Controller

Overview

This newly established Controller position offers the chance to architect and lead the internal finance function for a Southern California-based real estate investment firm managing nearly $600 million in multifamily assets. Reporting directly to the founding partners, the role demands a seasoned accounting professional with deep expertise in real estate private equity fund accounting, consolidations, and financial reporting. The successful candidate will transition a largely outsourced accounting operation in-house, gaining direct exposure to senior leadership and shaping the firm’s financial infrastructure as it scales.

Title: Controller
Industry: Real Estate Investment Management
Location: West Los Angeles

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end month-end close process, overseeing property-level and fund-level financial statements prepared by external accounting teams and ensuring timely, accurate consolidation into owner-level reporting.
• Coordinate and review fund economics including NAV calculations, management and performance fee waterfalls, and investor allocations in alignment with fund agreements and side letters.
• Administer the firm’s accounting systems architecture, including chart of accounts design, user access controls, and integration of multiple property management and fund administration platforms.
• Oversee accounts payable and vendor relationships across management company and fund entities, ensuring proper allocation, intercompany rebills, and expense reimbursements.
• Lead cash management and treasury functions, maintaining liquidity oversight, enforcing internal controls such as segregation of duties and wire approval protocols, and managing short-term investments.
• Prepare and reconcile lender reporting packages, including operating statements, rent rolls, and covenant calculations, supporting the asset management team’s lender relationships.
• Coordinate tax and audit processes with external providers, including preparation of year-end tax packages, K-1s, and compliance filings across multiple jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• Must-Have:
  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance; CPA designation strongly preferred.
  • Extensive experience in real estate private equity accounting, including multifamily property and fund-level accounting.
  • Proven track record consolidating multiple property-level books into comprehensive owner-level financial reports for tax and lender purposes.
  • Hands-on expertise with private fund accounting concepts such as NAV, capital accounts, carried interest waterfalls, and partner allocations.
  • Strong command of month-end close, general ledger reconciliations, and financial statement preparation under US GAAP.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage and hold accountable outsourced fund administrators and property accounting providers.
  • Fluency with major real estate accounting platforms (e.g., Yardi, MRI, AppFolio) and fund administration systems, including system administration and multi-platform integration.
  • Experience designing and enforcing internal controls around cash, accounts payable, and wire transfers.
• Nice-to-Have:
  • Background in public accounting or Big 4 audit with exposure to real estate clients.
  • Familiarity with lender reporting requirements and loan covenant calculations.
  • Experience leveraging automation and AI tools to streamline the close process.
  • Prior involvement in building or scaling an internal finance or accounting team.