Controller (Miami Freedom Park)

Description

The Controller will serve as the Company's senior accounting leader, responsible for establishing and leading the internal accounting function. This is a rare opportunity for a seasoned accounting professional to architect the systems, policies, processes, and team structure that will underpin a large-scale development platform through its most formative years and beyond.

The Controller will be the primary steward of the company's financial records, reporting, and controls, while simultaneously serving as a key advisor to executive leadership on matters of financial planning, compliance, and operational decision-making. The successful candidate will manage the transition of accounting operations from third-party staff augmentation to a fully integrated, in-house capability.

Requirements

Financial Infrastructure & Internal Controls

• Design, implement, and formalize the company's accounting policies, procedures, and internal control framework in accordance with U.S. GAAP and industry best practices related to loan, ownership, and other reporting requirements.
• Evaluate, select, and implement accounting systems and technology platforms to support current operations and future scalability.
• Lead the transition of all accounting functions from the current third-party staff augmentation model to an in-house team, ensuring continuity, knowledge transfer, and process integrity throughout the migration.
• Establish and document standard operating procedures across all accounting functions.

General Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Oversee the general ledger and all subsidiary ledgers, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of financial data.
• Own and manage the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, driving continuous improvement in close timelines and reporting quality.
• Prepare and deliver accurate financial statements and management reporting packages for executive leadership, ownership, investors, and the board.
• Develop and maintain a robust chart of accounts and cost allocation framework appropriate for a multi-entity, multi-project real estate development platform.

Development Accounting & Construction Finance

• Oversee all development and construction accounting, including project cost tracking, job costing, capitalization policies, and budget-to-actual variance analysis.
• Manage the preparation, submission, and reconciliation of construction loan draw requests, ensuring compliance with lender requirements and draw schedules.
• Monitor and report on development budgets, funding sources, and capital deployment across the portfolio.
• Support the structuring and financial administration of a complex capital stack, including equity contributions, mezzanine financing, and joint venture arrangements.

Debt Compliance & Lender Relations

• Ensure full compliance with all loan covenants, borrowing base requirements, and lender reporting obligations across the company's debt facilities.
• Prepare and deliver periodic lender compliance certificates, borrowing base reports, and other required financial deliverables.
• Serve as key point of contact for lender inquiries and financial due diligence requests related to existing and prospective financings.

Tax Compliance & Advisory Coordination

• Oversee all aspects of tax compliance, including property tax administration, sales and use tax, and partnership/entity-level tax obligations.
• Coordinate with external tax advisors on federal, state, and local tax planning, return preparation, and any audit or inquiry matters.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with tax-related provisions embedded in the municipal ground lease and development agreements.
• Drive cost savings through the evaluation and implementation of tax optimization strategies.
• Lead property-level cost segregation studies for appropriate depreciation tax value capture.
• Evaluate tax efficiency of ownership investment strategies and capital planning priorities. 

Cash Management & Treasury

• Manage cash flow forecasting, liquidity planning, and working capital optimization across the business.
• Oversee treasury functions, including bank account management, cash positioning, and intercompany fund flows.
• Provide cash flow visibility and scenario analysis to support executive decision-making around capital calls, distributions, and project funding.
• Facilitate capital call and funding processes. 

Audit & External Relationships

• Coordinate and manage the annual (and other required) audit process(es), serving as the primary liaison with external auditors.
• Prepare audit workpapers, schedules, and supporting documentation to ensure efficient and clean audit outcomes.
• Manage relationships with external accounting, tax, and advisory professionals, ensuring alignment with internal objectives and timelines.

Municipal Lease Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure timely and accurate compliance with all financial reporting and performance obligations under the municipal ground lease(s).
• Prepare and deliver any required financial certifications, development progress reports, or other deliverables to the municipality.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of the financial and reporting provisions of the commercial development ground lease and other related development agreements.

Strategic Finance & Leadership Support

• Serve as a trusted financial advisor to the President and executive leadership team members, providing analytical support on investment decisions, financial strategy, and operational planning.
• Develop and deliver ad hoc financial analyses, scenario modeling, and decision-support materials as needed.
• Contribute to the development of the broader finance and accounting organization, including hiring, mentoring, and building a high-performing team as the company scales.
• All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• CPA designation required (active license in good standing).
• 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with a meaningful portion in commercial real estate development, construction, or a closely related sector.
• Demonstrated expertise in development and construction accounting, including job costing, draw management, capitalization, and cost segregation.
• Strong working knowledge of complex capital structures, including construction and permanent debt facilities, joint ventures, and multi-tier equity arrangements.
• Proven experience managing lender reporting, covenant compliance, and financial due diligence processes.
• Deep proficiency in U.S. GAAP as applied to real estate development entities and partnerships.
• Hands-on experience selecting, implementing, and optimizing accounting systems and ERP platforms in real estate development settings.
• Demonstrated ability to build processes and accounting infrastructure in high-growth or early-stage environments.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial information for non-financial audiences.

Preferred Experience

• Prior experience in a ground-up buildout of an accounting function or significant departmental transformation.
• Familiarity with municipal or government-related lease structures, ground leases, or public-private development partnerships.
• Experience with mixed-use, master-planned, or large-scale commercial development programs.
• Background in property tax strategy and administration, including familiarity with assessment processes, exemptions, and appeals.
• Experience with partnership and multi-entity tax structures, including coordination of K-1 preparation and investor reporting.
• Proficiency with real estate–specific accounting platforms (e.g., Yardi, MRI, Sage) and advanced Excel / financial modeling capabilities.
• Public accounting experience (Big Four or national/regional firm) with a real estate or construction industry focus is a plus.