Commercial Tenant Accountant

Job Summary

The Commercial Tenant Accountant is responsible for managing and overseeing all accounting functions related to commercial tenant accounts and commercial property.

Overview

The Commercial Tenant Accountant position is responsible for tenant billing, accounts receivable and payable processing, financial reporting, budget preparation, and variance analysis. The role works closely with Merchant Manager to ensure accurate financial execution aligned with lease terms and operational objectives.

Job Responsibilities

• Tenant Accounting & Collections
• Manage full-cycle accounting for commercial tenant accounts, including rent, common area maintenance (CAM), taxes, insurance, utilities, and other recoverable expenses.
• Prepare, generate, and distribute monthly tenant invoices and ensure timely rent and expense recoveries.
• Record tenant rent payments, monitor due dates, and follow up on past-due balances in coordination with property management.
• Maintain accurate tenant ledgers, including rent charges, additional fees, credits, adjustments, and delinquency tracking.
• Respond to tenant inquiries related to billing, account balances, and payments in a professional and timely manner.
• Lease Review & Compliance
• Review and interpret lease agreements to ensure accurate account setup, billing, and recoveries in the accounting system.
• Apply lease terms correctly for tenant bill-backs, proration, percentage rent, and other lease-specific charges.
• Track and reconcile tenant security deposits, including processing refunds upon lease termination in compliance with regulations and lease requirements.
• Accounting Operations
• Process accounts payable and accounts receivable transactions related to tenant and property activity.
• Perform monthly reconciliations of tenant accounts to identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Aid with month-end and year-end close processes related to tenant and property-level activity.
• Support internal review by providing documentation, schedules, and explanations as requested.
• Financial Reporting, Budgeting & Analysis
• Prepare property- and tenant-level financial reports, including payment history, outstanding balances, and lease detail summaries.
• Produce monthly financial reporting and variance analysis for assigned properties.
• Aid with annual budget preparation for the property.
• Responsible for administration of the Common Area Maintenance (CAM) budget, including reviewing and setting up new service contracts and verifying that invoices and payables align with contracted services, approved scopes of work, and budgeted amounts.
• Prepare annual CAM reconciliations and tenant bill-back adjustments in accordance with lease terms and deadlines.
• Cross-Functional Coordination
• Cook with merchant manager, operations teams to support accurate billing, tenant onboarding, lease changes, resolution of billing discrepancies, collection efforts at the property level.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (required).
• Minimum of 3 years of accounting experience; commercial real estate or property management experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of lease structures and tenant bill-back processes, including CAM, taxes, insurance, and utilities.
• Proficiency in Excel and other Microsoft Office applications; experience with property management and accounting systems preferred. (SAGE, Re-Leased, Yardi or similar systems)
• Demonstrated ability to analyze financial data and communicate results clearly and effectively.
• High level of accuracy, organization, and attention to detail.

Essential Skills and Competencies

• Thorough understanding of general ledger accounting systems, chart of accounts, and corporate accounting processes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tenant accounts, properties, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, coworkers, and tenants.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.