Ascension Search Partners has been engaged by a well respected middle-market private equity firm in the northeast to hire a Chief Financial Officer for is exponentially growing real estatement development company. This business is has a strong dedication to its customers and its presence continues to grow in line with its success across the US. The company has built a portfolio of communities with a very unique best-in-class offering and continues to pursue strategic growth opportunities within its sector.
Backed by private equity sponsorship, the business is entering its next phase of growth and is seeking an ambitious, high-caliber Chief Financial Officer to serve as a strategic business partner to executive leadership and ownership.
This represents a unique opportunity for an emerging finance executive who is ready to step into a CFO role and help scale a growing real estate operating platform. The successful candidate will have the ability to influence strategy, improve operations, drive financial performance, support acquisitions, and play a critical role in shaping the future of the organization.
The Opportunity
The CFO will lead all aspects of finance, accounting, reporting, budgeting, forecasting, treasury, lender relationships, and strategic planning. This individual will work closely with ownership and operational leadership to help drive growth, enhance reporting capabilities, support capital allocation decisions, and build scalable processes that support an expanding portfolio.
This is not a maintenance role. It is a hands-on leadership position for someone who enjoys building, improving, and creating value.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead all accounting, finance, treasury, FP&A, and reporting functions across the organization
- Have a seat at the executive leadership table and ownership of strategic planning and business initiatives
- Develop and enhance budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting processes
- Deliver timely and actionable financial insights that improve business performance
- Manage cash flow, liquidity planning, debt compliance, and banking relationships
- Support acquisitions, due diligence activities, integration efforts, and capital projects
- Evaluate operational performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability and efficiency
- Build scalable systems, controls, and processes capable of supporting continued portfolio growth
- Interface regularly with investors, lenders, external auditors, tax advisors, and other stakeholders
- Create meaningful KPIs and dashboards that provide visibility into portfolio and community performance
- Lead, mentor, and develop the finance and accounting team
Ideal Background
We are interested in exceptional finance leaders from a variety of asset-intensive industries, including:
- Multifamily
- Self-Storage
- Hospitality
- Senior Living
- Real Estate Operating Platforms
- Other multi-site property-intensive businesses
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
- CPA preferred but not required
- Progressive finance and accounting leadership experience
- Strong understanding of budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and financial operations
- Experience working within a growing, entrepreneurial, or private equity-backed environment highly preferred
- Demonstrated ability to support business growth and operational improvement initiatives
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence across the organization
- Advanced financial modeling, analytical, and decision-support capabilities
- Hands-on approach coupled with strategic business acumen
What Success Looks Like
The ideal candidate will be more than a financial steward. They will be a business leader who can:
- Translate financial information into strategic decisions
- Build credibility with investors, lenders, and ownership
- Improve the sophistication of reporting and analytics
- Drive operational efficiency across the portfolio
- Support future acquisitions and expansion initiatives
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and ownership group
Why This Opportunity?
- First-chair CFO opportunity with significant visibility and impact
- Direct partnership with investors and executive leadership
- Opportunity to help shape and scale a growing platform
- Exposure to acquisitions, capital projects, and strategic initiatives
- Attractive long-term growth potential for a rising finance executive
- Ability to make a measurable impact on both company performance and affordable housing communities
