Vice President Finance/Controller

Macdonald & Company; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Macdonald & Company has been retained to appoint a VP Finance / Controller for its New York team, a senior, hands-on leader overseeing accounting and financial controls across corporate and project levels.

The role offers substantial exposure to ownership, influence over financial operations, and a platform with a significant development pipeline in New York and South Florida. Based in New York City, it requires close collaboration with leadership and a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.

Qualifications

• Real estate finance knowledge and project-level financial reporting.
• Experience building and improving accounting processes and controls.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting, cash management and treasury skills.
• Exposure to acquisitions, financings and lender reporting.
• Ability to lead teams and partner with ownership/senior leadership.
• Experience with multi-project accounting and development budgets.

Responsibilities

• Oversee corporate, property and development accounting across multiple projects and entities.
• Direct monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting for management and investors.
• Manage accounting for ground-up development and construction projects.
• Oversee construction draws, GL activity and draw scheduling.
• Maintain detailed project budgets and variance reporting for senior management.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, cash management, treasury and liquidity planning.
• Establish and improve financial controls, systems and procedures.
• Serve as main contact for external accountants, auditors and tax advisers.
• Coordinate tax compliance for corporate, partnership and project levels.
• Manage banking relationships and monitor loan covenants.
• Support acquisitions, development financing, refinancings and capital transactions.
• Oversee lender and investor financial reporting and communications.
• Collaborate with development, construction, acquisitions and asset management teams.
• Participate in strategic planning with ownership and senior management.
• Mentor and develop finance and accounting staff.

Skills

Real estate finance

Financial reporting

Budgets & forecasting

Cash management

Treasury management

Internal controls

Leadership

Communication

Project accounting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Job description

Macdonald & Company has been retained by a privately held, vertically integrated real estate development and investment firm to appoint a VP Finance / Controller to its New York team.

The company has grown rapidly in recent years and today has a significant development and investment pipeline across New York and South Florida, encompassing multifamily, condominium and mixed-use projects. Operating with a lean, entrepreneurial team, the business partners with institutional lenders and investment partners to acquire, develop, finance and operate high-quality real estate assets.

This is a senior, hands‑on financial leadership role with responsibility across the accounting and finance function at both the corporate and project level. The successful candidate will work closely with ownership and senior leadership and will play an important role in strengthening the financial infrastructure around an increasingly active and sophisticated real estate platform.

The Opportunity:

This is an opportunity to join a highly active real estate business at an important stage in its growth. The successful individual will have substantial exposure to ownership, meaningful influence over the company's financial operations and infrastructure, and visibility across a significant pipeline of complex development projects.

The role is based in New York City.

The Role:

The VP Finance / Controller will oversee day‑to‑day accounting, financial reporting and financial controls across the company and its portfolio of development projects and operating assets.

Responsibilities will include:

• Leading corporate, property and development accounting across multiple projects and entities.
• Overseeing monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting and ensuring management and investors receive timely, accurate financial information.
• Managing accounting and reporting associated with ground‑up development and construction projects.
• Overseeing construction draws, including processing, coding, tracking, general ledger activity and maintenance of draw schedules.
• Maintaining detailed project budgets and budget‑to‑actual reporting, providing senior management with current visibility into project performance and anticipated costs.
• Leading budgeting, forecasting, cash management, treasury and liquidity planning.
• Establishing and continuously improving financial controls, reporting systems, accounting procedures and expense‑management processes.
• Serving as the principal point of contact for external accountants, auditors, tax advisers and other financial consultants.
• Coordinating tax compliance and reviewing corporate, partnership and project‑level filings.
• Managing banking relationships and monitoring compliance with loan agreements and debt covenants.
• Supporting the structuring and execution of acquisitions, development financing, refinancings and other capital transactions.
• Overseeing lender and investor financial reporting and supporting broader investor communications.
• Partnering closely with development, construction, acquisitions and asset management teams.
• Participating in strategic planning alongside ownership and senior management.
• Managing, developing and mentoring members of the finance and accounting team.

Candidate Profile:

We are seeking an accomplished real estate finance and accounting professional with approximately 10‑15 years of relevant experience, ideally gained within a real estate developer, owner or investment platform.

The successful candidate is likely to bring:

• Significant experience with real estate development accounting and project‑level financial reporting.
• Strong knowledge of development budgets, construction draws, job‑cost accounting and project cost controls.
• Experience overseeing financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, cash management, treasury, tax and risk‑management functions.
• Exposure to acquisitions, development financing and lender reporting.
• Experience designing or improving accounting systems, internal controls and financial processes.
• The ability to operate effectively across multiple projects, entities and deadlines within a fast‑moving environment.
• A track record of working directly with senior executives, principals or ownership.
• Strong commercial judgment coupled with a willingness to remain close to the detail.
• The ability to identify issues proactively, take ownership and implement practical solutions.
• Experience within an entrepreneurial, closely held or rapidly growing real estate organization is particularly attractive.
• Strong leadership, communication and interpersonal skills.
• High levels of integrity, accountability and professionalism.

A bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or a related discipline is preferred. CPA qualification would be advantageous but is not required.