Accounting Manager — South Bay (LA), California | Pacific Executive Search

Accounting Manager

(Job ID: 1930)

South Bay (LA), California

On-Site

Direct Hire

Real Estate

$125,000 – $155,000 base

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Overview

Join a dynamic real estate investment management firm as an Accounting Manager, where you will play a pivotal role in leading accounting and financial reporting across various real estate fund structures. This position offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional teams, including asset management and investor relations, in a highly collaborative and innovative environment. As you contribute to the firm’s growth, you will also have the chance to mentor junior staff and drive process improvements, enhancing your career trajectory in the real estate private equity sector.

Responsibilities

Oversee accounting and financial reporting for real estate funds, holding companies, and property-level entities, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
Review and validate monthly and quarterly NAV calculations and partner capital account activities to support informed decision-making.
Manage complex ownership structures, including waterfalls and carried interest allocations, to optimize fund performance.
Prepare and review quarterly and annual GAAP financial statements, enhancing transparency for stakeholders.
Lead year-end audits, serving as the primary liaison for external auditors and coordinating with tax advisors on partnership allocations and K-1 reporting.
Consolidate property-level financials and operating results across portfolios, supporting acquisition and disposition accounting.
Enhance internal controls and cash forecasting processes while improving reporting systems and accounting workflows.

Qualifications

Must-Have:
5–8+ years of accounting experience, specifically within real estate private equity funds or related environments.
Strong understanding of partnership accounting, capital calls, distributions, and multi-entity consolidations.
Experience collaborating with fund administrators and managing complex financial structures.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
Nice-to-Have:
CPA certification or progress toward certification.
Familiarity with accounting software such as Yardi, Investran, MRI, or Juniper Square.
Public accounting experience with real estate clients, particularly with Big 4 or mid-tier firms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Accounting Manager hires fail?
Because companies hire for close execution when the real need is issue ownership and team leadership. Many candidates can manage a checklist. Far fewer can stabilize the function under pressure, improve weak processes, coach staff, and hold the line during audit, turnover, or reporting stress.
What are strong Accounting Manager candidates evaluating during the interview process?
They are usually trying to understand whether they are walking into a stable environment, a cleanup situation, or an under-resourced function. Strong candidates do not just evaluate title and compensation. They assess whether success is realistically achievable and whether leadership understands what the accounting team actually needs.
Why are SaaS accounting and finance roles different from general corporate roles?
Because recurring revenue models create different pressure points around revenue recognition, deferred revenue, forecasting, metrics, and scale. Even strong general accounting or finance candidates can struggle if they have not operated in an environment where recurring revenue and growth-stage process discipline matter.
Is the CPA really required for roles like this?
Sometimes yes, and often functionally yes even when the posting says "preferred." At leadership levels especially, the CPA frequently acts as a credibility signal for hiring managers, auditors, lenders, investors, or boards. There are exceptions, but in many accounting searches it remains one of the clearest markers of technical foundation.
How do strong candidates typically evaluate opportunities like this?
Strong candidates rarely evaluate a role based on title alone. They look at what the position actually owns, how the function is viewed internally, whether the environment is stable or in transition, and what success will realistically look like in the first 6 to 12 months. Many first discover a role through a posting, but the strongest career decisions usually come from understanding the context behind the opportunity, not just the job description. In accounting and finance hiring, that level of context is often what separates a lateral move from a meaningful one. Learn more about how strategic accounting and finance searches differ from transactional recruiting.