Accounting Manager (Real Estate)

SVA Careers•Brookfield, WI

About The Position

SVA is hiring an Accounting Manager for its Real Estate team in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The Manager serves as a liaison among principals, clients, and accounting staff and is generally responsible for all phases of moderate to complex assurance and tax engagements for affordable housing and real estate clients, including Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) entities. The role promotes efficient operations through staff management, workflow planning, and broad business decisions informed by economic and political trends and potential legislation affecting clients. The Manager is expected to develop expertise in LIHTC compliance, partnership taxation, affordable housing reporting, and related regulatory requirements. The position combines client engagement leadership, staff supervision and development, and professional, personal, and business development. Workload is typically 55 hours per week during busy season, including weekends, and 40–45 hours per week during non-busy season.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or a related field.
At least 5 years of public accounting experience, including experience serving affordable housing, real estate, and/or LIHTC clients.
CPA certification.
Maintain client confidentiality in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and SVA policies and procedures.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of partnership taxation, affordable housing accounting, LIHTC compliance, and real estate financial reporting.
Familiarity with HUD, RD, and state housing authority reporting requirements.

Responsibilities

Coordinate affordable housing and LIHTC audit and tax engagements from planning through fieldwork, review, and client communication.
Monitor engagement progress against budgeted time, expenses, and scheduled completion dates; ensure work is properly sequenced and anticipate issues.
Supervise preparation of client deliverables and evaluate staff-prepared internal controls.
Maintain ongoing client relationships and understanding of client operations and compliance requirements; serve as the primary contact for new client onboarding.
Keep the In-Charge informed of engagement developments and communicate major problems, facts, conclusions, and recommendations.
Prepare monthly billings and maintain client confidentiality in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and SVA policies.
Advise clients on affordable housing compliance and reporting, including applicable HUD, RD, and state housing agency requirements.
Assign work based on staff knowledge and capabilities; prepare and discuss performance evaluations; train and guide staff and provide constructive work-paper feedback.
Lead staff development, engagement, retention, recognition, and career planning; conduct stay interviews and work with leadership to address themes.
Identify recruitment needs and participate in interview panels; identify low performance and have direct conversations focused on appropriate improvement or transition while retaining qualified staff.
Align staff with firm strategy and communicate developments and rationale.
Work with a mentor on career development, research complex topics, and present concise analytical findings and recommendations.
Participate in or lead SVA and community events and professional, civic, or charitable organizations; actively participate in a business or industry association.
Use learning opportunities, refine project management skills, mentor accounting staff, and develop business consulting acumen.
Expand services for existing clients, develop and present training, write articles for publication, lead moderate to complex internal projects, and network with centers of influence.
Achieve client retention and new and existing cross-selling and upselling goals.
Perform other duties as assigned.