Director of Corporate Accounting

Director of Corporate Accounting

Department: Finance & Accounting

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

First Midwest Group is seeking an experienced and highly analytical Director of Corporate Accounting to lead and oversee complex accounting matters across the Company's diversified portfolio of real estate investments and operating businesses. This role serves as a senior accounting resource to the Chief Financial Officer and accounting organization, with primary responsibility for consolidated financial reporting, technical accounting, complex transactions, accounting policies, audit coordination, and accounting matters involving acquisitions, dispositions, financing arrangements, ownership structures, and other significant transactions.

The Director of Corporate Accounting works across multiple entities and business lines to enhance the quality, consistency, and integrity of financial reporting while providing leadership on accounting matters that extend beyond routine transactional accounting and monthly close activities.

Essential Responsibilities

Corporate and Consolidated Financial Reporting

• Coordinate consolidated and corporate-level financial reporting across the Company's entities and business lines.
• Review consolidated financial results and significant entity-level financial statements.
• Analyze unusual or significant changes in financial results and balance sheet accounts.
• Develop reporting that provides the CFO and senior management with greater visibility into financial performance and significant accounting matters.
• Review significant consolidation, elimination, and intercompany entries.

Technical Accounting

• Serve as the Company's primary internal resource for complex accounting matters.
• Research accounting treatment for significant or unusual transactions.
• Document accounting conclusions and recommendations.
• Monitor accounting standards relevant to the Company's businesses and investments.
• Work with outside accountants and advisers when specialized technical guidance is required.

Accounting Policies and Standards

• Develop and maintain corporate accounting policies.
• Establish consistent accounting treatment across entities and business lines.
• Evaluate existing accounting practices and recommend improvements or standardization.
• Work with the Controller to translate accounting policies into practical procedures for the accounting staff.

Acquisitions, Dispositions, and New Entities

• Lead accounting evaluation of acquisitions, dispositions, new investments, and entity restructurings.
• Determine appropriate accounting treatment for transaction-related assets, liabilities, costs, and ownership interests.
• Coordinate accounting setup for newly acquired businesses or properties.
• Assist in integrating acquisitions into the Company's accounting and financial reporting environment.
• Review accounting implications of purchase and sale transactions.

Complex Entity and Ownership Accounting

• Provide oversight of accounting matters involving partnerships, LLCs, joint ventures, and other ownership structures.
• Review complex capital accounts, distributions, contributions, ownership changes, and intercompany arrangements.
• Coordinate with tax advisers regarding accounting matters that affect entity and owner reporting.
• Assist with reconciliation of accounting records to tax and ownership information when appropriate.

Debt, Financing, and Investment Transactions

• Review accounting associated with new debt, refinancing, debt modifications, and other financing transactions.
• Ensure complex financing costs and related transactions receive appropriate accounting treatment.
• Review accounting for significant investments and other non-routine balance sheet items.
• Coordinate with the CFO on accounting implications of significant capital transactions.

External Audit and Accountant Coordination

• Coordinate the Company's annual financial statement audit and other external accounting engagements.
• Serve as a senior point of contact for external auditors and accountants.
• Coordinate accounting position papers, complex audit schedules, and responses involving significant accounting matters.
• Work with the Controller to ensure requested accounting schedules and supporting documentation are produced efficiently.
• Monitor audit adjustments, recommendations, and recurring accounting issues.

Tax Coordination

• Coordinate accounting information required by the Company's tax advisers.
• Review significant book-to-tax differences and accounting matters affecting tax reporting.
• Assist the CFO in coordinating accounting and tax treatment of significant transactions.
• Maintain appropriate communication among internal accounting personnel and outside tax professionals.

Financial Reporting and Accounting Improvement

• Identify opportunities to strengthen the Company's accounting infrastructure.
• Improve consistency among entities, properties, and operating businesses.
• Evaluate opportunities to automate consolidations, reconciliations, reporting, and other accounting functions.
• Assist with improvements to charts of accounts, reporting structures, and accounting systems.
• Develop scalable accounting processes as the organization grows or adds additional investments and businesses.

CFO and Corporate Projects

• Assist the CFO with significant accounting and financial projects.
• Perform financial and accounting analysis associated with transactions, entity restructurings, financing arrangements, and other corporate initiatives.
• Serve as an accounting resource to other members of management when complex accounting matters arise.
• Participate in due diligence and accounting-related projects as requested.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting.
• Significant progressive accounting experience, ideally combining public accounting and/or complex multi-entity corporate accounting.
• Strong knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and technical accounting requirements.
• Experience with consolidations and multi-entity financial reporting.
• Strong research, documentation, analytical, and financial statement review skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and a strong understanding of accounting and financial reporting systems.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex accounting projects and competing priorities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across multiple departments and business lines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.
• Experience with real estate accounting, partnerships, acquisitions, joint ventures, or complex ownership structures.
• Experience supporting acquisitions, dispositions, financing transactions, and entity restructurings.
• Experience coordinating audits and working with external accounting and tax advisers.

About First Midwest Group

First Midwest Group is a diversified investment and operating company with interests spanning commercial real estate and a broad range of operating businesses. The Director of Corporate Accounting plays a critical role in supporting the Company's continued growth by ensuring accurate financial reporting, strong accounting governance, and sound accounting practices across its portfolio of investments and business operations.