A privately owned real estate development organization is seeking a Controller, Development to join its finance leadership team. This is an excellent opportunity for a CPA-designated professional with strong real estate development and construction accounting experience who enjoys partnering closely with operations while overseeing project accounting, financial reporting, treasury management, and team leadership.
About the Role
Reporting to senior finance leadership, this position is responsible for overseeing the accounting, financial reporting, treasury, and project finance functions across multiple active development projects and entities. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with development, construction, and finance teams to ensure accurate reporting, effective cash flow management, compliance with lender requirements, and the successful financial execution of development projects.
What You'll Do
- Oversee the full-cycle accounting function for multiple development entities, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and general ledger management
- Lead month-end and year-end close processes, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting
- Prepare and review project financial statements, development cost reports, and variance analyses
- Ensure appropriate accounting treatment of development costs, capitalized expenditures, financing costs, and other project-related transactions
- Support project setup, administration, and financial management throughout the development lifecycle
- Monitor project cash flows and banking activities across active developments
- Prepare and maintain cash flow forecasts to support project planning, financing requirements, and strategic decision-making
- Manage lender reporting requirements, construction financing draws, and supporting documentation
- Oversee letters of credit, financing obligations, and other project-related treasury activities
- Collaborate with development and construction teams to monitor project budgets, commitments, and costs
- Analyze project performance and identify financial risks, cost variances, and opportunities for improvement
- Review and interpret development-related agreements, including construction contracts, consultant agreements, joint venture arrangements, and financing documentation
- Support project closeout activities and the transition of completed developments into operational phases
- Establish and maintain effective internal controls, accounting policies, and financial procedures
- Coordinate year-end audits and prepare supporting schedules and financial documentation
- Ensure compliance with accounting standards, lender requirements, and contractual obligations
- Identify and implement process improvements that enhance reporting accuracy, efficiency, and scalability
- Provide leadership, mentorship, and oversight to project accounting team members
- Review accounting work, provide technical guidance, and support the professional development of staff
- Partner with finance leadership on strategic initiatives, resource planning, and continuous improvement projects
What You Bring
- CPA designation required
- Progressive accounting experience within real estate development, construction, or project-based environments
- Strong understanding of the residential development lifecycle, including budgeting, cost tracking, construction financing, and project closeout
- Experience overseeing full-cycle accounting and financial reporting across multiple projects or entities
- Strong knowledge of development-related contracts, joint venture structures, lender reporting requirements, and project financing arrangements
- Experience managing cash flow forecasting, treasury functions, and financing activities
- Proven experience leading month-end and year-end close processes
- Previous leadership experience supervising, mentoring, and developing accounting professionals
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills
- Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities with the capacity to work effectively across finance, development, and construction teams
- Experience supporting high-rise residential, mixed-use, land development, or large-scale construction projects is highly preferred
- Exposure to cost-sharing arrangements, project partnerships, and complex development structures is considered an asset
- Experience managing construction draws and development-related reporting requirements is highly desirable
- Experience working within multi-project or multi-entity environments is preferred
Why Join
This is an opportunity to join a respected real estate development organization and play a key leadership role in the financial management of active development projects. The position offers broad exposure to project finance, treasury management, development operations, and strategic decision-making while working alongside experienced finance, development, and construction professionals.
