Controller

Rippling, Inc.; Fairfield (CT); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Felner seeks a Controller to lead the accounting function for our commercial real estate investments and HOA/condominium communities. You will own GAAP-compliant financial reporting, supervise a team of Property Accountants, and guide closing cycles, audits, and tax support.

You will direct client invoicing, CAM and reserve planning, new property and company integrations, and internal controls. The role requires seven+ years of experience, CPA preferred, and proven leadership in real estate

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Seven or more years of progressive accounting experience, including at least three years supervising an accounting team.
• Demonstrated command of U.S. GAAP and the full-cycle close for multi-entity portfolios.
• Direct experience with real estate, property management, or community association accounting.
• Experience coordinating external audit and tax engagements.
• Proficiency with property management or real estate ERP systems and advanced Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Direct the accounting department in the preparation and review of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements for commercial real estate investments and HOA/condominium communities.
• Ensure all financial reporting is accurate, timely, and compliant with U.S. GAAP.
• Review and approve complex journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial analyses prepared by Property Accountants.
• Establish and maintain consistent, high-quality financial reporting standards across the organization.
• Serve as the primary financial point of contact for clients, responding to high-level accounting and financial inquiries.
• Provide financial insight and explanation on property performance, budgets, reserves, and financial strategy.
• Resolve complex accounting matters and provide technical guidance to internal staff.
• Direct the preparation and review of client financial statements, budget adjustments, journal entries, account reconciliations, and cash flow projections.
• Lead the preparation and review of annual operating budgets, CAM reconciliations, and reserve analyses.
• Confirm that monthly assessments charged agree to budgeted amounts, and investigate and resolve variances.
• Oversee the financial preparation supporting client tax returns in coordination with external tax professionals and the internal accounting team.
• Direct the preparation and review of annual financial reporting packages used for tax purposes.
• Review financial data and reporting to confirm tax compliance and accuracy, and advise on tax-related accounting matters.
• Own the annual vendor 1099 process end-to-end, including vendor data integrity, review, and filing.
• Oversee preparation of the financial documentation and supporting schedules required for community association audits.
• Coordinate with external auditors throughout annual audit engagements and manage the request list to completion.
• Ensure documentation, reconciliations, and financial support are complete and available in advance to facilitate an efficient audit.
• Oversee and review Schedule A (Brookes) invoicing, confirming that community management fees agree to the internal tracker, that overtime hours are billed back correctly, and that credit card bill-backs are captured.
• Oversee maintenance invoicing, including credit card reconciliation, supply bill-back review, and overtime bill-back accuracy.
• Oversee porter invoicing, including receipt and bill-back of all Advantage supply invoices, receipt at the corporate level of all JAJ invoices used by Advantage subcontractors, and delivery of quarterly supply catch-up invoices to Continuum.
• Confirm and collect one-off invoicing with John Speed on a monthly basis and provide supporting detail to Continuum.
• Establish opening financial entries carried over from prior management.
• Reconcile inherited historical ledger data and resolve opening balance differences.
• Open and establish property bank accounts.
• Set up recurring management fee contracts in the ERP.
• Establish payroll for on-site employees, including union setup where applicable.
• Serve as the accounting point of contact for clients post-transition.
• Establish opening financial entries for legacy company properties.
• Obtain access to the legacy company’s historical financial data and supporting technology.
• Import and reconcile historical data into the ERP.
• Confirm that monthly recurring contracts, including insurance and loans, are received and entered into the ERP.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of Property Accountants.
• Deliver technical training and guidance on complex accounting matters and processes.
• Implement best practices for internal controls, financial processes, and reporting procedures.
• Review accounting workflows on an ongoing basis to improve efficiency and reporting quality.
• Support the accounting team in maintaining high standards of accuracy and responsiveness.

Skills

GAAP expertise

Real estate accounting

ERP systems

Advanced Excel

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

Property management ERP

Job description

The Controller leads the accounting function for our company, with responsibility for the commercial real estate investment portfolio and the HOA and condominium communities the firm manages. The role owns the accuracy, timeliness, and GAAP compliance of all financial reporting; serves as the senior technical accounting resource for internal staff, clients, and external advisors; and directs the financial workstream for new property onboardings and new company integrations.

The Controller supervises and develops a team of Property Accountants and is accountable for internal controls, audit readiness, tax support, budgeting, and the accuracy of corporate and client invoicing. Success in the role is measured by clean and on-time close cycles, audit and tax engagements completed without material adjustment, complete and accurate bill-back capture, and transitioned properties fully reconciled and reporting on schedule.

What you'll do

• Direct the accounting department in the preparation and review of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements for commercial real estate investments and HOA/condominium communities.
• Ensure all financial reporting is accurate, timely, and compliant with U.S. GAAP.
• Review and approve complex journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial analyses prepared by Property Accountants.
• Establish and maintain consistent, high-quality financial reporting standards across the organization.

Technical Accounting & Client Advisory

• Serve as the primary financial point of contact for clients, responding to high-level accounting and financial inquiries.
• Provide financial insight and explanation on property performance, budgets, reserves, and financial strategy.
• Resolve complex accounting matters and provide technical guidance to internal staff.
• Direct the preparation and review of client financial statements, budget adjustments, journal entries, account reconciliations, and cash flow projections.

Budgeting, CAM, & Reserve Planning

• Lead the preparation and review of annual operating budgets, CAM reconciliations, and reserve analyses.
• Confirm that monthly assessments charged agree to budgeted amounts, and investigate and resolve variances.

Tax Reporting Oversight

• Oversee the financial preparation supporting client tax returns in coordination with external tax professionals and the internal accounting team.
• Direct the preparation and review of annual financial reporting packages used for tax purposes.
• Review financial data and reporting to confirm tax compliance and accuracy, and advise on tax-related accounting matters.
• Own the annual vendor 1099 process end-to-end, including vendor data integrity, review, and filing.

Audit Oversight

• Oversee preparation of the financial documentation and supporting schedules required for community association audits.
• Coordinate with external auditors throughout annual audit engagements and manage the request list to completion.
• Ensure documentation, reconciliations, and financial support are complete and available in advance to facilitate an efficient audit.

Corporate & Client Invoicing

• Oversee and review Schedule A (Brookes) invoicing, confirming that community management fees agree to the internal tracker, that overtime hours are billed back correctly, and that credit card bill-backs are captured.
• Oversee maintenance invoicing, including credit card reconciliation, supply bill-back review, and overtime bill-back accuracy.
• Oversee porter invoicing, including receipt and bill-back of all Advantage supply invoices, receipt at the corporate level of all JAJ invoices used by Advantage subcontractors, and delivery of quarterly supply catch-up invoices to Continuum.
• Confirm and collect one-off invoicing with John Speed on a monthly basis and provide supporting detail to Continuum.

New Property Integrations

• Establish opening financial entries carried over from prior management.
• Reconcile inherited historical ledger data and resolve opening balance differences.
• Open and establish property bank accounts.
• Set up recurring management fee contracts in the ERP.
• Establish payroll for on-site employees, including union setup where applicable.
• Serve as the accounting point of contact for clients post-transition.

New Company Integrations

• Establish opening financial entries for legacy company properties.
• Obtain access to the legacy company’s historical financial data and supporting technology.
• Import and reconcile historical data into the ERP.
• Confirm that monthly recurring contracts, including insurance and loans, are received and entered into the ERP.

Team Leadership & Process Improvement

• Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of Property Accountants.
• Deliver technical training and guidance on complex accounting matters and processes.
• Implement best practices for internal controls, financial processes, and reporting procedures.
• Review accounting workflows on an ongoing basis to improve efficiency and reporting quality.
• Support the accounting team in maintaining high standards of accuracy and responsiveness.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Seven or more years of progressive accounting experience, including at least three years supervising an accounting team.
• Demonstrated command of U.S. GAAP and the full-cycle close for multi-entity portfolios.
• Direct experience with real estate, property management, or community association accounting.
• Experience coordinating external audit and tax engagements.
• Proficiency with property management or real estate ERP systems and advanced Excel skills.

Preferred

• CPA license or active candidacy.
• Experience with HOA and condominium association accounting, including reserve studies and CAM reconciliations.
• Experience integrating acquired portfolios or companies, including opening balance sheet setup and historical data conversion.
• Familiarity with union payroll requirements for on-site personnel.

About Felner

Our team is the heartbeat of everything we do. We invest in our employees, offering continuous training and professional development opportunities so they can grow with us. We foster a collaborative and supportive work culture where everyone’s voice is valued, and innovation is encouraged. Whether you’re starting your career or looking to take the next step, you’ll find a dynamic and fulfilling role with room to advance.