Director of Accounting (Family Office)

Position Overview

The Director of Accounting will lead all accounting, treasury, and financial operations for a highly complex family office overseeing assets across trusts, real estate investments, and operating entities. This role is responsible for ensuring accuracy, organization, and transparency across a high volume of financial accounts and a significant volume of annual tax reporting.

This individual must bring a strong accounting foundation (beyond bookkeeping), with experience in family offices, real estate, or investment environments. The role requires a high degree of discretion, attention to detail, and the ability to manage intricate financial structures while working closely with senior leadership and fiduciaries.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting & Financial Oversight

• Oversee all accounting operations across a multi-entity structure, including:
• Checking accounts (personal, trust, and entity)
• Brokerage and investment accounts
• Maintain accurate and timely financial records within accounting systems (e.g., QuickBooks or similar)
• Reconcile high-volume transactions and ensure integrity of all financial data
• Track and manage approximately 25 intra-entity and intra-trust loans, including interest calculations and documentation
• Establish and maintain best-in-class file organization and documentation practices

Treasury & Cash Management

• Manage cash flow across hundreds of accounts, ensuring proper liquidity and funding across entities
• Coordinate and execute wire transfers, capital contributions, and distributions with appropriate approvals
• Partner with fiduciaries to ensure governance and oversight of all money movement
• Forecast cash needs and manage funding through lines of credit and internal lending structures

Tax & Reporting

• Oversee the organization and delivery of all tax-related documentation, including:
• 200 K-1s
• Supporting schedules, statements, and filings
• Partner with external tax advisors and internal stakeholders to support tax preparation and compliance
• Assist in preparing financial statements for individuals, trusts, and investment entities
• Track income, expenses, and overall financial performance across entities

Investment & Entity Support

• Support accounting and tracking for complex investment structures, including a primary grantor trust and various real estate and private investments
• Track capital calls, distributions, and ownership allocations across deals
• Assist in analyzing and allocating funds across investments with varying structures and percentages

Banking & External Relationships

• Serve as primary liaison with private banking institutions
• Coordinate regular reviews of account activity, lending arrangements, and liquidity positions
• Interface with legal, tax, and investment advisors to ensure alignment across all financial matters

Systems & Process Improvement

• Lead the evaluation, selection, and implementation of a new financial/accounting software platform (multi-year initiative)
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, controls, and reporting capabilities
• Ensure scalability of systems and processes to support ongoing growth and complexity

Team & Leadership Support

• Work closely with senior leadership and fiduciaries, requiring strong interpersonal skills and sound judgment
• Provide oversight and guidance to existing accounting support staff, ensuring a smooth transition of responsibilities
• Operate with a high level of discretion in a closely monitored financial environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA strongly preferred)
• 7 years of accounting experience within a family office, real estate firm, investment firm, or similar environment
• Strong expertise in multi-entity accounting, trust accounting, and partnership structures
• Experience managing high-volume accounts and complex financial operations
• Proven experience with treasury management and cash flow oversight
• Familiarity with real estate investments and private investment structures preferred

Key Competencies

• Exceptional organization: Ability to manage hundreds of accounts, entities, and documents
• High discretion and integrity: Trusted with sensitive financial information
• Attention to detail: Precision in reconciliation, reporting, and tracking
• Analytical thinking: Ability to untangle complex transactions and allocations
• Strong communication skills: Comfortable working with principals, fiduciaries, and advisors
• Patience and adaptability: Effective in a high-touch, detail-oriented environment