The posting
THE ROLE
The Internal Auditor will independently test the design and operating effectiveness of financial and operational controls across the company and its real estate portfolio. This role will plan and execute risk-based audits, document findings, and work closely with property, accounting, and asset management teams to identify and remediate control gaps.
This is a high-impact role for someone who can operate independently, apply strong professional judgment, and provide practical recommendations that strengthen controls, improve processes, and mitigate financial and operational risk.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
AUDIT PLANNING AND EXECUTION
- Help build the annual risk assessment and risk-based audit plan.
- Plan individual audits, including scope, objectives, risk and control matrices (RCMs), and test programs.
- Perform walkthroughs, sample selection, and testing of control design and operating effectiveness.
- Prepare clear, well-referenced workpapers that meet IIA Global Internal Audit Standards.
FINANCIAL PROCESS AND CONTROL TESTING
- Test controls over financial close, journal entries, account reconciliations, and consolidations.
- Audit cash management, bank reconciliations, intercompany transactions, and fund or entity-level accounting.
- Test procure-to-pay processes, including vendor setup, purchase approvals, invoice processing, and disbursements.
- Support SOX or SOX-like control testing and coordinate with external auditors on reliance work.
REAL ESTATE OPERATIONS
- Audit lease administration, including lease abstracts, rent rolls, escalations, concessions, and renewals.
- Test revenue and receivables, including rent billing, CAM and operating expense reconciliations, tenant recoveries, delinquencies, and write-offs.
- Review property management agreements and third-party manager compliance, fees, and reporting.
- Audit capital projects and construction, including budgets, change orders, draw requests, retainage, and lien waivers.
- Test acquisition and disposition processes, including due diligence, closing statements, and purchase price allocation.
- Review security deposits, tenant improvement allowances, and leasing commissions.
- Assess property-level controls over petty cash, maintenance spend, and inventory through remote testing and virtual walkthroughs.
COMPLIANCE, IT AND FRAUD RISK
- Test IT general controls and application controls in systems such as Yardi, MRI, RealPage, or similar platforms.
- Evaluate user access, segregation of duties, and system change controls.
- Review compliance with loan covenants, partnership and JV agreements, and regulatory requirements.
- Assess fraud risk and support special investigations as needed.
REPORTING AND FOLLOW-UP
- Prepare audit reports with clear findings, root causes, risk ratings, and practical recommendations.
- Agree remediation plans with process owners and track them through closure.
- Present audit results to audit leadership and assist with preparation of Audit Committee materials.
- Recommend process improvements, automation, and data analytics opportunities.
- Perform other ad hoc duties as requested.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
- 5+ years of experience in internal audit, external audit, Big 4 or regional public accounting, or SOX compliance.
- Working knowledge of US GAAP, the COSO framework, and control testing methodologies.
- Experience preparing workpapers and audit reports that can withstand external auditor review.
- Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data reconciliation.
- Experience working independently and managing multiple audits or projects simultaneously.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- CPA, CIA, or CISA certification, or actively pursuing certification.
- Real estate industry experience, including REIT, private equity real estate, multifamily, commercial real estate, or property management.
- Familiarity with ASC 842 lease accounting, CAM reconciliations, and fund or JV structures.
- Experience with real estate systems such as Yardi, MRI, RealPage, or similar platforms.
- Experience with ERP platforms and financial systems.
- Data analytics experience using tools such as Power BI, Tableau, ACL, IDEA, or SQL.
- Exposure to construction or capital project audits.
KEY ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESS
- Independence and objectivity, with sound professional skepticism.
- Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with senior leadership.
- Ability to build strong working relationships with property and corporate teams while maintaining an objective position on audit findings.
- Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple audits and meet deadlines.
- High ethical standards and discretion when handling confidential information.
- Ability to identify control weaknesses and develop practical, actionable recommendations.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment with distributed teams.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Fully remote position requiring a reliable internet connection and dedicated workspace.
- Ability to work effectively across time zones with distributed teams.
- Peak workload may occur around quarter-end, year-end, and external audit cycles.
PERKS AND BENEFITS
- Professional Development: Opportunities to strengthen internal audit, controls, SOX, and risk management expertise.
- Career Growth: Exposure to senior leadership, Audit Committee reporting, and complex financial and operational environments.
- Industry Exposure: Gain experience across real estate, accounting, finance, property operations, and corporate functions.
- Work Flexibility: Fully remote setup with collaboration tools to stay connected and supported.
