Senior Accountant (Chicago)

ELS is hiring for the position of Senior Accountant – Specialized Accounting in Chicago, IL.

What you’ll do:

The Senior Accountant – Specialized Accounting will primarily be responsible for performing the accounting of utilities and real estate tax expenses for our entire portfolio of properties. This position has significant interaction with property and corporate accounting, third-party service providers, operations management, and members of the financial planning and analysis team.

The position goes beyond traditional accounting. In addition to preparing entries and reconciliations, the individual is expected to:

• Own accounting for significant utility and real estate tax expenditures.
• Manage external service provider relationships.
• Perform meaningful financial analysis for leadership.
• Drive process improvements, cost savings, and operational efficiencies.

This makes it a good fit for someone who enjoys both technical accounting and operational problem-solving , rather than a purely transactional accounting role.

Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Perform all aspects of accounting for utility and real estate tax expenses across the property portfolio.
• Prepare journal entries, accruals, and bank deposits.
• Perform balance sheet reconciliations, including complex cash and accrual accounts.
• Support quarterly and annual financial reporting requirements.
• Assist with quarterly reviews and annual audits.
• Ensure expenses are accurately recorded and reported.
• Work closely with the third-party service providers responsible for bill payments.

Analysis & Business Partnership

• Prepare monthly variance analyses comparing actual results to budget, forecast, and prior year.
• Provide clear explanations of significant fluctuations for senior management.
• Identify and recommend enhancements to policies, procedures, and existing processes.
• Help improve accuracy, efficiency, and internal controls.

Skills and Experience Needed

• Strong general ledger and month-end close experience.
• Advanced account reconciliation skills.
• Experience with accrual accounting and financial statement review.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage vendor relationships and coordinate across departments.
• Excellent Excel skills and experience analyzing large data sets.
• Strong communication skills for presenting financial results and variance explanations.

In return for your excellent skills and abilities, we offer a comprehensive benefits package including: medical, dental, and vision plans, a generous 401(k) employer match, and paid vacations, holidays, and sick time.

We invite you to visit our web site at for additional information regarding our exceptional resort communities.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome and thank all applicants.

Estimated compensation for this position:

Annual Salary: $75,000 - $85,000