Regional Accountant

General Summary

Manages the regional accounting functions for a market including accounts payable, accounts receivable, tenant database maintenance, budgeting, current year projection revisions, expense reconciliation, maintenance company accounting and general financial reporting.  Acts as regional point person and reports to regional and corporate management regarding all regional accounting issues.      

The following are general characteristics of the job; specific duties and responsibilities vary by assigned region.

Essential Job Functions

• A/P – Responsible for accounts payable functions.  Reviews, codes and processes invoices for payment.  Monitors invoices through approval process until payment.  Includes collection of real estate tax statements, ensures timely payment without penalties and submits tax invoices to tenants as appropriate. Tracks utility bills and payment of real estate taxes. Responds to vendors’ requests for payment information and researches past due accounts. 
• A/R – Responsible for accounts receivable functions.  Ensures accurate and timely tenant billing including real estate taxes and maintenance work.  Periodically reviews past due accounts, sends past due notices, contacts tenants by telephone and informs management of outstanding invoices.  Responds to tenants’ inquiries regarding account charges and provides necessary documentation, as required.  
• Reporting - Prepares accounting and financial analyses, which includes monthly reporting, projections, annual budgets and special projects.  Collects, organizes, analyzes and summarizes financial and operations data, verifies accuracy of same, makes recommendations for corrections and distributes reports per established schedule.  Reviews property income statements to identify budget variances and periodically submits and/or presents to management.  
• Abstracting – Updates computer system with lease and tenant information.  Prepares rent statements, calculates maintenance and tax expense charges and adjustments, transfers utility accounts, closes out accounts, refunds deposits and so forth.
• Projections – Uses computer system to prepare and update current year income and expense projections on recurring basis; provides projection summaries to management, as requested.
• Budgeting – Manages annual budgeting process.  Prepares and communicates regional team’s project timetable, collects prior year expense information, enters and analyzes future income and expenditures.  Prepares and revises budget reports as required.   Prepares special summary reports and Executive Summary as management requests.  Verifies accuracy of newly budgeted operating expense charges on tenant statements.  Monitors established budgets.
• Reconciliations – Manages annual operating expense (true-up) reconciliation.  Uses computer system to prepare reconciliation, and reviews each tenant’s reconciliation for accuracy and conformity to the limits and terms of the lease.  Ensures tenants are charged appropriately.  Presents reconciliation documentation/support for tenant audits, as requested. 
• Maintenance Company Accounting – Prepares time-entry for charging maintenance jobs to tenants, prepares annual budget, reviews monthly financial statements for accuracy, codes maintenance expenses appropriately.  
• Capital Expenditure Recovery – Tracks recovery of capital expenditures over multiple years; verifies accuracy of financial statement accruals and tenant charges each year.
• Transition of Acquisitions/Dispositions/Developments/Entity Transfers – Monitors accuracy of financial statements, tenant statements and accrual requirements.  Transfers expenses (i.e. switching utilities) and sets up new vendor accounts as necessary.  Acts as local FR contact for buyer/seller during transition. 
• Supervisory - Plans, coordinates and follows up on the work of regional accounting and clerical staff involved in the accounting functions listed above.  Assists in selecting, training and developing staff.
• Provides support for construction projects such as tracking costs, processing change orders, obtaining vendor insurance certificates, securing lien waivers and the like.
• Responsible for compliance with all related policies and procedures as outlined in the Operations Manual, The FR Way.
• May perform related administrative functions such as general office support, obtaining tenant insurance certificates, listing space with multiple listing service, tracking and comparing bids for improvements and renovations, maintaining office records, and the like.

Other Duties

• Other tasks and duties as assigned. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Approximately three to four years accounting experience necessary in order to gain proficiency needed to understand, analyze and maintain a variety of accounts, prepare related documentation and present reports.
• Knowledge of accounting principles and systems in order to maintain general ledgers and prepare related statements and financial reports at a level normally acquired through completion of a Bachelor’s degree in accounting.
• Good interpersonal and telephone communication skills when answering questions from tenants and vendors and following up on delinquent accounts.
• Good written communication skills including ability to prepare accurate and appropriate documentation and to review, proofread and check documentation for accuracy.
• Computer skills necessary to enter and manipulate words and data and use standard microcomputer-based software to communicate with others, prepare documentation and/or analyze data.

Physical Requirements

• Work requires sitting for extended periods of time when working with computer system.       
• Work is performed in a normal office environment where there are relatively few physical discomforts due to dust, dirt, noise, and the like.
• Work may require occasionally traveling to locations other than office location.

Equal Employment Opportunity

First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to Diversity, M/F/D/V