Job Requirements We are seeking a tech-forward, highly capable accounting leader to help strengthen, modernize, and scale New Home Star's finance infrastructure. This person will lead core accounting operations across close, AP, AR, payroll, cash, compliance, reconciliations, internal controls, and cross-system workflows while helping create clearer ownership, stronger accountability, and more reliable financial processes.
This role is ideal for someone who takes full ownership of operational outcomes, not just assigned responsibilities. The right candidate will be energized by building scalable accounting infrastructure, improving systems performance, identifying control gaps, and reducing manual work through process improvement, automation, reporting enhancements, and AI-enabled tools.
Working closely with the Finance Director, this person will serve as a hands-on operational partner and accounting leader. They will help manage team execution, improve workflows, formalize controls, and provide structure across a complex, multi-system finance environment.
This is a strong fit for an experienced accounting professional who has already owned key accounting operations, led or supported team members, and is motivated to grow into broader Controller or finance leadership responsibilities over time.
What You'll DoAs Accounting Manager, you will lead and strengthen core accounting operations while helping build a more scalable, controlled, and technology-enabled finance function. You will partner closely with the Finance Director to improve close, AP, AR, payroll, cash, compliance, systems, and team execution.
- Lead core accounting operations, including month-end close, AP, AR, payroll support, cash management, reconciliations, and compliance workflows.
- Manage, support, and develop accounting team members by creating clear ownership, expectations, review processes, and accountability.
- Design and improve scalable accounting processes, internal controls, approval workflows, and documentation across key finance areas.
- Oversee the accuracy and timeliness of accounting outputs, including journal entries, reconciliations, billing support, payroll-related accounting, and cash activity.
- Partner with the Finance Director on operational priorities, risk areas, process gaps, and finance infrastructure improvements.
- Support audit, tax, legal entity, payroll compliance, and other recurring reporting requirements.
- Identify opportunities to reduce manual work through automation, reporting improvements, and AI-enabled finance tools.
What We're Looking For- Availability: Must work in-person two days per week in the Elmhurst, IL corporate office.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
- CPA required.
- 5-10 years of progressive accounting or finance experience, preferably in a high-volume, multi-system, or operationally complex environment.
- Strong experience owning core accounting operations, including month-end close, AP, AR, payroll accounting, reconciliations, cash management, compliance, and internal controls.
- Ability to support recurring tax and compliance processes by preparing schedules, maintaining documentation, and coordinating source information for filings such as state registrations, business licenses, annual reports, 1120-S support, K-1 support, and related entity requirements.
- Prior experience managing, mentoring, or directly supporting a small accounting or finance team.
- Proven ability to design, improve, and enforce scalable accounting processes, controls, approval workflows, and documentation.
- Strong systems experience with ERP, payroll, banking, expense, and reporting tools; Oracle Fusion and ADP Workforce Now experience strongly preferred.
- Advanced Excel and data analysis skills, with the ability to review complex datasets, identify issues, and improve reporting accuracy.
- Strong judgment, communication, and leadership skills, with the ability to partner with finance leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Demonstrated interest in process modernization, automation, reporting improvement, and AI-enabled finance operations.
- Background checks required.
Preferred Systems Experience:- ERP/EPM: Oracle Fusion (Cloud)
- HRIS/Payroll: ADP Workforce Now
- CRM: HubSpot, internally developed operational systems
- Banking: Chase Connect / Chase Access
- AP/Expenses: Ramp
- Data & Workflow: Google Sheets, Smartsheet
- Commissions Management: CaptivateIQ, Spiff, ElevateHQ
- Reporting, automation, or AI-enabled finance tools strongly preferred
What Success Looks Like- Core accounting operations-including payroll, commissions, close, compliance, and cash processes-are executed accurately, consistently, and on schedule
- Operational issues, control weaknesses, and workflow inefficiencies are identified early and proactively resolved
- Manual processes are significantly reduced through stronger systems, automation, AI integration, and scalable process improvements
- Finance leadership and cross-functional stakeholders trust you as a reliable owner of critical accounting infrastructure
