Senior Project Accountant - Client Accounting Services, Real Estate

Baker Tilly•Madison, WI

About The Position

Are you ready for a new accounting challenge? Do you want to use your experience from public or private accounting in a new way? We’re looking for a Senior Project Accountant to join our outsourced client accounting practice. In this role, you will work in a cloud based environment and serve as a Project Accountant for multiple clients across the country, working with a team of professionals to provide property accounting services to their businesses. Come and join a fast growing team, where we can offer you variety in your client work to help you grow your skills and a steady schedule to allow for a healthy work/life balance! You will enjoy this role if: You are looking for your next challenge, crave variety where no day is the same and feel your skills and experience can be better utilized You are comfortable using technology and would enjoy helping businesses become more automated through cloud based accounting solutions You are looking to be part of a fast growing, innovative practice where your hard work and creativity can help us continue to build, improve and advance You like a corporate accounting department schedule and environment, but also crave the investment in technology and training that an innovative CPA firm provides to accountants This role is a fit for you if you are: Looking to work within a team environment to help serve our clients as their outsourced accounting leader. A creative problem solver who enjoys learning new businesses and has the desire to become an advisor to clients in order to help them achieve their goals and dreams. Organized and able to push for high quality, efficient and profitable client engagements. A team player with strong communication skills and desire to work collaboratively with others to meet client needs. An accounting professional who enjoys staying on top of accounting trends and best practices. A detail orientated team member who can successfully work on multiple clients and juggle competing priorities. Passionate about learning and growing and someone who wants to offer best in class service to our clients. What you will do: The Senior Project Accountant is a key team member within Baker Tilly’s CAS Real Estate outsourced real estate property accounting practice.

Requirements

Three (3)+ years well-rounded experience in a Real Estate Accounting firm will provide an edge in joining this firm committed to quality client service.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field; CPA is preferred
Knowledge of accounting, bookkeeping and payroll principles related to classifying, recording, and summarizing data and making computations to compile and keep financial records.
Real estate property accounting experience, preferred.
Proficient with MS Office software
Critical thinking ability and a track record of solving problems and driving projects to completion
Ability to communicate information succinctly and anticipate and resolve issues/problems on a proactive basis.
Aptitude to be detail-oriented, yet flexible, in a dynamic environment with a focus on meeting deadlines.
Excellent collaborative skills to work in partnership with colleagues and across various departments
Strong work ethic with the highest degree of honesty, integrity and discretion
Possess excellent collaborative skills to work in partnership with colleagues and across various departments.
Eligibility to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

Coordinate Draw Request including, but not limited to Remittance Requests, Vendor Invoices, Lien Waivers, Change Orders and Identification of Funding Sources
Roll forward the Sworn Owner’s Statements (SOS)
Input hard costs and soft costs, including the construction management fees which are to be computed and an invoice prepared
Identify reimbursement costs, batch all hard & soft costs in the SOS into a single batch
Submit copies of the Draw Request to the inspecting architect, title company and Investors / Partners as directed for approval
Request debt as per the client approved SOS
Confirm all funds (e.g. Equity and Tenant Funds not directed to be deposited to the title company) have been received
Prepare a Funding Request to fund Draw Request and submit for approval of same.
Notify vendors of the release of funds as soon as the title company releases funds to vendors
Review hard and soft costs on the Draw Request as follows; Identify each invoice with a draw number that corresponds to the Draw Request being issued; Review the coding on all vendor payments to ensure it is properly coded to the correct Fixed Asset (e.g. Land, Land Improvement, Bldg Improvement, Development Costs, Soft Costs, Lease cost or expense); Include the proper description on each invoice (e.g. General contractor, permits, consulting, engineering, utilities, etc.); Ensure proper Job Cost Code is inputted on each vendor payment; Ensure that the total to be funded on the SOS reconciles to the batch total in AvidXchange payment file prior to exporting the batch to Yardi; Review of Draw Request for accuracy and completeness ensuring that all vendor invoices reconcile to the SOS
Reconcile AvidXchange batch to the total that the title company is releasing. When the above is reconciled, export the batch from AvidXchange to Yardi.
Record the Draw Request as follows; Record the wire transfers made per the funding request into general ledger module via manual recording or automated upload; Record and post receipt of funds from equity partners into the general ledger module (Debit Cash / Credit Ownership Contribution); Prepare, review and post the invoices from AvidXchange to Yardi via a 'manual' check run of which said posting shall equal the amount paid to the vendors (less any reimbursements as applicable and permitted by the lender) on the SOS. Debit to capital or expense accounts and credit to draw clearing account Prepare, review and post the Draw Request made by the title company representing the loan proceeds disbursed. Debit to Draw Clearing Account and Credit to loan payable or representing the equity funding from the property; Debit to Draw Clearing Account and Credit to 1110 (or applicable operating cash account). Record interest expense (capitalizing where necessary) and increase the loan payable accordingly
Ensure that the loan payable reconciles to the loan statement and post the interest payment in the general ledger module.
Reconcile the general ledger (Fixed Asset -WIP accounts) to the cumulative Draw Requests, including all non-Draw related items (e.g. capitalized interest, capitalized depreciation & amortization, etc.)
Reconcile all construction activities to the Fixed Asset -WIP accounts including all non-draw related activity (e.g. capitalized interest, capitalized depreciation and amortization, etc.)
Deliver best-in-class customer service to clients at all times, with an emphasis on being responsive, timely, professional, and accurate.
Utilize your entrepreneurial skills to network and build strong relationships internally and externally with clients and the community.
Act as liaison to address and resolve client issues, and assist team leaders in researching and providing additional services to client.
Continuously evaluate processes and procedures within the client services and implementation functions with emphasis on implementing efficiencies and identification of internal control issues.
Assist with the training and counseling of team members, and with developing performance measures that support the team’s strategic direction.
Assist in developing and maintaining a culture of teamwork, client service and effective problem solving.
Comply with continuing education requirements; participate in professional organizations, independent study, etc. and integrate new knowledge and skills into daily work and share with colleagues as appropriate.
Invest in your professional development individually and through participation in firm wide learning and development programs
Support the growth and development of team members through the Baker Tilly Care and Teach philosophy, helping associates meet their professional goals
Assist in ad-hoc projects and activities where necessary and/or appropriate to foster growth and best practices of the business unit