Senior Vice President of Finance & Analytics
Location: New York, NY (Hybrid, with occasional travel)
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
The Opportunity
Premier Executive Search is partnering with a growing, privately held real estate investment and operating company to identify a Senior Vice President of Finance & Analytics. This is a highly visible executive leadership opportunity for a strategic, analytical, and hands‑on finance executive who can build a scalable finance organization and play a critical role in driving business performance. The company operates a diversified, multi‑state real estate portfolio and is investing in its financial infrastructure, technology, reporting capabilities, and leadership team to support continued growth.
The ideal candidate combines institutional financial discipline with an entrepreneurial mindset and has a demonstrated ability to connect financial results with operational performance, leverage technology and data analytics, and translate complex information into actionable business insights. This is not simply a traditional accounting leadership role. We are seeking someone who can think strategically, challenge existing processes, build effective systems and teams, and serve as a trusted business partner to the CEO.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Finance, Analytics & Business Partnership
- Serve as a strategic financial adviser and business partner to the CEO and executive leadership team.
- Develop comprehensive financial and operational reporting that provides meaningful visibility into business performance, profitability, cash flow, and investment returns.
- Connect financial, operational, and business data to identify trends, forecast future performance, and drive informed decisions.
- Partner closely with operations, asset management, and technology teams to establish meaningful KPIs, dashboards, and business intelligence reporting.
- Evaluate financial performance at the property, portfolio, and corporate levels.
- Translate complex financial information into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leadership, investors, and other stakeholders.
- Support strategic planning, capital allocation, investment decisions, and business growth initiatives.
- Provide executive oversight of corporate, property‑level, and fund accounting across multiple entities.
- Establish institutional‑quality financial controls, accounting policies, and reporting procedures.
- Oversee and continuously improve the monthly financial close process, targeting completion within 15 business days, with opportunities for further acceleration.
- Ensure accurate and timely consolidated financial statements, investor reporting, and annual audits.
- Oversee compliance with GAAP and applicable accounting standards.
- Partner with accounting leadership to strengthen infrastructure, standardize processes, and improve financial reporting accuracy.
- Ensure financial information is reliable, consistent, and readily accessible for business decision‑making.
- Establish sophisticated forecasting and financial planning processes that support both strategic and operational decision‑making.
- Develop reliable rolling 90‑day cash flow forecasts and proactively identify liquidity requirements.
- Oversee cash management, treasury activities, banking relationships, and debt compliance.
- Partner with operations and asset management on corporate and property‑level budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis.
- Evaluate financial performance against business plans and identify opportunities to improve profitability and operating efficiency.
- Provide financial oversight of investment funds, financing arrangements, lender reporting, and investor requirements.
Technology, Data Analytics & Process Transformation
- Lead initiatives to modernize financial systems, reporting capabilities, and business intelligence.
- Partner with technology and operations to integrate financial, operational, and business data across the organization.
- Leverage AI, automation, and advanced analytical tools to improve forecasting, reporting accuracy, and organizational efficiency.
- Evaluate and optimize ERP, property management, and reporting platforms, including Yardi or comparable systems.
- Reduce reliance on manual spreadsheets and fragmented reporting processes by implementing scalable technology solutions.
- Establish consistent data definitions, reporting standards, and performance metrics across the organization.
- Identify opportunities to use technology and analytics to improve operational performance and executive decision‑making.
Leadership & Organizational Development
- Build, develop, and lead a high‑performing finance and accounting organization.
- Evaluate existing processes, systems, and team capabilities to determine the optimal future‑state finance structure.
- Determine the appropriate balance of internal resources and outsourced accounting and financial support.
- Recruit, mentor, and develop finance leaders, including Controller and FP&A leadership positions.
- Establish clear accountability, measurable performance objectives, and a culture of continuous improvement.
- Serve as an influential and collaborative member of the executive leadership team.
- Partner across departments to improve communication, accountability, and financial discipline.
- Provide executive oversight of corporate insurance programs, including coverage, renewals, claims, and risk management.
- Oversee cybersecurity risk management in partnership with technology and external providers.
- Provide oversight of payroll, HR administration, employee benefits, and related compliance.
- Coordinate with external auditors, tax advisers, insurance brokers, and other professional service providers.
- Ensure appropriate controls, processes, and accountability across these functions.
Qualifications & Experience
Required Qualifications
- Significant progressive leadership experience in finance and accounting, ideally at the VP, SVP, or CFO level.
- Strong real estate industry experience, including property‑level financial reporting, multi‑entity accounting, and consolidated financial statements.
- Experience within a sophisticated institutional environment, combined with an entrepreneurial, hands‑on approach to building and improving organizations.
- Demonstrated success building, transforming, or significantly improving finance and accounting functions.
- Exceptional analytical capabilities, including financial modeling, forecasting, and the ability to connect financial results with operational and business performance.
- Strong understanding of accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, cash management, and financial planning.
- Experience using technology, data analytics, and financial systems to improve reporting and business decision‑making.
- Ability to work effectively with senior executives, investors, lenders, and cross‑functional leadership teams.
- Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- A proactive, solutions‑oriented mindset with a demonstrated ability to execute and deliver measurable results.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
Preferred Qualifications
- CPA designation and public accounting experience, ideally with a Big Four or other recognized public accounting firm.
- Experience in residential real estate, multifamily housing, student housing, or comparable property operating businesses.
- Experience with real estate investment funds, fund accounting, institutional investors, and complex ownership structures.
- Experience with Yardi or similar property management and accounting systems.
- Experience implementing business intelligence tools, dashboards, AI‑enabled processes, and reporting automation.
- Experience overseeing both internal and outsourced finance and accounting teams.
- Experience within private equity‑backed, institutionally owned, or entrepreneurial real estate organizations.
The Ideal Candidate
We are seeking an executive who brings a combination of the following characteristics:
Strategic and Highly Analytical: Understands the relationship between financial results, operating metrics, and business strategy. Can identify trends, anticipate challenges, and translate data into meaningful business decisions.
Institutional Experience with an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Has worked in sophisticated financial environments but thrives in a growing organization where processes and infrastructure are still being developed.
Builder and Problem Solver: Has a proven track record of improving systems, developing teams, strengthening reporting, and implementing scalable processes.
Technology Forward: Comfortable leveraging financial systems, automation, AI, and business intelligence to improve efficiency and provide greater visibility into business performance.
Hands‑On Executive Leader: Equally comfortable discussing strategic initiatives with the CEO and rolling up their sleeves to solve operational or financial challenges.
Collaborative and Engaging: A strong communicator who builds relationships across departments, motivates teams, and contributes positively to the organization's culture.
Results Oriented: Focused on measurable outcomes, accountability, and continuous improvement rather than simply maintaining existing processes.
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 12 months, the successful candidate will:
- Build an effective and scalable finance and accounting organization.
- Establish reliable financial reporting and achieve a consistent monthly close within 15 business days, with a focus on continued improvement.
- Implement accurate 90‑day cash flow forecasting and strengthen liquidity management.
- Deliver clean audits and institutional‑quality accounting controls.
- Develop meaningful financial and operational reporting that helps leadership understand business performance and make better decisions.
- Improve budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis across the portfolio.
- Implement technology and automation initiatives that reduce manual work and improve data accuracy.
- Strengthen cross‑functional collaboration between finance, operations, and technology.
- Establish measurable KPIs and accountability throughout the finance organization.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a growing real estate investment and operating platform. The SVP will work directly with the CEO, help shape the organization's financial strategy, build a high‑performing team, and play a central role in modernizing financial infrastructure and driving operational excellence.
The position offers significant leadership visibility, autonomy, and the ability to influence the company's long‑term growth.
Premier Executive Search is an equal opportunity recruiting firm. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to legally protected characteristics.