Finance Manager- Aviation Investment & Leasing

The Finance Manager Aviation Investment & Leasing will support aviation investment, leasing, and portfolio management activities as a highly visible individual contributor. This role partners closely with executive leadership and finance teams to evaluate aircraft investment opportunities, optimize capital deployment strategies, and enhance the performance of a global aviation asset portfolio. The position requires a blend of deep aviation industry expertise, advanced financial modeling skills, structured finance knowledge, and strong accounting acumen to drive informed investment decisions and robust financial governance.

• Support lease accounting activities, including determining operating versus finance lease classifications in accordance with applicable standards.
• Coordinate monthly close activities and ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of financial reporting related to aviation investments and leasing.
• Evaluate the accounting implications of aircraft acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing transactions, including revenue recognition, depreciation, impairment, and transaction accounting.
• Partner with accounting and tax teams to support reporting compliance and tax-efficient decision making.
• Strengthen internal controls and financial governance processes to ensure robust oversight of aviation investment and leasing activities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting and regulatory standards, including lease accounting frameworks.
• Analyze aircraft investment opportunities and assess both asset-level and portfolio-level performance.
• Evaluate asset-level and portfolio-level returns using industry-standard valuation methodologies, including IRR, NPV, MOIC, cash yield, and other return metrics.
• Monitor fleet trends, market demand, residual values, and leasing cycles to inform investment and portfolio decisions.
• Assess counter party credit risk and exposure, and incorporate findings into investment and leasing strategies.
• Develop and present recommendations to improve investment performance, capital allocation, and overall portfolio returns.
• Build, maintain, and audit sophisticated financial models that incorporate debt structures, tax impacts, maintenance reserves, and lease structures.
• Evaluate financing alternatives, including senior and subordinated debt, warehouse facilities, asset-backed securitizations, term financing, and equity partnerships.
• Support treasury and refinancing initiatives by analyzing financing options and their impact on capital structure and cash flow.
• Analyze capital structures and recommend strategies to maximize shareholder value, optimize capital deployment, and enhance cash flow.
• Prepare executive reporting materials, dashboards, and presentations for investment committees and senior leadership.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership by providing clear, data-driven insights on investments, portfolio performance, and capital structure.
• Mentor finance professionals and promote best practices in financial modeling, portfolio analysis, and structured finance across the organization.
• Provide forecasting and strategic decision support for aviation investments, leasing activities, and portfolio management initiatives.

• At least 7 years of experience in aircraft leasing, aviation finance, aviation investments, or structured finance.
• Strong understanding of aircraft leasing cycles and lease economics, including lease structures, pricing, and return dynamics.
• Knowledge of fleet demand trends, residual values, and secondary market dynamics in the aviation sector.
• Expert-level proficiency in Excel, including building and auditing complex financial models.
• Experience building financial models that incorporate debt structures, tax impacts, maintenance reserves, and lease structures.
• Ability to perform IRR, NPV, MOIC, cash yield, and comprehensive return analyses at both asset and portfolio levels.
• Experience evaluating debt structures, including senior debt, subordinated debt, warehouse facilities, asset-backed securitizations (ABS), term financing, and equity partnerships.
• Strong understanding of capital deployment strategies and capital structure optimization in a financing or investment context.
• Working knowledge of ASC 842 and/or IFRS 16 lease accounting standards.
• Experience supporting lease classification, revenue recognition, depreciation, impairment, and transaction accounting for leasing…