Bisnow
Senior Real Estate Development Accountant
Job description
Responsibilities Development, Construction Financial Oversight & Leadership
- Participate in development project meetings to provide financial updates, assess risk, and support business decision-making.
- Review proposals and contracts for fiscal responsibility, completeness, and consistency with billing and documentation requirements.
- Prepare budget-to-actual analyses and variance reports for leadership and external stakeholders.
- Coordinate with tax advisors, external accountants, agencies, and partners on key deliverables, including development budgets, eligible basis calculations, carryover allocations, cost certifications, bond tests (50%/25%), and 8609 filings.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory, lender, investor, and funding requirements.
- Serve as a financial liaison with syndicators, lenders, and housing agencies, responding to inquiries and supporting reporting needs.
Development & Construction Budget Management
- Partner with Project Managers to maintain and update detailed development and construction budgets.
- Establish and maintain project controls within Yardi, including job cost budgets, contracts, sources and uses, and expense tracking.
- Review and code development and construction transactions to ensure accurate cost allocation.
- Prepare anticipated cost reports, cash flow projections, and other financial analyses.
- Reconcile intercompany transactions, including due-to/due-from accounts.
- Maintain organized project documentation to support audits, compliance reviews, and funder reporting.
- Support monthly close and annual audit processes related to the development pipeline.
Construction Loan Draw Administration
- Lead the construction loan draw process across multiple active development projects.
- Prepare, review, and submit draw packages to lenders, investors, and public agencies.
- Coordinate supporting documentation, including pay applications, lien waivers, title reports, inspection reports, and cost backup.
- Track sources and uses of funds to ensure compliance with approved budgets and financing requirements.
- Monitor contingency balances and exposure.
- Coordinate with vendors and project teams to ensure invoices align with contracts, change orders, and approved budgets.
- Reconcile draw activity across Yardi job cost, general ledger, bank statements, and lender tracking systems.
- Monitor draw schedules to ensure timely reimbursement of project expenditures.
- Approve invoices and coordinate with Accounts Payable on vendor setup and payment processing.
- Support project closeout activities, including final cost certification, reconciliations, and documentation.
Finance Operations & Process Improvement
- Serve as a key cross-functional partner on development finance matters, including cash management, funding timelines, and compliance.
- Collaborate with Finance, IT, and external consultants to improve accounting systems and processes, including Yardi optimization initiatives.
- Support the development and implementation of standard operating procedures related to development finance activities.
- Recommend and implement enhancements to internal controls and accounting processes.
- Partner with Asset Management on financial reporting, operating budgets, REO reporting, and contingent liability tracking.
- Assist with tax filings and reporting for affiliated entities.
- Ensure all financial reporting complies with GAAP and applicable accounting standards.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; CPA preferred.
- 5–8+ years of accounting experience within real estate development, with significant exposure to affordable housing projects.
- Demonstrated experience managing construction loan draws and development/construction budgets.
- Strong knowledge of LIHTC transactions and affordable housing financing structures.
- Advanced proficiency in Yardi, including job cost, general ledger, and reporting functions.
- Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, financial modeling, and budget tracking.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced development environment.


