Client Accountant

Client Accountant

Transwestern is a vertically integrated commercial real estate firm dedicated to serving investors, partners and clients through expertise in investment, development, brokerage and property management. Our experience spans diverse property types, including logistics, multifamily, retail, mixed-use, healthcare, office, data centers, hotel, and life sciences. Across 35 offices nationwide, our team is united by a culture that cultivates agility, mutual trust and high performance.

Transwestern Services turns strategy into reality with consistency and accountability, collaborating to provide dynamic, tailored solutions. Whether representing a tenant, advising an investor or repositioning an asset, we operate with tenacity and own the outcome every time. Our 2,200-strong team works across service lines, ready to activate our full platform to deliver a customized, cohesive experience for clients.

The Client Accountant performs daily property accounting duties for assigned Properties that includes, but is not limited to, preparing financial reports, entering accrual and cash journal entries, reviewing operating statements and variance reports, preparing escalation and payable reviews, performing reconciliations and ensuring accuracy, consistency and adherence to the Management/Leasing Agreements and SOC1 controls. The Client Accountant also utilizes assigned real estate accounting software (e.g., MRI, Yardi) to perform client accounting required tasks.

In addition, the Client Accountant also works with property management to ensure that all reporting deadlines are met, e.g., monthly operating reports, annual budgets, escalation settlements, etc., and that all property owner policies and procedures are consistently and accurately followed. The Client Accountant may be responsible for one or more properties. This position does not manage or supervise.

It is also the responsibility of the Client Accountant to deliver the Transwestern Experience when interacting and communicating with tenants, owners, vendors and fellow team members.

Essential Job Functions:

• Review all tenant billings and adjustments according to information provided by the Property Manager (PM). Submit Commercial Management (CM) batches for review and posting.
• Review and post cash receipt batches entered by Client Accounting Associate. Maintain property cash balances.
• Review and approve all large accounts payable disbursement items (e.g., Weekly A/P batches). Submit weekly Open A/P report for weekly check-run processing.
• Review and/or prepare bank reconciliations each month for all bank accounts assigned.
• Review or post the monthly posting of the Rent Roll by property management. Ensure that changes from the prior month's Rent Roll are reasonable, e.g., current month move-in's or move-out's, rent steps, etc.
• Review aged delinquency report for any adjustments, credits that need to be applied to open charges, and ensure that cash receipts have been properly applied to each tenants' account.
• Review and revise all supporting schedules with monthly charges as required by the Owner. Ensure sub ledgers and supporting schedules tie to the general ledger.
• Review the general ledger and income statement for any additional adjusting entries. Contact the PM to confirm the entries then book the entries.
• Review financial statements and all monthly reports confirming that all supporting schedules tie to the financial reports. Submit monthly financial report package to the accounting manager for review.
• Monitor property bank account cash balances.
• Assist in review of prior year CAM, real estate tax escalation reconciliations and answering questions from Auditors as needed.
• Prepare calculation for owner distribution based on owner requirements and time schedule. Initiate monthly owner distribution as set forth in the Property Management Agreement.
• Prepare monthly rent-up reports to send to the property manager for review. Post rent-ups after the property manager sends approvals. Make corrections/adjustments on tenant ledger as directed.
• Ensure timely payment of mortgages and property taxes.
• Calculate the monthly Management Fee and/or Incentive Management Fee due Transwestern, including all required documents for backup.
• Maintain scanned copies of monthly financial reporting packages, bank statements and reconciliations. Load all required documents into OneSpace.
• Communicate effectively with clients, internal and external auditors, tax preparers and team members as required.
• Calculate and file sales tax.
• As appropriate, close accounts payable, commercial management modules and general ledger modules each month.
• Perform or assume additional client accounting duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

• A bachelor's degree with emphasis in accounting, finance or related field preferred.
• A minimum of 2-3 years of recent fee-based property management accounting experience.
• Working knowledge of financial terms and principles including knowledge of current accounting methods (cash and basic accruals). Ability to apply generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
• Working knowledge of the budget reporting requirements of each Owner and participate/assist in the preparation of the annual budget with members of property management.
• Working knowledge of the escalation and operating expense budgeting and settlement process, including the calculation of "gross-ups", and may participate/assist in the preparation of the actual settlement schedules.
• Applicable experience in real estate accounting software, preferably with MRI and/or Yardi.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe.
• Demonstrate strong analytical capabilities with a high attention to detail.
• Ability to handle multiple projects, changing priorities and demanding, time-sensitive, work load(s).
• Ability to receive general work supervision/be self-managed/work independently.
• Ability to provide efficient, timely, reliable and courteous service to internal and external customers.
• Ability to keep information and internal communications confidential.
• Exhibit excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% or more of the time/constantly operate a computer and other office productivity machinery (ex. a calculator, copy machine, computer printer) or, by request, be provided reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of the position.