Expense Controller - Atlanta, GA

Cortland•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

At Cortland, we operate with a forward-thinking approach that challenges conventional norms and actively seeks insights beyond traditional industry boundaries. As a recognized leader in the multifamily sector, our focus on performance, innovation, and disciplined execution continues to drive strong growth and market leadership. We are committed to building a best-in-class organization by empowering top talent with the resources, autonomy, and support needed to deliver results and advance their careers in a high-performance environment. Role Overview As the Expense Controller, you will lead the organization’s approach to managing all non‑property operating expenses with clarity, discipline, and true ownership. You will ensure every major expense category has a defined owner, an approved budget, and ongoing accountability, while reducing unmanaged or low‑value spend and strengthening transparency across corporate and shared‑service costs. Serving as the central authority for corporate, G&A, and shared‑service expenses, you will unify FP&A, Procurement, and Corporate Accounting under a single governance model—aligning planning, sourcing, spending, and reporting to improve visibility and enhance the company’s overall cost structure. Your impact will be measured through complete expense ownership coverage, reductions in unbudgeted spend, improved forecast accuracy, and delivering tangible, measurable cost savings.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business (MBA/CPA preferred)
8+ years experience in finance, operations, or expense management; Real estate experience preferred
Strong understanding of expense structures, budgeting, forecasting, cost controls, and financial governance
Working knowledge of GAAP, expense classification, accruals, and financial control frameworks
Experience partnering cross‑functionally with FP&A, Procurement, Accounting, and business leaders
Proven ability to review, challenge, and influence spending decisions at all levels of the organization
Proficiency with ERP systems, budgeting tools, and financial reporting platforms
Advanced Excel and strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex spend data
Skilled communicator who can present clearly to executives and drive alignment across teams
Demonstrated ability to build structure, create consistency, and establish effective processes
Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving clarity, accountability, and discipline

Nice To Haves

MBA/CPA preferred
Real estate experience preferred

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a clear enterprise-wide expense governance framework.
Define major expense categories, assign owners, and set decision rights and approval paths.
Align cross functional teams on expectations, standards, and reporting to ensure consistency across departments.
Oversee corporate and shared-service spend areas (G&A, IT, payroll-related costs, marketing, professional services, and more).
Review and validate spend requests, renewals, and contracts to ensure they align with business needs and budgets.
Partner with leaders to understand cost drivers, resource needs, and run rate impacts.
Own and refine the T&E policy and identify opportunities to streamline duplicative tools and subscriptions.
Align expense owners with annual budgets, forecasts, and financial plans.
Provide insights to FP&A on trends, commitments, and risks.
Monitor budget vs. actuals, analyze variances, and drive timely corrective actions.
Equip expense owners with tools and guidance to build accurate forecasts.
Partner with Procurement on vendor consolidation, contract negotiations, and sourcing alignment.
Ensure spend aligns with approved contracts and vendor performance expectations.
Strengthen processes for RFPs, renewals, and vendor selections.
Maintain visibility into total cost of ownership for major vendor relationships.
Ensure accurate classification, accruals, and adherence to accounting standards.
Reduce post-close adjustments through improved upstream documentation and accuracy.
Partner with Accounting on coding, timing, and reconciliation practices.
Support consistent expense metrics and resolve recurring misclassification issues.
Create executive-ready dashboards and reporting that highlight key trends and opportunities.
Lead or support cost optimization initiatives and track financial impact.
Provide insights that inform vendor decisions, resource allocation, and demand management.
Maintain a regular cadence of executive-level expense reviews.