Careers

Reporting to the Manager, Finance, the Accountant is a key member of our Core stewardship team, which is responsible for the first review of financial results coming from our third-party property managers. The team’s mandate is accuracy, completeness and timeliness of financial results from our property management partners that align with Starlight’s standardized accounting and reporting policies. This team is a critical function for our financial reporting process. It helps ensure data integrity and provides a foundation for key public, private and institutional investor reporting for the various investment funds managed by Starlight, as well as the foundation for financial insights used by our finance team to act as a key business partner to internal and external stakeholders.

The accountant will have ownership of a certain set of responsibilities within the Core stewardship team’s mandate. These individual responsibilities will naturally evolve over time to provide broader exposure to the full close cycle processes. They include the first review of financial results related to revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities by reviewing property variance analysis and balance sheet reconciliations provided by the property managers. The team uses technology to analyze trends relative to budget, underwriting and historical results, and to develop expectations for such figures, which helps optimize the efficiency of the review and the determination of accuracy. The ultimate goal is to automate as much of the month-end work as possible and to train property managers to improve their close cycle. Because of the technology and data involved in these processes, the successful candidate requires knowledge of typical accounting processes, as well as knowledge of, or the ability to navigate, large data sets using screening techniques and tools embedded in our software.

As part of Starlight’s commitment to innovation, the successful candidate will embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies as core tools of the modern finance professional, proactively applying them to work smarter and elevate quality, and helping colleagues adopt them so the team stays ahead of the rapid changes reshaping the profession. This role specifically involves the ability to leverage, and stay on the leading edge of, evolving technology, including the integration of AI capabilities into our ongoing processes. This will be an invaluable asset to your career in the longer term, given the evolution of the accounting profession.

Financial Accounting and Analysis

• Assist with stewardship of data and financial results by the stewardship team within Core Finance:
  • Ensure accuracy, timeliness and completeness of monthly financial results using technology by overseeing audits of data integrity based on Starlight policies and following up with property managers to reinforce the process.
  • Record correcting entries where remediation is required to ensure the accuracy of financial results.
  • Review certain monthly financial reports provided by property managers to help ensure the accuracy of financial results that are less technology-dependent.
  • For certain consolidated reconciliations, maintain and review reconciliations where required and apply technology to improve processes, including the preparation and/​or review of corporate and/​or property bank reconciliations.
  • Assist with monthly and quarterly government filings, such as WSIB and EHT, for the various entities.
• Manage and assist with the audit process for funds, and support quarterly and year-end reviews as required.
• Over time, the successful candidate may be exposed to the Core review team, which assists with the financial analysis and review of financial results, as follows:
  • Review monthly variance and financial reports from property managers using technology and analysis to ensure the accuracy and completeness of property results reporting.
  • Use available tools to understand key risks and variances in monthly financials, and ensure that results are either adjusted for accuracy and completeness or that variances are clearly understood and documented in accordance with internal policy.
  • Ensure that all reporting is completed on time and managed appropriately.
  • Record correcting entries required to ensure the accuracy of financial results.
  • Work closely with portfolio finance and Core stewardship to ensure critical issues are communicated to internal stakeholders appropriately and to avoid rework across teams.

Transaction support (Acquisitions, Dispositions)

• Assist with acquisition, disposition and debt/​refinancing entries, and prepare the necessary backup for audit purposes.
• Assist with other business transactions to provide financial support, as required.
• Perform acquisition, disposition and refinancing accounting.

AI and Technology Adoption

• Maintain a continuous focus on transitioning the financial review to use data and expectations instead of manual workbooks, using technology and AI where possible. Assist with and execute certain projects to support these efforts.
• Act as an early adopter and role model for AI and automation within the team, treating these tools as a core part of how work gets done.
• Proactively apply approved AI tools to enhance the efficiency and quality of accounting, analysis and reporting workflows, and help turn those gains into repeatable processes.
• Identify, test and help implement AI-enabled process improvements, sharing learnings with peers and more junior staff.
• Apply strong professional judgment to review and validate AI-assisted output, safeguarding accuracy, data integrity and compliance.

• One year of accounting experience, a co-op finance role, or a recent graduate from a finance or accounting program.
• Real estate experience is an asset but not required.
• Degree in accounting, finance or IT, paired with accounting knowledge.
• Ideally on the CPA path, though not required.
• Knowledge and understanding of accounting principles (IFRS, ASPE).
• Moderate Microsoft Excel skills; ERP experience and Power BI knowledge are an asset but not required.
• Skill in optimizing AI prompts, recognition of a wide array of AI technologies, and the ability to use them are an asset.

Soft Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and strong interpersonal skills preferred.
• Strong organizational, analytical and time management skills.
• Operational and business knowledge, and an understanding of data and trends related to operations, are a key asset.
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, proactive and resourceful, with a demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Able to prioritize, multi-task and work in a changing, fast-paced environment and under pressure.
• Able to recognize and suggest process efficiency ideas that lead to improved reviews and a shorter month-end cycle.