Fund Controller - Real Estate Private Equity (Denver)

FUND CONTROLLER

REAL ESTATE PRIVATE EQUITY

Headquarters Location: Denver, Colorado (near I-25 and Colorado Blvd)

Compensation: $200,000-$220,000 Base Salary + Bonus + Benefits

Employment Type: Full-Time

Reports To: Founder and CEO

Industry: Private Equity/Real Estate Investment Management

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Seneca Capital Partners is a dynamic, entrepreneurial firm located at The Chateau, a state-of-the-art working environment near I-25 & Colorado Boulevard. We are searching for a new executive member of our senior management team who is passionate about all aspects of financial reporting and decision making in support of all financial aspects spanning our commercial real estate portfolio including asset management, construction/redevelopment, property management, acquisitions and dispositions. 

Seneca is a small and nimble company. This is a career opportunity to join a stable, SEC registered private equity firm and to work directly with and for the firm’s equity partners. There is unlimited potential to grow within the organization. The work style is informal, fast-paced, hard-driving and unbureaucratic. Seneca offers a competitive salary with bonus and benefits commensurate with the candidate’s experience, capabilities, contributions, and education.

OVERVIEW

This is a hands-on leadership position. The successful candidate should be equally comfortable reviewing consolidated financial statements, working directly with auditors and tax professionals, analyzing fund-level activity, reviewing capital accounts, and improving accounting processes and internal controls. This position reports to the CEO.

The Controller has full ownership of the company's accounting and financial operations, including financial reporting for two open funds with historical Assets Under Management (AUM) near $500,000,000. This role ensures financial information is accurate, timely, and compliant with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The Controller also provides financial insights that support strategic decision-making and long-term business planning. In addition, Controller will collaborate with Seneca’s tax accountants to oversee preparation of multiple entities’ tax returns & Fund limited partner K-1 preparation. Finally, this candidate will lead the Fund Audit process in conjunction with our 3 rd Party Auditor. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Fund Accounting & Financial Reporting: Prepare, review and scrub financial statements initially prepared by Seneca’s Third-Party Property Manager, maintain the general ledger, and ensure compliance with GAAP. Oversee and manage external accounting partners of Third-Party Manager that handle transaction processing.
• Investor Reporting: Participate in authoring Quarterly Written Investor Updates to include financial updates and strategic insights.
• Real Estate Accounting: Work closely with our Property Management Partner and orchestrate the final documents presented to our Fund Administrator.
• Acquisitions, Dispositions and Asset Financing: Act as part of the Senior Management Team that oversees the Acquisition, Disposition and Financing for an Institutional Real Estate Portfolio.
• Budgeting and Forecasting: In conjunction with internal Asset Managers and Seneca’s Third-Party Property Manager: develop budgets, prepare financial forecasts, and monitor variances to support management decisions.
• Internal Controls and Compliance: Establish and maintain internal controls to protect company assets and ensure compliance with financial regulations.
• Treasury, Cash and Risk Management: Manage cash flow, banking relationships, accounts payable and receivable and risk management activities.
• Insurance. Oversee insurance programs to ensure adequate coverage and protect company assets.
• Debt Agreements. Monitor and ensure ongoing compliance with all covenants, conditions and reporting obligations set forth in the Loan Agreements.
• Audit and Tax Management: Coordinate external audits, manage tax compliance, and provide financial information to auditors.
• Policies and Procedures: Recommend and implement financial policies, procedures, and systems that support company goals and improve financial operations.
• Benefits & Payroll. Work with Seneca’s external PEO to manage accurate payroll and benefits administration.
• Other Duties. Things are constantly evolving. There will be other duties to which you can apply your talents!

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• Approximately 10+ years of progressive accounting experience
• Significant experience with private investment funds, real estate investment companies, private equity, or comparable investment structures
• Strong understanding of partnership and multi-entity accounting
• Demonstrated experience managing annual financial statement audits
• Experience coordinating partnership tax returns and Schedule K-1 reporting
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
• Experience preparing and reviewing complex financial statements and reconciliations
• Experience working with external auditors and tax professionals
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple entities and reporting deadlines simultaneously

Strongly Preferred

• CPA designation
• Previous Controller, Assistant Controller, Fund Controller, or Senior Fund Accounting experience
• Private equity real estate or real estate investment management experience
• Experience overseeing multiple investment funds simultaneously
• Experience with institutional private fund reporting
• Familiarity with real estate waterfalls, preferred returns, promotes, and carried interest
• Experience with third-party property managers and fund administrators
• Experience with real estate acquisitions, dispositions, and refinancing transactions
• Experience with complex partnership structures and special-purpose entities

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

The ideal candidate is an experienced private equity or real estate accounting professional who seeks ultimate responsibility within an entrepreneurial investment organization. This individual is technically strong but also highly practical. They understand that excellent accounting requires more than producing financial statements - it requires establishing systems that allow management, investors, lenders, auditors and tax professionals to rely confidently on the firm's financial information.

The successful candidate will be:

• Highly detail-oriented and exceptionally organized
• Comfortable taking ownership of complex accounting matters
• Proactive rather than reactive
• Deadline-driven
• Comfortable working directly with senior executives
• Capable of managing multiple funds and legal entities simultaneously
• Able to identify problems before they become reporting issues
• Comfortable questioning information that does not appear correct
• Able to communicate complex accounting matters clearly to non-accountants
• Willing to remain hands-on while also building scalable processes

We are specifically seeking an individual who views the annual audit, tax process, and quarterly reporting calendar as their responsibility to manage from beginning to end , rather than simply responding to requests from outside accountants or members of the executive team.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

Success during the first year will include establishing a disciplined financial reporting calendar across multiple funds; delivering accurate quarterly fund and investor reporting on schedule; successfully managing annual audits with minimal adjustments; coordinating timely tax returns and investor K-1s; improving reconciliations and internal controls; establishing reliable property-to-fund reporting; and providing executive leadership with timely, decision-useful financial information.

The Controller should ultimately become the organization's internal authority on the financial records of each fund and the primary point of accountability for the accuracy and integrity of fund-level financial reporting.

COMPENSATION

Base Salary: $200,000 - $220,000 Base Salary + Bonus + Benefits

The company offers a competitive executive-level compensation and benefits package commensurate with the responsibilities of the position.

LOCATION

This role will reside at The Chateau, a state-of-the-art working environment near I-25 & Colorado Boulevard, owned by a sister entity. This position is intended for a professional who will work closely with executive leadership and become an integral member of the firm's investment management platform within a hybrid work environment where the candidate is ideally in the office more than 3 days per week.

<