Sr. Manager, Lease Accounting

Job Summary

We are seeking a forward-thinking Senior Manager to lead lease accounting and close execution for a portfolio of real estate and equipment leases across a fast-paced QSR environment. This role is accountable for the end-to-end lease accounting lifecycle under US GAAP (ASC 842), including governance of lease intake/change capture, Lucernex subledger governance, monthly close accounting, reconciliations and tie-outs to the general ledger, SOX/ICFR controls and evidence standards, and quarterly/annual reporting support.

This position reports to the Sr. Director, Accounting and partners closely with Accounts Payable, Real Estate, Trans Papa Logistics (TPL), FP&A, Technical Accounting, Reporting, and Information and Digital Solutions (IDS) to ensure (1) accounting-impact data is captured timely and accurately, (2) conclusions are applied consistently and documented, and (3) transactional processing and non-accounting “relationship management” activities are routed appropriately so the team can focus on governance, compliance, and reporting excellence.

The role will also promote modern, tool-agnostic automation and AI-enabled ways of working to accelerate close and strengthen decision support through practical use cases and repeatable team playbooks.

• Govern lease intake/change capture and accounting-impact data standards across stakeholders (Real Estate, TPL, Legal, etc.).
• Maintain the lease accounting operating cadence: close calendar, deliverables, tie-outs, review checkpoints, and evidence requirements.
• Govern Lucernex as the lease subledger (accounting-impact fields, validation/approval thresholds, exception handling, and periodic data quality review).

• Lead ASC 842 accounting including classification/measurement and Day 2+ activity (modifications, remeasurements, renewals, terminations, and reassessments).
• Ensure consistent accounting for key lease-related items (variable rent, prepaids/deferrals, incentives/allowances, deposits, and other lease-related balance sheet activity).

• Lead monthly close execution: prepare/review journal entries, reconciliations, and variance explanations; resolve exceptions and ensure timely completion.
• Own key tie-outs (Lucernex GL) and maintain standard reconciliation templates and review evidence.
• Support quarterly/annual reporting and audits with disclosure support packages, roll forwards/tie-outs, and clear walkthrough narratives.

• Operate and improve SOX/ICFR controls for lease processes (documentation standards, evidence retention, monitoring, and remediation).
• Serve as primary point of contact for audit requests related to leases; coordinate PBC responses and ensure audit-ready documentation and support.

• Work collaboratively with AP to continuously assess workflows, optimize responsibilities across teams, and support efficient processing while ensuring strong controls, approvals and governance.
• Partner with Real Estate and TPL to improve upstream lease administration quality and ensure lease changes are communicated and captured timely.
• Collaborate with Technical Accounting, Reporting, and IDS to align on complex accounting conclusions, reporting requirements, and workflow discipline.

• Deliver practical improvements that accelerate close and improve decision support (e.g., reconciliation preparation, exception triage workflows, and standardized variance narratives).
• Build repeatable playbooks (templates, checklists, and training materials) to drive adoption, consistency, and reduced rework.

• Lead, coach, and develop team members; build cross-coverage and promote a culture of accountability, documentation discipline, and continuous improvement.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• CPA strongly preferred
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 3+ years in a people leadership and/or process ownership role.
• Strong technical knowledge of US GAAP lease accounting (ASC 842), including Day 2+ modification and remeasurement concepts.
• Demonstrated experience leading monthly close activities, balance sheet reconciliations, and controls/evidence practices in a SOX/ICFR environment.
• Experience operating a lease accounting subledger/system (Lucernex or similar) and partnering across functions to govern data quality and workflow discipline.
• Experience in QSR, real estate, multi-unit retail, distribution, fleet, or similarly asset/lease-intensive environments preferred.
• Demonstrated success in cross-functional process improvement, standardization, and/or automation initiatives.
• Experience leveraging automation and/or AI-enabled tools to streamline accounting operations, accelerate close activities, or enhance reporting…