Lead, mentor, and allocate responsibilities among junior accounting staff, including offshore resources, to maintain efficiency and accuracy.
Identify opportunities to enhance accounting processes and controls, leveraging technology to streamline reporting and operational workflows.
Prepare detailed accounting memorandums and conduct research to resolve complex technical and audit issues as they arise.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance with CPA certification strongly preferred.
- 7 to 13 years of progressive fund accounting experience, ideally combining public accounting (Big 4) and private real estate credit fund exposure.
- Proven expertise in accounting for complex real estate credit instruments, including loan participations, note-on-note financing, and waterfall calculations.
- Demonstrated ability to manage and mentor accounting teams, with comfort overseeing junior staff and coordinating cross-functional efforts.
- Strong knowledge of US GAAP for investment companies, consolidation accounting, and investor reporting standards such as ILPA.
- Experience working closely with investment teams on fund-level financial reporting and audit coordination.
Nice-to-Have:
- Familiarity with private REIT structures and related reporting requirements.
- Background in leveraged finance or commercial loan accounting that complements real estate credit expertise.
- Experience with process improvement initiatives and technology enhancements within fund accounting operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Accounting Manager hires fail?
Because companies hire for close execution when the real need is issue ownership and team leadership. Many candidates can manage a checklist. Far fewer can stabilize the function under pressure, improve weak processes, coach staff, and hold the line during audit, turnover, or reporting stress.
What are strong Accounting Manager candidates evaluating during the interview process?
They are usually trying to understand whether they are walking into a stable environment, a cleanup situation, or an under-resourced function. Strong candidates do not just evaluate title and compensation. They assess whether success is realistically achievable and whether leadership understands what the accounting team actually needs.
Why do accounting roles in real estate often require a different kind of operator?
Because entity structures, property-level reporting, intercompany activity, partnership considerations, and ownership reporting can create a more structurally complex environment than many standard corporate settings. Real estate accounting roles usually demand a candidate who understands the operating rhythm of the business, not just the debits and credits.
Is the CPA really required for roles like this?
Sometimes yes, and often functionally yes even when the posting says "preferred." At leadership levels especially, the CPA frequently acts as a credibility signal for hiring managers, auditors, lenders, investors, or boards. There are exceptions, but in many accounting searches it remains one of the clearest markers of technical foundation.
How do strong candidates typically evaluate opportunities like this?
Strong candidates rarely evaluate a role based on title alone. They look at what the position actually owns, how the function is viewed internally, whether the environment is stable or in transition, and what success will realistically look like in the first 6 to 12 months. Many first discover a role through a posting, but the strongest career decisions usually come from understanding the context behind the opportunity, not just the job description. In accounting and finance hiring, that level of context is often what separates a lateral move from a meaningful one. Learn more about how strategic accounting and finance searches differ from transactional recruiting.