Controller Real Estate & Construction

Controller Real Estate & Construction

A rapidly growing, privately held real estate investment organization operating multiple businesses across residential real estate, construction, rental properties, and lending is seeking a hands-on Controller to oversee accounting and financial reporting across a portfolio of related companies.

The organization operates multiple businesses focused primarily on residential real estate acquisition, renovation and resale, rental properties, and real estate lending. With continued growth and increasing transaction volume, the company is bringing its accounting function in-house and needs an experienced Controller who can establish stronger financial controls, improve reporting, and provide ownership with greater visibility into business and project performance.

This is an excellent opportunity for an accounting professional who enjoys an entrepreneurial, fast-moving environment and wants to build and improve processes rather than simply maintain an established corporate accounting department.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee accounting and financial reporting across approximately 68 related entities.
• Manage the monthly close process and produce accurate, timely financial statements.
• Establish and maintain accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Develop and maintain job costing by property and renovation project.
• Monitor renovation budgets, contractor costs, invoices, and project profitability.
• Identify cost overruns, billing discrepancies, and opportunities to strengthen financial controls.
• Provide ownership with timely reporting and visibility into individual properties and overall business performance.
• Manage accounting for residential property acquisitions, renovations, sales, and rental properties.
• Oversee accounting activities associated with real estate lending operations.
• Lead the transition of currently outsourced bookkeeping and accounting functions in-house.
• Manage intercompany activity and reporting across related entities.
• Oversee cash management, reconciliations, accounts payable, and general ledger activities.
• Work closely with outside CPAs responsible for tax preparation and compliance.
• Coordinate with contractors and operational partners to ensure project costs are accurately captured and reported.
• Improve accounting systems, reporting processes, and financial controls as the organization grows.
• Assist ownership with additional financial, banking, insurance, and operational matters as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Strong accounting experience within real estate, construction, homebuilding, property investment, or a closely related industry.
• Hands-on job costing or project accounting experience.
• Strong understanding of general ledger accounting, financial reporting, reconciliations, and month-end close.
• Experience working with multiple entities or related companies.
• Ability to develop and improve accounting processes and internal controls.
• Experience partnering with contractors, project managers, or operational teams.
• Strong working knowledge of QuickBooks, preferably QuickBooks Online.
• Comfortable working in an entrepreneurial environment where processes may need to be created or improved.
• Previous Controller, Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, or similar experience preferred.
• CPA or CPA background is a plus but not required.
• Experience with residential real estate acquisition, renovation, homebuilding, or real estate investment is preferred.
• Experience identifying project cost overruns and improving contractor or vendor controls is highly desirable.
• Experience bringing outsourced accounting functions in-house is a plus.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a hands-on accounting professional who understands that effective accounting in a real estate and construction environment goes well beyond producing financial statements. This person can evaluate individual properties and renovation projects, understand where money is being spent, identify when costs are getting out of line, and establish practical controls that protect the business.

The successful candidate will be comfortable working directly with entrepreneurial ownership, contractors, outside CPAs, and other business partners. The environment is collaborative and informal, making this a strong fit for someone who is approachable, practical, flexible, and willing to roll up their sleeves.

Most importantly, this individual will help transform the accounting function from primarily historical reporting into a system that gives ownership timely financial information, stronger controls, and better visibility into the profitability of each project and business.