Fund Controller

Fund Controller

Shine Associates, LLC has been retained to search, identify and recruit a Fund Controller on behalf of our client ('Company'). This position will be based in Chicago, IL.

Shine Associates, LLC has been exclusively retained on this assignment. Information contained in this position specification as well as any other information concerning the Company provided or verbally discussed is confidential. All materials and discussions are to be utilized for the sole purpose of a candidate's personal review of the career opportunity.

Founded in Dallas, Texas in 1965, the Company consistently ranks among the top managers and developers of office, industrial, retail, and mixed-use properties in major global markets. The firm is one of the most respected full-service firms in real estate providing investment management and development and a full suite of integrated services to owners, investors, lenders, and major occupiers. The Company has approximately 3,000 employees across 35 global offices responsible for a $19B development pipeline, 550M SF of property management and leasing assignments, and $20B in assets under management.

The Investment Management team is an SEC-registered investment advisor and is the Company's fund management and advisory arm headquartered in Chicago, IL. Currently, the Investment Management team has approximately $5.0B in real estate assets under management across three separate accounts and is actively raising money for additional fund strategies.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

The Company is seeking an experienced and detail-driven Fund Controller to lead the financial management and reporting for their real estate investment funds. The role is critical in overseeing fund-level accounting, financial reporting, and compliance across a portfolio of real estate assets, including commercial, residential, and development projects. The ideal candidate brings strong technical accounting expertise, experience in real estate fund structures, and a deep understanding of real estate investments and operations. This person will report to the Head of Investor Relations/CFO.

• Manage all aspects of fund-level accounting and reporting for a portfolio of real estate investment funds (core, value-add, opportunistic, or development).
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes including NAV, investor capital account statements, and financial statement preparation.
• Ensure timely and accurate capital call and distribution processes in accordance with fund agreements.
• Track fund performance, IRRs, and asset-level returns; assist in preparation of investor reports and presentations.
• Produce budgets and forecasts for the funds management platform to Senior Management as requested.
• Manage the fund level bank accounts for processing payments. This includes opening/closing of bank accounts and management of Fund LOC.
• Work closely with property management and asset management teams to ensure alignment of asset-level financial data with fund reporting.
• Review property financial information provided by fund administrator, including net operating income, tenant recoveries, straight line rent, and fixed assets/depreciation.
• Review of acquisition and disposition transactions to ensure proper accounting, including the review of closing statements, contracts, escrows, purchase price allocations and gain/loss recognition.
• Coordinate and manage annual audits and tax filings, working with external auditors and tax advisors.
• Prepare waterfall models and manage carried interest and promote calculations in accordance with fund agreements.
• Ensure compliance with fund governing documents (LPAs, JV agreements) and internal policies.
• Support investment team on acquisitions, dispositions, financing, and entity structuring.
• Maintain fund-level controls and ensure financial operations comply with US GAAP and real estate-specific accounting rules.

Qualifications, Skills And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in real estate fund accounting or financial reporting.
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP, including fair value accounting and real estate-specific standards.
• Experience with real estate fund structures (e.g., REITs, JVs, funds with SPVs and feeders).
• Demonstrated ability to lead audits, manage third-party administrators, and produce investor-ready reports.
• Exceptional attention to detail, strong analytical skills, and ability to meet tight deadlines.

Compensation

The annual compensation for this role is expected to be approximately $250,000-300,000. Actual base salary and bonus will be determined by several components, including but not limited to: relevant experience, skills and qualifications, base salary of internal peers, and geographic location. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, LTIP and a variety of financial, wellbeing, and health / welfare benefits.