Manager, Fund Accounting

Cardinal Group Companies; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 100,000 - 121,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, vision, dental, and pet 보험

401(k) retirement plan

Student loan assistance

Licensing and continuing education

Parental leave

Housing allowances or gifts

Job summary

Cardinal Group Companies seeks a Fund Accounting Manager to lead the monthly and annual reporting for student housing funds, reporting to the VP of Finance and Sr Associate of Finance. You will oversee cash management, capital calls, investor distributions, and complex waterfall models while coordinating audits, tax returns, and GP/ platform compliance.

The role requires 5–7+ years in fund accounting, Big 4 exposure, and a CPA.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of accounting experience in real estate/private equity or investment management.
• Public accounting background (Big 4 or national firm) preferred.
• CPA certification strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee quarterly and annual financial reporting lifecycle for student housing investments.
• Direct day-to-day cash management, capital calls, investor distributions, and waterfall models.
• Lead annual audit process and coordination of partnership tax returns (Form 1065, K‑1).
• Oversee property-to-fund accounting tie-outs for acquisitions, dispositions, refinances.
• Supervise and mentor senior and staff accountants; coordinate with external service providers.
• Support GP vehicle reporting, SEC compliance, and portfolio analytics.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Waterfall distribution modeling

Excel modeling

Partnership accounting

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

CPA license

Tools

Yardi

Entrata

TaskRay

Job description

POSITION: Fund Accounting Manager (Exempt, Salaried, Full-Time)

COMPENSATION: Pursuant to Colorado regulations, if this job is performed in Colorado, the salary range is $100,000 - $120,500 plus bonus potential. Eligible to participate in the company benefits plan. We offer health, vision, dental, and pet insurance. We offer a 401(k) retirement plan, student loan assistance, licensing and continuing education reimbursement, parental leave, and housing allowances or gifts.

Summary

The Accounting/Fund Manager will join a fast-moving team and contribute to the integrity and accuracy of monthly reporting and strategic analysis to contribute to the scalability and growth of the investment company. Working alongside the VP of Finance and Sr Associate of Finance, you’ll support a broad base of fund responsibilities and have a supervisory role. You will gain exposure to a breadth of experiences within this dynamic investment company, with focused responsibility over fund accounting including month‐end processing, period‐end reporting, general ledger, investment/investor management, process improvements, compliance responsibilities and special projects.

Responsibilities

• Financial Reporting Oversight: Manage the full quarterly and annual financial reporting lifecycle for all student housing investment vehicles, performing detailed reviews of financial statements, investor reports, capital account statements, and workpapers prepared by internal teams and third-party fund administrators.
• Fund Operations & Cash Management: Direct day-to-day cash management operations, including reviewing and approving capital calls, investor distributions, cash flow forecasts, management fee calculations, and complex waterfall/distribution models (including GP promote and TIC structures).
• Audit & Tax Coordination: Lead the annual audit process and collaborate with external tax advisors and internal stakeholders to oversee the timely delivery of partnership tax returns (Form 1065), Schedules K‑1, quarterly REIT testing, and TRS compliance.
• Property & Investment Accounting Integration: Oversee property‑to‑fund level accounting tie‑outs across student housing assets, ensuring accurate transaction accounting for acquisitions, dispositions, refinances, and recapitalizations.
• Team & Service Provider Management: Serve as the primary liaison for third‑party fund administrators, property management teams, and external service providers while supervising, mentoring, and reviewing the work of senior and staff investment accountants.
• GP & Platform Compliance: Support general partner vehicle reporting, SEC compliance requirements, corporate investment buy‑in programs, and portfolio‑level analytics to drive performance insights across the student housing platform.

Qualifications

• Experience: 5–7+ years of progressive accounting experience, with a background in public accounting (Big 4 or national firm preferred) and/or in‑house fund accounting at a real estate private equity or investment management firm.
• Education & Credential: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required; CPA license required.
• Technical Accounting Expertise: Strong technical knowledge of GAAP and partnership accounting, with hands‑on experience in financial statement preparation, complex waterfall distribution modeling, and LP/GP structures.
• Tax & Compliance Knowledge: Solid understanding of partnership tax compliance (Form 1065, Schedules K‑1), REIT qualification testing, and TRS operations within real estate investment structures.
• Systems & Software Proficiency: High proficiency in MS Excel (advanced modeling) and real estate enterprise systems (e.g., Yardi, Entrata, TaskRay, or fund administration technology platforms).
• Leadership & Execution: Proven track record of managing projects, overseeing internal staff and external service providers, and collaborating cross‑functionally in a fast‑paced environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Incumbents work both inside and outside of apartment buildings and in all areas of the property including amenities and have frequent exposure to outside elements where temperature, weather, odors, and/or landscape may be unpleasant and/or hazardous.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is regularly required to use hands to finger, type, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The Team Member regularly required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms, and climb, stoop, or squat. Incumbents must be able to physically access all exterior and interior parts of the property and amenities and must be able to work inside and outside in all weather conditions including, but not limited to rain, snow, heat, hail, wind and sleet.

The Team Member must be able to push, pull, lift, carry, or maneuver weights of up to twenty (20) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Rare or regular travel may be required to assist properties as needed, attend training classes or other situations necessary for the accomplishment of some or all of the daily responsibilities of this position.

The above job description is not intended to be an all‑inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their Team Leader.