The Director, Asset Finance and Accounting (Regional Portfolio) is financially accountable for a portfolio of retail properties. This role is responsible for the financial management of the portfolio and the central point of contact for the Centers and they act as a consultant in challenging business assumptions (Shopping Center General Managers, Operating Managers and other department heads).
The Director will supervise all financial analysis and play an active role in strategic and tactical decision making for the portfolio. This role will lead accounting, reporting, annual budgeting, short- and long-term forecasting, cash flow review and preparation of audited financial statements. This role will establish a relationship based on mutual trust with business teams and support their leaders with their action plans on all financial related matters.
Responsibilities for the role:
Lead a team of a Senior Manager, Senior Accountants and Accountants with a focus on staff development and training.
Demonstrate financial expertise for the portfolio of assets with a specific focus on Net Rental Income improvement and providing recommendations on optimizing capital expenditure.
Deep understanding of internal Group processes to ensure consistency within the portfolio and with the wider finance teams
Lead cross-functional performance projects and drive efficiency for the whole department and particularly Debt Service Covenant Ratio activity
Accounting:
Lead quarterly closing of the books and communicate results to financial and non-financial colleagues in a timely manner.
Responsible for applying the accounting rules and reviewing accuracy of the books & records of the portfolio assets on both US GAAP & IFRS bases lead by REIT principles
Present periodic financial results to senior management as required.
Responsible for the timely and accurate distribution of operational reports and analysis, inclusive of lender and Joint Venture partner reporting.
Issue annual stand-alone financial statements (US GAAP) and work with the company’s auditors to obtain audit opinions according to strict deadlines.
Budgeting & Forecasting:
Oversee all forecasting and budgeting processes for the portfolio, and present financial plans succinctly to senior management.
Act as a financial leader to the Operating Managers & General Manager teams to analyze financials and lead reporting/forecast/ budgets processes while considering knowledge of the business and economic factors.
Interpret and review variances between budget/forecast vs. actual and previous year and offer insights to support with the development of action plans.
Business Analysis:
Identify gaps in the portfolio’s execution of strategic and tactical objectives, provide feedback to leaders and business partners and help build mitigation plans.
Help develop analytical tools/ frameworks to allow executives to better understand the state of the business.
Show full understanding of retail business stakes and follow market trends to adapt quickly to a changing environment.
Provides data in a way that is consumable and illustrative, where necessary, to support driving decisions.
Support due diligence for strategic transactions such as acquisitions, dispositions, and property secured debt financing if applicable.
What we are looking for
BA in Accounting or Finance required, MBA or CPA preferred or similar experience.
10+ years of experience in finance/accounting, with previous real estate, retail finance, or FP&A experience required.
Previous experience in a leadership role with direct responsibility for supervising, training, recruiting and motiving a team.
Strong ability to absorb high level pressure especially on timing and delivery.
Capable of thriving in a team-oriented environment, partnering with business group and working closely with senior executives and other Finance executives.
Ability to interface and partner with senior executives, obtain buy-in from stakeholders, and offer concise business solutions.
Strong analytical and general quantitative skills, with high attention to detail and synthesis capacities
Expert user of excel, with other ERP/BI system experience a plus.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, experience and skills. We believe that diversity plays an important part in the success of our business and we are committed to creating an environment which respects, values, celebrates and makes the most of people’s individual differences. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, and other legally protected characteristics.
