Organizational Overview
The Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) is a tax-exempt nonprofit focused on revitalizing Cincinnati’s urban core, particularly the Central Business District and Over-the-Rhine. Partnering with the City of Cincinnati and the corporate community, 3CDC works to create a vibrant downtown through development, programming, and district management, supported by a team of roughly 185 full-time and 150 part-time staff.
3CDC At-a-Glance:
- 3CDC has contributed to more than $2B in development across Downtown and OTR, including civic spaces, mixed-income housing, and mixed-use projects.
- The organization manages nearly 700K square feet of commercial space, ~200 apartment units, and 5,900+ parking spaces, generating $51M+ annually.
- 3CDC oversees seven civic spaces, hosting nearly 1,600 free events each year.
- 3CDC also manages the Downtown Cincinnati and OTR South Special Improvement Districts, providing clean and safe services, outreach, beautification, and marketing.
Why Join Us?
At 3CDC, you’ll have the opportunity to work in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where your contributions make a tangible impact on the community. This role offers meaningful industry experience, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to be part of a team dedicated to strengthening and energizing Cincinnati’s urban core.
Job Summary
The Accounting Director reports directly to the CFO and leads a team of accounting professionals responsible for the financial management, reporting, and oversight of 3CDC's real estate activities. The role ensures accurate and timely accounting, strong internal controls, and meaningful financial reporting that supports informed decision-making across 3CDC's real estate portfolio.
Beyond day-to-day accounting oversight, the Accounting Director is expected to think strategically about how the function operates. This includes improving processes, strengthening internal discipline, supporting complex real estate transactions, and using financial information to identify trends, explain variances, and support stronger decision-making. The position requires a hands-on leader who can balance technical accounting expertise, systems stewardship, analysis, process improvement, and people leadership in a complex, fast-moving environment.
Primary Responsibilities:
Team Leadership & Accountability
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of five, setting clear expectations for accuracy, timeliness, and accountability.
- Provide structured review, coaching, and support to build staff capability and independence.
- Collaborate closely with the other Accounting Director to maintain consistent processes, documentation standards, workload balance, and quality expectations across the accounting function.
- Ensure staff understand how their work supports organizational goals and contributes to overall performance.
- Develop and maintain a structured onboarding and cross‑training program to ensure team resilience and continuity.
- Foster an environment where issues are identified early, discussed openly, and resolved constructively.
Strategic Partnership & Financial Leadership
- Serve as the primary accounting partner to Development, Property Management, Asset Management, and executive leadership by building strong working relationships, maintaining open communication, and providing accounting guidance on real estate activities.
- Monitor financial performance across assigned portfolios, identifying trends, risks, opportunities, and accounting implications related to development, operations, and asset performance.
- Provide financial insight and analysis related to development activity, financing arrangements, capital investments, and other significant real estate transactions.
- Provide clear, actionable recommendations to support long-term planning, capital management, project financing, and organizational decision-making.
Accounting Oversight, Controls & Reporting
- Oversee and manage month‑end close activities for assigned entities, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
- Review key journal entries, reconciliations, and internal financial reports, ensuring issues are understood and resolved quickly.
- Maintain and strengthen accounting processes and internal controls to support reliability, consistency, and efficiency.
- Assist in maintaining and configuring business settings within the organization’s accounting systems to ensure accurate processing and reporting, coordinating with IT or vendors as needed.
- Ensure internal financial reporting is well‑organized, clear, and tailored to the needs of leadership, committees, and the Board.
- Coordinate accounting support for audits and ensure requested documentation is complete, accurate, and delivered timely.
- Research, evaluate, and implement technical accounting guidance applicable to complex real estate transactions, new accounting standards, and organizational activities.
Process Improvement & Organizational Development
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and accuracy within accounting systems and workflows, and implement changes in coordination with IT or system vendors.
- Lead efforts to improve the clarity, timeliness, and usefulness of financial information and reporting.
- Analyze financial results to identify significant trends, variances, or issues that warrant management attention.
- Support continuous improvement by helping shift the accounting function beyond producing financial results toward providing greater insight and recommendations.
Governance Support & Coordination
- Prepare financial materials and analysis for leadership, committee, Board, lender, and investor discussions, and participate in meetings as needed.
- Coordinate with external auditors, tax professionals, lenders, legal counsel, and other external partners to ensure timely, accurate, and complete financial information and support for assigned entities and transactions
- Collaborate across the Finance & Accounting department to maintain consistent accounting practices, reporting standards, and organizational priorities.
- Elevate significant accounting, operational, compliance, or financial issues with clear context, implications, and recommended solutions.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting or a related field; CPA preferred but not required.
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible accounting or finance experience, including direct staff leadership.
- Strong knowledge of accounting, internal controls, financial reporting, budgeting, and real estate finance concepts.
- Ability to research, interpret, and apply technical accounting guidance, including GAAP, IRS, and other applicable standards.
- Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, present information clearly, and support financial statement audits.
- Professional, collaborative approach with the ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Skills or specialized knowledge:
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
- Ability to learn and effectively manage the business‑side configuration of accounting and financial systems.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
Disclaimer
This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. It is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or work conditions associated with the job. Furthermore, the employer reserves the right to revise or change the job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.
