Senior Accountant — West Los Angeles, California | Pacific Executive Search

Senior Accountant

(Job ID: 2049)

West Los Angeles, California

On-Site

Direct Hire

Real Estate

$80,000 – $125,000 base

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Overview

Managing the accounting operations for a diverse real estate portfolio, this position offers direct collaboration with senior finance leadership within a lean, focused team. Situated in a West Los Angeles office, the role demands precision in financial reporting, month-end close, and GAAP compliance across multiple properties and projects. Ideal for an accountant with a blend of corporate and property accounting experience seeking to apply their expertise in a hands-on environment.

Title: Senior Accountant
Industry: Real Estate
Location: Downtown Los Angeles

Responsibilities

Lead the monthly and year-end close activities, ensuring accurate and timely financial statements for the company’s real estate holdings.
Record and review journal entries in the general ledger, maintaining strict adherence to GAAP and internal accounting policies.
Oversee fixed asset accounting, including system maintenance and reconciliation of asset balances to the general ledger.
Collaborate with property and project managers to validate financial data integrity and resolve discrepancies related to property accounting.
Review lease accounting entries prepared by third-party providers, verifying accuracy of tenant billings, recoveries, and CAM reconciliations.
Support budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis processes by preparing detailed financial reports and budget documentation.
Assist with onboarding new properties and projects, including system setup, bank account establishment, and purchase accounting support.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline from an accredited institution.
- Minimum of two years’ experience in full-charge bookkeeping or accounting, with exposure to corporate and property accounting.
- Solid understanding of GAAP and experience applying accounting standards in a real estate context.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for complex financial analysis and reporting.
- Experience with accounting software; familiarity with Yardi strongly preferred.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial data and identify trends or anomalies.
- Excellent communication skills to prepare clear financial summaries and collaborate across departments.
Nice-to-Have:
- Background in public accounting with real estate clients or private company accounting involving property management.
- Experience supporting audit procedures and preparing documentation for external financial audits.
- Knowledge of lease administration processes and common area maintenance (CAM) reconciliations.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines within a small, focused accounting team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do companies mis-hire at the Senior Accountant level?
Because they hire based on task lists instead of ownership. Two candidates may both mention reconciliations, journal entries, and close support, but only one has truly owned balance sheet areas, resolved issues independently, worked directly with auditors, and operated with minimal supervision. Titles vary widely in the market. Ownership is the more reliable signal.
When is a Senior Accountant actually ready for promotion?
Usually when they stop simply executing assigned work and start identifying issues before they surface. Promotion to Accounting Manager or a broader leadership track is less about how many close tasks someone can perform and more about whether they have become a source of reliability, judgment, and escalation control.
Why are SaaS accounting and finance roles different from general corporate roles?
Because recurring revenue models create different pressure points around revenue recognition, deferred revenue, forecasting, metrics, and scale. Even strong general accounting or finance candidates can struggle if they have not operated in an environment where recurring revenue and growth-stage process discipline matter.
Why is cost accounting experience often treated as a separate requirement?
Because cost accounting is not just a line item on a resume. In the right environments, it shapes how the business understands margins, inventory, production efficiency, and operating performance. Employers usually separate it out because general accounting strength alone does not guarantee sound judgment in a costing environment.
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.