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Property Accountant Job Description

Senior Property Accountant

Summary

This position is responsible for the day to day accounting of real estate assets and the funds that invest in these assets. The position is generally responsible for closing the books and records for approximately 12 to 15 properties and all ancillary accounting related to these assets

Essential Functions

• Review all property management financial reports on the individual assets.
• Record the fair value adjustment for investments in real estate and debt.
• Record equity in earnings for joint ventures
• Record minority interest for consolidated entities
• Consolidate all investments within a Fund.
• Write quarterly financial statements.
• Interact with other property accountants, banking personnel and asset managers.
• Answer client quarterly questionnaires.
• Perform cash management functions.
• Record and reconcile financial information.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual client reports.
• Prepare annual cash audit work papers.
• Prepare annual audit and tax work papers.
• Prepare internal and external performance returns.
• Prepare monthly bank reconciliation’s for checking accounts.
• Calculate and prepare statements of cash flows.

Any and all other responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time.

Prerequisites

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance.

Experience

• Minimum of 4 to 5 years of accounting experience with an emphasis in the real estate industry.
• Prefer experience to include both public accounting and private industry.
• Experience with investment companies a plus.

Skills

• Be conscientious about achieving deadlines and has an accurate work product.
• Assume accountability for specific performance.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, including ability to articulate recommendations in concise and timely manner.
• Detail oriented and very analytical
• Strong organization skills
• Quantitative propensity with ability to spot errors.
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Excel.
• Familiar and experience in performance data returns.
• Familiar with internal rate of return calculations.
• Familiar with consolidating and equity method of accounting.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and accounting pronouncements in general
• Understand variance analysis when comparing actual to budget or historical results
• Understand how to read and write financial statements

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Not applicable

Growth Requirements:

• Must be able to establish management and educational objectives on a quarterly and annual basis necessary to judge their own performance and ensure growth in all aspects of the job.
• Must be able to establish goals for increasing sophistication and skill set in real estate operations, development, management. acquisitions, accounting, and dispositions.
• Required to develop in short order, a comprehensive understanding of when an investment advisor does within the parameters of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and operating as a fiduciary with respect to ERISA and non-ERISA controlled pension plans.
• Understand the philosophy, process, and motivation of the organization, and be able to articulate in short-order with clarity, the underlying direction of the organization.
• Develop a strong sense of how the work of the position interfaces with and becomes a client-servicing function and how marketing interrelates to the position. Understand how their job function interrelates to the overall goal of developing long term growth in the business.
• Understand the impact of the capital markets and the private real estate market and understand how this impacts and interrelates to the on-going business of the organization.
• Be able to articulate with clarity the investment strategies of American, and otherwise understand and articulate the investment strategies for each client how they are working and interpret how that investment strategy is being manifested by the work that they are doing on behalf of each asset.
• Understand how the institutional real estate business functions within the context of the private real estate market.
• Be able to, over time, develop strong presentation skills.
• Be able to establish educational goals for themselves necessary to enhance their job skills.
• Be able to enhance their technological skills.
• Participate in community and business organizations which will enhance their business and life skills.

Hardware/Software

• Personal computer, mouse, modem.
• Strong Microsoft Word and Excel a must; Windows environment, MRI a plus
• Telephones, telecopiers, photocopiers, typewriters, 10-key by touch.

Typical Physical Demands

• Overtime demands at Quarter end.

Typical Mental Demands

• Must be able to analyze, organize and summarize in writing.
• Must be detailed, organized and communicative.
• Must be a responsive team player with ability to quickly prioritize among numerous tasks.

Working Conditions

• Work in typical office setting.
• Must be able to work in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment.