Property Accountant

About the role

The Property Accountant position at RioCan represents a critical stewardship function within our organization, which has operated for over 30 years as one of Canada's largest and most successful REITs. As a company, we pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial mindset and strategic vision that has shaped a retail-focused and mixed-use portfolio dedicated to creating vibrant community spaces. This specific role is located at our Lawrence Allen Centre location and is integral to maintaining the financial integrity of our largest and most complex property portfolios. You will join an organization recognized as one of Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures, Canada's Greenest Employers, Canada's Best Diversity Employers, and a Greater Toronto Top Employer, where people are considered our greatest strength. The position demands a meticulous eye for detail to ensure every transaction tells an accurate story of value, safeguarding data integrity and contributing to strategic decision-making that keeps our iconic retail destinations adaptable and resilient across the Greater Toronto Area.

What you'll do

Your responsibilities will center on providing financial and accounting assistance to our most significant property portfolios. You will perform detailed analysis of property accounting transactions to ensure strict accuracy and compliance with established policies. This includes reconciling complex property ledgers and sub-ledgers to resolve discrepancies and maintain the integrity of financial records. You will prepare and review property financial statements, delivering a clear view of the portfolio's financial position, while conducting in-depth reviews of general ledger activity to identify trends, anomalies, and opportunities for process improvement. You will assist in the preparation of annual operating budgets and forecasts specific to property-level financial performance and support the month-end close process by executing timely and accurate accounting entries related to property operations. Additional duties include analyzing capital and operating expenditures to validate accuracy and ensure proper allocation, monitoring and reconciling property bank accounts to verify that all cash transactions are properly recorded and reported, and investigating variances between projected and actual financial results at the property level. You will also maintain organized documentation for internal and external audit activities, collaborate with internal stakeholders to provide financial data and insights that drive informed property management decisions, ensure adherence to internal controls and corporate governance standards, assist in coordinating property tax data collection and reconciliation, and provide ad hoc analysis and reporting on property financial metrics to support leadership discussions and strategic initiatives.

Requirements

To succeed in this role, you must possess a College or University degree or diploma in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. You must hold or be pursuing a professional accounting designation such as CPA, CA, or ACCA, and have a minimum of three years of progressive accounting experience with a focus on real estate or property accounting. A thorough understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) specific to real estate is essential, along with hands-on experience using property accounting software and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. You must exhibit strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including advanced functions used for financial modeling and analysis, and demonstrate the proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. A commitment to accuracy and compliance with a strong understanding of internal controls and audit principles is required. Candidates must be authorized to work in Canada, and the role may require occasional travel between properties as needed.

Nice to have

While not mandatory, experience in the retail real estate sector is considered an asset. Familiarity with Re-Leased or similar property accounting platforms is a definite advantage, along with knowledge of Canadian retail trends and leasing structures. Experience supporting multi-site property portfolios is highly valued and aligns with the complexity of managing our diverse real estate holdings.

Practical notes

This is a full-time contract position based in North York, Ontario. The role may require occasional travel between properties as needed, and candidates must be authorized to work in Canada. The start date is dependent on successful completion of the hiring process.