Expense Controller Atlanta, GA

At Cortland we operate with a forward-thinking approach that challenges conventional norms and actively seeks insights beyond traditional industry boundaries. As a recognized leader in the multifamily sector our focus on performance innovation and disciplined execution continues to drive strong growth and market leadership. We are committed to building a best-in-class organization by empowering top talent with the resources autonomy and support needed to deliver results and advance their careers in a high-performance environment.

As the Expense Controller you will lead the organizations approach to managing all nonproperty operating expenses with clarity discipline and true ownership. You will ensure every major expense category has a defined owner an approved budget and ongoing accountability while reducing unmanaged or lowvalue spend and strengthening transparency across corporate and sharedservice costs. Serving as the central authority for corporate G&A and sharedservice expenses you will unify FP&A Procurement and Corporate Accounting under a single governance modelaligning planning sourcing spending and reporting to improve visibility and enhance the companys overall cost structure. Your impact will be measured through complete expense ownership coverage reductions in unbudgeted spend improved forecast accuracy and delivering tangible measurable cost savings.

Expense Governance & Ownership

Build and maintain a clear enterprise-wide expense governance framework.

Define major expense categories assign owners and set decision rights and approval paths.

Align cross functional teams on expectations standards and reporting to ensure consistency across departments.

Corporate & Shared Expense Oversight

Oversee corporate and shared-service spend areas (G&A IT payroll-related costs marketing professional services and more).

Review and validate spend requests renewals and contracts to ensure they align with business needs and budgets.

Partner with leaders to understand cost drivers resource needs and run rate impacts.

Own and refine the T&E policy and identify opportunities to streamline duplicative tools and subscriptions.

Budgeting Forecasting & FP&A Partnership

Align expense owners with annual budgets forecasts and financial plans.

Provide insights to FP&A on trends commitments and risks.

Monitor budget vs. actuals analyze variances and drive timely corrective actions.

Equip expense owners with tools and guidance to build accurate forecasts.

Procurement & Vendor Management

Partner with Procurement on vendor consolidation contract negotiations and sourcing alignment.

Ensure spend aligns with approved contracts and vendor performance expectations.

Strengthen processes for RFPs renewals and vendor selections.

Maintain visibility into total cost of ownership for major vendor relationships.

Accounting Alignment & Controls

Ensure accurate classification accruals and adherence to accounting standards.

Reduce post-close adjustments through improved upstream documentation and accuracy.

Partner with Accounting on coding timing and reconciliation practices.

Support consistent expense metrics and resolve recurring misclassification issues.

Reporting & Optimization

Create executive-ready dashboards and reporting that highlight key trends and opportunities.

Lead or support cost optimization initiatives and track financial impact.

Provide insights that inform vendor decisions resource allocation and demand management.

Maintain a regular cadence of executive-level expense reviews.

Bachelors degree in Finance Accounting Business (MBA/CPA preferred)

8 years experience in finance operations or expense management; Real estate experience preferred

Strong understanding of expense structures budgeting forecasting cost controls and financial governance

Working knowledge of GAAP expense classification accruals and financial control frameworks

Experience partnering crossfunctionally with FP&A Procurement Accounting and business leaders

Proven ability to review challenge and influence spending decisions at all levels of the organization

Proficiency with ERP systems budgeting tools and financial reporting platforms

Advanced Excel and strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex spend data

Skilled communicator who can present clearly to executives and drive alignment across teams

Demonstrated ability to build structure create consistency and establish effective processes

Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving clarity accountability and discipline

Founded in 2005 Cortland is an international vertically integrated multifamily real estate investment development and management firm with a resident-centric approach to living experiences. Recognized as one of the top 10 multifamily owners and operators in the US Cortland combines in-house design construction and operations to deliver value and innovation across its portfolio.

Join us as we reimagine apartment living and drive outsized returns through purpose performance and people.

Cortland is an equal opportunity employer and were proud to support and celebrate diversity in the workplace. We are committed to equal consideration for all qualified applicants regardless of race color religion gender sexual orientation gender identity or expression national origin age disability protected veteran status genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you have a disability and need an accommodation or assistance with the application process and/or using our website please email

Cortland is a drug-free workplace.

Cortland participates in e-verify to verify the employment status of

all persons hired to work in the United States.