Director of Accounting — South Orange County, CA, California | Pacific Executive Search

Director of Accounting

(Job ID: 2088)

South Orange County, CA, California

On-Site

Direct Hire

Real Estate

$140,000 – $160,000 base

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Overview

Overseeing the accounting operations for a substantial portfolio of real estate assets, this position reports directly to the Controller within a publicly traded real estate investment trust managing hundreds of properties across North America. The role demands expertise in financial reporting, consolidations, and GAAP compliance, with a strong emphasis on leadership and process optimization in a corporate accounting environment based in Southern California. This is an opportunity to lead a seasoned accounting team through complex month-end closes and drive scalable improvements in a fast-evolving real estate setting.

Title: Director of Accounting
Industry: Real Estate Management
Location: South Orange County, CA

Responsibilities

Guide and develop a team of accounting professionals, promoting accountability and professional growth.
Manage and enhance accounting systems and software to support operational efficiency.
Direct month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing activities to produce accurate consolidated financial statements.
Ensure adherence to GAAP and real estate accounting standards across multiple entities and properties.
Oversee balance sheet reconciliations, journal entries, and intercompany accounting transactions.
Supervise tenant billing, collections, and delinquency monitoring processes.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams on budgeting, variance analysis, and key performance indicator reporting.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related discipline.
- Minimum of 5 years progressive accounting experience, including at least 2 years in a leadership capacity.
- Demonstrated expertise in real estate, REIT, or property management accounting, particularly in financial reporting and consolidations.
- Strong command of GAAP and internal control frameworks.
- Advanced proficiency with Excel and accounting software relevant to property management.
- Exceptional analytical skills and attention to detail.
- Effective communication skills capable of conveying complex accounting concepts across organizational levels.
Nice-to-Have:
- Experience with budgeting processes involving operations, acquisitions, and property management teams.
- Familiarity with corporate taxation and cash management principles.
- Background in designing and monitoring internal controls to safeguard assets.

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 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.