VP of Finance & Accounting

Job Description

Job Description

About HNA:

Haseko North America, Inc. (HNA) is the U.S. investment and development platform of Haseko Corporation, one of Japan's leading construction and real estate developers. HNA oversees a growing portfolio of U.S. multifamily real estate investments with approximately $800 million in equity commitments and investments, including limited partner, general partner, and joint venture interests.

As HNA's business volume, investment activity, and operating complexity continue to expand, HNA is establishing its own finance and accounting function. Accounting support has historically been performed by Haseko's Hawaii-based accounting team; this role will lead the transition of HNA accounting responsibility to HNA and build a scalable, institutional-quality finance organization.

Position Summary:

Reporting directly to senior leadership, this role is a key member of the leadership team with a clear pathway to a future CFO role as the platform grows. The Vice President of Finance and Accounting will be the senior finance leader responsible for creating HNA's finance and accounting department from the ground up. This is both a strategic leadership role and a hands-on execution role during the transition period. The successful candidate will design the finance organization, establish core accounting processes and internal controls, build the close and reporting calendar, coordinate with auditors and tax advisors, and support HNA leadership with reliable financial information for decision-making.

The position requires strong real estate investment accounting experience, practical knowledge of joint venture and partnership structures, sound judgment, and the ability to work effectively with HNA leadership, the Hawaii accounting team during transition, Japan parent company stakeholders, external auditors, tax advisors, lenders, and JV partners.

Key Responsibilities:

Build HNA's Finance and Accounting Function

• Develop and execute a practical transition roadmap to move HNA accounting responsibility from the Hawaii-based accounting support team to HNA.
• Create the initial finance and accounting department structure, staffing plan, role definitions, approval matrix, and operating calendar.
• Establish policies, procedures, documentation standards, and scalable processes that support HNA's current portfolio and future growth.

Close, Reporting, and Financial Statement Oversight

• Own monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes for HNA and related investment entities, including account reconciliations, journal entry review, consolidation/reporting packages, and management reporting.
• Ensure financial information is accurate, timely, supportable, and prepared in accordance with applicable accounting requirements and parent-company reporting needs.
• Develop reporting packages for HNA leadership that clearly explain investment performance, cash activity, commitments, distributions, and significant accounting matters.

Joint Venture and Real Estate Investment Accounting

• Oversee and/or prepare accounting and reporting for real estate investments, including LP/GP interests, joint ventures, equity-method investments, capital contributions, distributions, and partner reporting.
• Review JV agreements and investment documents to understand ownership structures, capital activity, promote/waterfall provisions, reporting obligations, and accounting implications.
• Coordinate with asset management and investment teams to ensure accounting records are aligned with executed agreements, partner communications, and current investment activity.

Transition Management and Business Continuity

• Evaluate existing accounting processes, files, reports, and controls currently maintained by the Hawaii-based accounting team.
• Prioritize transition activities to maintain business continuity, avoid reporting disruption, and preserve institutional knowledge.
• Lead knowledge-transfer meetings, open item tracking, and process documentation during the transition period.

Audit, Tax, and Compliance Coordination

• Serve as the primary finance contact for external auditors, tax advisors, valuation specialists, and other professional advisors.
• Coordinate schedules, support, and responses for audits, tax filings, lender requests, investor/JV partner requests, and parent-company reporting requirements.
• Partner with Japan parent-company stakeholders to support consolidation, reporting, and other group requirements.

Treasury, Cash Management, and Internal Controls

• Oversee cash management, bank activity, liquidity monitoring, capital call funding, distributions, wire approvals, and related controls.
• Design and implement appropriate segregation of duties, approval workflows, documentation requirements, and internal controls as the HNA team grows.
• Help select, implement, or optimize accounting systems, reporting tools, and workflow solutions as needed.

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Strategic Support

• Lead annual budgeting and periodic forecast updates in coordination with leadership, asset management, investment, and development teams.
• Provide financial analysis to support new investments, business initiatives, financing decisions, portfolio reviews, and long-term planning.
• Translate complex accounting and finance matters into clear business implications for executive leadership.

Team Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Recruit, train, develop, and manage HNA finance and accounting staff as the platform scales.
• Set clear expectations, deadlines, and review procedures while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-integrity culture.
• Communicate effectively across Hawaii, Japan, and external business partners.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including significant experience in real estate investment, development, asset management, private equity, fund accounting, or joint venture accounting.
• Demonstrated ability to build or significantly improve accounting processes, reporting packages, controls, and finance operations in a growing organization.
• Strong understanding of U.S. accounting principles and practical application to real estate investments, partnerships, joint ventures, and equity-method investments.
• Experience managing close processes, audits, tax advisor coordination, treasury/cash controls, and senior management reporting.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and detail levels, including hands-on review and preparation during the department build-out phase.
• Strong leadership, judgment, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• High integrity, strong ownership mindset, and ability to work effectively across cultures, time zones, and functions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPA strongly preferred.
• Experience in multifamily real estate investments and/or development.
• Experience with complex partnership structures, JV agreements, promote/waterfall calculations, and capital account reporting.
• Public accounting, Big 4, transaction advisory, valuation, or real estate private equity background.
• Experience implementing accounting systems, close-management tools, reporting automation, or workflow controls.
• Japanese language proficiency strongly preferred given the relationship with the parent company in Japan.

What Success Looks Like First 12 to 18 Months:

• A clear, approved transition roadmap from Hawaii-based accounting support to HNA-owned finance and accounting operations.
• Reliable monthly and quarterly close process with documented reconciliations, review controls, and reporting packages.
• Established accounting policies, procedures, approval matrix, and internal control framework appropriate for HNA's size and complexity.
• Effective working relationships with HNA leadership, Hawaii transition team, Japan parent company, auditors, tax advisors, and JV partners.
• Initial HNA finance and accounting team structure defined, and key positions recruited or planned.

Compensation: $235,000 – $257,500 + up to 25% bonus

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