Summary
Ballast Investments is seeking a detail-oriented Associate focused on budgeting and financial performance tracking across our real estate portfolio. This role is integral to developing and maintaining internal and external budget frameworks, monitoring monthly variances, and establishing new pro forma budgets for existing and prospective assets. The Associate will interface with acquisitions, operations, and accounting teams to ensure financial accountability and strategic budget alignment across the platform.
The Company is a vertically integrated owner-operator of multifamily, student housing, and single-family rental assets in the greater Western United States. The Company has several strategic partnerships with global institutional capital providers and has experienced strong growth since its founding in 2014.
Ballast employs over 250+ real estate professionals whose mission is to create value by acquiring, developing, and managing our dwellings with exceptional care through an integrated approach. Our culture is founded on teamwork, authenticity, integrity and excellence. Through a shared purpose and common goal, the organization is built to serve its partners and communities within which it invests.
Primary Responsibilities
Budgeting & Trends
- Lead the preparation and refinement of asset-level and portfolio-wide operating budgets
- Analyze performance trends, including budget-to-actuals, expense waterfalls, and shortfall forecasts
- Provide data-driven insight into year-over-year variances and budget creep
Monthly Budget Tracking
- Own monthly variance tracking and reporting, ensuring alignment with pro forma expectations
- Prepare consolidated tracking reports with executive-ready commentary
Policy & Process Oversight
- Monitor and enforce invoice coding policies in coordination with AP and accounting
- Maintain budget tracking systems and documentation to support audit trails and internal controls
Budget Mapping & Coordination
- Build and manage mapping frameworks to translate internal budget lines to external reporting formats
- Partner with in-house property managers and finance teams to align budget reporting
Pro Forma Development
- Develop new pro forma budgets for strategic assets based on historical performance, market comps, and operating assumptions
- Support underwriting efforts with bottom-up budget forecasts and operational input
Minimum Requirements and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Real Estate or related discipline
- At least 4 years of experience in full cycle budget management (financial modeling, budget creation, project management) required
- At least 4 years of experience in real estate, FP&A, or property-level financial oversight preferred
- Advanced proficiency in Excel; experience with Yardi and budgeting software preferred
Key Skills and Competencies
- Financial rigor and attention to detail
- Ability to synthesize large data sets into actionable insights
- Strong communication and documentation skills
- Experience working cross-functionally between asset management, accounting, and property operations
- Self-motivated, deadline-driven, and highly organized
Ballast and its affiliates are committed to creating a diverse environment and are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, and we prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We are also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
We thank all applicants who have applied however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
UNITS BUILT*
RETROFITTED UNITS*
DIVERSE FIRM
OUR PROGRAMS
At Ballast, we are always looking for ways to enrich the local communities our tenants call home. Here are some examples that have proven very popular with residents.
Ballast Bees
Ballast partnered with Alvéole to install beehives on rooftops across our apartment portfolio. This effort helps make urban agriculture a normal part of city life and influences the local environment in a positive way. Once the honey is produced, Alvéole packages and gifts bottles to our lucky residents.
The Artist Program
Ballast is proud to support local artisans by showcasing their artwork on and within our buildings. This commitment to the local art scene helps these talented individuals gain exposure and enriches the wider community by fostering a sense of togetherness.
*Data as of June 30, 2024. Includes estimates based on value-add improvements across portfolio of Ballast properties.