Controller, Corporate

Forum Asset Management; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Controller to join their dynamic team in Toronto. This role is pivotal in overseeing financial reporting, compliance, and cash flow management, ensuring the organization's financial health. The ideal candidate will possess a CPA designation and extensive experience in accounting, with a strong focus on leadership and analytical skills. In this fast-paced environment, you will drive efficiency and innovation in financial processes while collaborating closely with various teams. If you are detail-oriented and passionate about financial excellence, this opportunity offers the chance to make a significant impact in a thriving organization committed to sustainable investing.

Qualifications

• CPA designation with 8-10 years of relevant experience in accounting.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail in financial operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial and compliance reporting for corporate and asset manager entities.
• Lead a team of accountants to ensure accurate financial processes.

Skills

Accounting

Analytical Skills

Leadership

Attention to Detail

Time Management

Communication Skills

Education

Professional Accounting Designation (CPA, CA)

8-10 years of relevant experience

Tools

Yardi

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Forum Asset Management – Controller, Corporate

Location: 181 Bay Street, Toronto

In Office: 5 days per week

Overview of Forum:

Join us in delivering Extraordinary Outcomes through investment.

Forum is an investor, developer and asset manager operating across North America for over 28 years, focusing on real estate, private equity and infrastructure, with a strategic concentration in housing.

Our AUM exceeds $3 billion. We are committed to sustainability, responsible investing and creating value that benefits our stakeholders and the communities in which we invest, what we call our Extraordinary Outcomes.

In 2024, Forum completed the largest real estate transaction in Canada with the Alignvest acquisition, making us the largest owner of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) in Canada through our $2.5B open ended Real Estate Income and Impact Fund (REIIF). Our national development pipeline now exceeds $3.5 billion, positioning Forum as the largest developer of PBSA in Canada, operating from coast to coast.

The Forum team is adaptable, agile, and dynamic, committed to sustainable and responsible investing. Our people bring diverse cultural backgrounds and professional experiences, fostering innovation and thought leadership. We uphold integrity, trust, and transparency as core values, knowing that to achieve Extraordinary Outcomes, we need to support and develop an Extraordinary team.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a Controller with strong accounting and analytical skills who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, and capable of effectively prioritizing workflows while meeting deadlines. A continuous improvement mindset is essential, along with the ability to provide valuable financial insights. This role requires a team player who is eager to learn, adaptable, and committed to driving efficiency and accuracy in financial operations.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial & Compliance Reporting:

• Oversee the timely completion of annual audits for corporate (ASPE) and asset manager (IFRS) entities.
• Ensure accurate and timely preparation of quarterly OSC compliance reporting for the asset manager entity.
• Oversee compliance reporting for credit agreements and investor commitments, ensuring adherence to contractual and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the preparation and review of monthly financial reporting packages for executive team review.
• Coordinate the timely completion of quarterly valuations, serving as the key liaison between the private equity and real estate teams.

Compensation:

• Oversee compensation plan tracking, ensuring accurate administration across multiple plan structures including stock option (executive plans), profit sharing (LTIP), deferred trust unit notional plans, etc.
• Manage and calculate profit-sharing allocations based on profit allocations as determined in the Investment Limited Partnership Agreements.
• Maintain and manage the corporate capitalization table, ensuring proper treatment and tracking of the Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP).
• Collaborate with Legal and Tax teams to execute settlement of employee compensation entitlements and facilitate employee subscriptions to various incentive plans.
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of payroll-related filings, including Employee T4s, EHT filings, WSIB filings, and responses to CRA payroll inquiries.

Treasury & Cashflow Management:

• Oversee corporate liquidity by monitoring daily and weekly cash positions.
• Manage cash flow forecasts monthly, providing recommendations on credit lines to meet short-term liquidity needs and optimize cash balances.
• Collaborate with investment and development teams to ensure accurate and up-to-date cash flow projections.
• Manage corporate banking access, ensuring appropriate employee access rights and maintaining robust payment processing controls.

Financial Analysis & Performance Measurement:

• Lead quarterly forecasting of the company’s Net Asset Value (NAV), working closely with investment teams to ensure accuracy in projected profits.
• Analyze business unit profitability, refining overhead cost allocation methodologies to enhance performance measurement by profit center.
• Maintain and manage the company’s investment performance track record and Assets Under Management (AUM) calculations.

People Management:

• Lead, develop, and motivate team of professional accountants to deliver results.
• Conduct performance reviews.
• Process Innovation and Controls:
• Identify and implement new ways to improve quality and efficiency of financial processes that achieve our continuous improvement objective.
• Conduct root cause analysis on process gaps and recommend improvements as appropriate.

Other:

• Resolve complex accounting issues escalated from team members and make recommendations.
• Full understanding of accounting regulations.
• First point of contact regarding problem resolution.
• Respond to internal and external requests for ad hoc analysis.

Candidate Profile:

• Accounting and a Professional Accounting Designation (CPA, CA).
• 8-10 years of relevant experience in a complex environment, with a minimum 4 years of post designation and 2 years of management/supervisory role.
• Proficiency with Yardi.
• Strong analytical, attention to detail and technical accounting (IFRS and ASPE).
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Results oriented, acts with a discernible sense of urgency.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.
• Independent, self-starter, and works well in a team-based environment.
• Able to work collaboratively and in partnership with other departments.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills and the ability to manage conflicting priorities within structured deadlines and deliverables.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate and build relationships across all levels within, as well as outside the organization.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• “Roll-up the sleeves” approach to accomplish all necessary tasks.

At Forum, we encourage diversity. We are committed to an inclusive workplace that reflects our belief that diversity is central to building a high-performing team. Forum is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing accessible employment practices. Should you require an accommodation during any phase of the recruitment process, please let the recruitment team know at [e-mail].