Careers

Reporting to the Manager, Finance, the Senior 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 and 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 for our finance team to act as a key business partner to internal and external stakeholders. 

The Senior Accountant will have ownership of a certain set of responsibilities within the Core stewardship team’s mandate, whereby those individual responsibilities naturally will evolve over time to gain broader exposure to the full close cycle processes. These responsibilities include the first review of financial results related to revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities through reviewing property variance analysis and balance sheet reconciliations provided by the property managers. The team analyzes using technology and trends relative to budget, underwriting and historical results to develop expectations for such figures to help optimize the efficiency of the review and determination of accuracy. The ultimate goal is to automate as much of the month-end tasks and train property managers to improve their close cycle. As a result of the technology and data involved in such processes, the successful candidate requires knowledge of typical accounting processes but also knowledge 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 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 be on the leading edge of integrating evolving technology including the integration of AI capabilities into our ongoing processes, which will be an invaluable asset to your career longer term given the evolution of the accounting profession. 

Financial Accounting and Analysis 

• Oversee and ensure the stewardship of data and financial results by 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 to reinforce process with Property Managers
• Record correcting entries where remediation is required to ensure accuracy of financial results.
• Review certain monthly financial reports provided by property managers to assist with ensuring the accuracy of financial results which are less technology dependent in the review of such figures.
• 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 like WSIB, EHT etc. for the various entities.
• Manage certain aspects of the audit process for funds, as well as support quarterly/year-end reviews as required
• Over time, the successful candidate may be exposed to the Core review team which oversees the financial analysis and review of financial results as follows:
• Review monthly variance / financial reports from Property Managers using technology and analysis to ensure accuracy and completeness of PM reporting on property results.
• Use available tools to understand key risks and variances in monthly financials and that either results are adjusted to ensure accuracy/​completeness or variances are clearly understood and documented based on internal policy.
• Ensuring the timeliness of all reporting is adhered to and managed appropriately.
• Recording of correcting entries required to ensure accuracy of financial results.
• Working closely with portfolio finance and core stewardship to ensure critical issues are communicated to internal stakeholders appropriately to avoid rework across teams.

Transaction support (Acquisitions, Dispositions)

• Oversee acquisition/​disposition, debt/​refinancing entries and preparation of necessary backup for audit purposes
• Oversee other business transactions to provide financial support, as required.
• Perform acquisition, disposition and refinancing accounting.

AI and Technology Adoption

• Ensure continuous focus on transitioning the financial review to utilize data and expectations v. manual workbooks, focusing on utilizing technology and AI where possible. Assist with and execute certain projects to assist with 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.

• 1 – 2 years of accounting experience, preferably in real estate
• Degree in accounting / finance or IT paired with accounting knowledge / experience 
• Ideally on CPA path, but not required
• Knowledge of and understanding of accounting principles (IFRS, ASPE)
• Moderate Microsoft Excel skills, ERP experience and Power BI knowledge are an asset but not required
• Optimization of AI prompts, recognition wide array of AI technologies and ability to use are an asset
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and strong inter-personal skills preferred
• Strong organizational, analytical and time management skills.
• Operational / business knowledge / understanding data / trends related to operations a key asset
• Detail oriented, self-motivated / proactive and resourceful with demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Able to prioritize, multi-task and able to work in a changing, fast-paced environment and under pressure.
• Able to recognize and suggest process efficiency ideas leading to improved reviews and shorter month-end cycle