CONTROLLER (CFO Succession Role)

Controller (CFO Succession Role)

Company Background

Iron Stone Real Estate Partners is a Philadelphia-based real estate investment and development firm with an integrated portfolio spanning commercial and residential assets. Watchtower Property Co., our property management platform, oversees day-to-day operations across the portfolio. We are a lean, high-performance organization built on financial discipline, operational rigor, and a culture of accountability at every level.

Position Overview

We are seeking an accomplished Controller to join Iron Stone in a senior leadership capacity with a clear, defined path to the CFO seat within 12–18 months. This is not a speculative succession arrangement, it is a structured transition designed with intention, timeline, and executive commitment behind it.

The incoming Controller will work in close partnership with the current CFO throughout the transition period, developing deep fluency in our financial operations, reporting architecture, compliance framework, and strategic priorities. Following the handover, the outgoing CFO will remain engaged with the firm in a part-time advisory capacity, ensuring continuity and institutional knowledge transfer.

We are looking for a finance leader who brings genuine ownership mentality — someone who reads the numbers critically, acts on what they find, and leads a team with clarity and purpose. Relevant real estate accounting experience, across both commercial and residential portfolios, is essential.

Compensation reflects the dual weight of this role: the near-term Controller function and the planned assumption of full CFO responsibility. It will be structured accordingly.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Reporting

• Lead and develop the accounting team, setting standards for accuracy, accountability, and performance
• Direct the full-cycle year-end close and mid-year review processes for multi-entity environment
• Coordinate tax return preparation with external advisors
• Maintain and strengthen internal controls, policies, and procedures

Real Estate Accounting

• Oversee annual CAM reconciliations, cost allocation analysis, tenant direct expenses, and landlord costs
• Manage cash position and debt service across the portfolio
• Support leasing, property management, and asset management teams with timely financial insight

Compliance & Oversight

• Ensure regulatory compliance including benchmarking submissions, housing licenses, and related requirements
• Manage audit processes and regulatory reporting
• Oversee insurance program administration

Operations & Administration

• Full oversight of accounts payable operations
• Administer payroll and HR functions through ADP TotalSource
• Maintain AppFolio and Yardi Breeze platforms

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary commensurate with senior leadership responsibility and the defined CFO succession path
• 80% employer-paid health insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• PTO and paid holidays
• FSA and supplemental benefit options
• Ongoing professional development support

Culture

Iron Stone operates with the focus of a family office firm and the ambition of a growing platform. We hold ourselves to high standards, support each other directly, and recognize that the quality of our team is the most important variable in our outcomes.