Head of Finance & Accounting, UK & Europe

Position Overview:

Reporting to the Global Chief Financial Officer, the SVP, Head of Finance and Accounting, UK and Europe will act as a strategic partner in the business and will oversee all accounting and transactional activities, including general accounting, financial reporting, technical accounting, accounts payable, tax and compliance, treasury management, finance systems and technology, finance transformation and operational excellence for our UK and European divisions. This key role will be a primary driver in shaping our international operational strategy, ensuring compliance with local GAAP and IFRS, and enhancing our accounting processes to drive efficiency and support a high-growth organization.

The Head of Finance and Accounting, UK and Europe will be an accomplished leader and strong communicator, providing thought leadership, driving process improvement and operational excellence, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and aligning reporting and compliance obligations with overall business priorities. Collaborative, visionary, and inspirational leadership will be pivotal to success at Realty Income. A key focus area will be driving change in a fast-paced, high-volume environment to effectuate a timely, efficient, and accurate financial close in alignment with the deadlines set forth by the U.S. parent company.

They will develop and execute strategies that consider the unique operating frameworks of multiple countries – ensuring compliance with various international financial regulations, tax laws, and reporting standards. They will oversee the preparation of consolidated financial statements that comply with IFRS and local GAAP requirements for each subsidiary or region. This role will also be responsible for optimizing global cash management and liquidity to support international operations. This may involve managing international banking relationships and optimizing the use of international banking services.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership

Be an active member of the executive and senior management committees designing and overseeing the implementation of the European expansion strategies.

Lead operational, tax, and financial design of the European platform including staffing, systems, and infrastructure.

Be a champion of change management, and a catalyst to motivate the European finance team to take ownership of building sustainable processes and developing solutions to operational challenges, in collaboration with colleagues in the U.S.

Provide leadership and guidance to the Accounting, Corporate Finance, Finance Operations, and Information Technology teams in Europe.

Build, manage, and mentor a team of accountants and operation staff in the European hub.

Build, manage, and cultivate relationships with key suppliers and third parties across the European network.

Project manage, make decisions for, and recommend structures for several various projects, including international expansion.

Ensure that departmental financial and operational controls are consistently practiced.

Cultivate and inspire a culture of high performance and continuous improvement with a commitment to maintaining high standards of professionalism of team members.

Ensure that departmental financial and operational controls are consistently practiced.

Managing Technical Areas

Model, design, and implement multi-jurisdictional legal structures optimizing operational and tax efficiencies.

Oversee the development, alongside Legal and Internal audit, of best practice governance and operational policies and procedures for European structures and processes.

Oversee commercial, tax, and financial aspects of real estate transactions across Europe providing technical support and decision-making to legal and transaction teams.

Oversee the general ledgers, accounts receivable, accounts payable, depreciation and tax records for all European company entities, including accounting transactions, applicable distributions, financial statement preparation and annual statutory audits.

Oversee and develop a local GAAP reporting framework, utilizing the company’s ERP system (Yardi).

Work with the US Accounting team in finalizing the month-end accounting close for the European entities.

Work with our Tax Director to coordinate preparation of the applicable tax returns for Europe and ensure all local tax matters are processed correctly and timely.

Work with the Technical Accounting Team to research and adopt new accounting standards and pronouncements, including coaching of the local European hub on financial controls and technical accounting changes.

Provide support and consultation with regard to the coordination of hedging transactions with Corporate Finance.

Oversee cash and treasury management within Europe, including the coordination of hedging transactions with Corporate Finance.

Understand the equity accounting for restricted stock grants within Europe.

Oversee reconciliation of international payroll accounts.

Strategy and Operational Excellence

Operational creativity and a passion for process improvement is critical for this role. Implementing a vision and holding others accountable for meeting deadlines is pivotal.

Drive automation and process improvement initiatives, reducing manual tasks, enhancing accuracy, and streamlining our accounting processes.

Promote a culture of continuous improvement. Seek opportunities to enhance processes, reduce inefficiencies, and increase productivity.

Budgeting/Forecasting

Maintain accountability for the development, maintenance and tracking of international budgets/forecasts.

Identify and drive operational and cost efficiencies across the European platform.

Managing Reporting

Coordinate the month-end reporting to the U.S. corporate headquarters for international transactions.

Oversee and attend local and executive board meetings, providing experienced guidance and insights.

Attend and present to Executive Board meetings and Audit Committees.

Internal Controls

Direct implementation of accounting and information technology policies, practices, and procedures across Europe.

Participate in applicable SOX walkthroughs.

Establishes, documents, and ensures execution of internal controls to prevent inaccuracies in financial statements.

Ensures a strong control environment by establishing, monitoring and enforcing operational and SOX controls based on corporate guidelines and general governance standards. Both support and challenge managers to identify areas where controls can be strengthened.

Ensures ongoing compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements; anticipating future legislation; enforcing adherence to requirements; filing financial reports and advising management on needed actions.

Implements, process improvements and automation where needed.

Where appropriate, drive transformational initiatives aimed at consolidating and bringing transactional accounting work performed by external partners in-house.

Audits

Ensure all local statutory accounts are compliant and filed on time, including working with local auditors on resolving technical matters.

Take ownership of implementing resolution to any audit matters raised by external auditors.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Experience working in a high velocity, dynamic environment, acquiring portfolios and companies, where the environment can become intense, with multiple tasks occurring simultaneously, and where judgment must be exercised to assess risk expeditiously and thoughtfully. It is important that this individual has managed large teams of people before, with direct and indirect reports, and has the maturity and judgment to offer leadership and drive change within the group.

Excellent Communication and presentation skills, including potential interface with the Board of Directors on occasion, and all EVP level officers of the company on a regular basis. Strong financial acumen, including understanding of company’s financial statements, notes to financial statements and budgeting techniques.

Ability to multi-task under pressure.

Strong Change Management and Leadership experience

Require acute attention to detail, leadership skills, communication skills, problem solving/analytical abilities, time management skills, and critical-thinking abilities.

Confident, yet courteous and “hands-on” work demeanor

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field of study.

At least 15 years of experience in general accounting & taxes, including IFRS knowledge.

At least 5 years of experience in the management of employees at a publicly listed company.

Fully qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/etc.)

Real estate experience (preferably for a real estate investment trust is preferred)

Fluent in spoken and written English

Understanding of 2-3 foreign languages preferred, particularly Spanish, French, German.

About Realty Income!

Realty Income (NYSE: O), an S&P 500 company, is real estate partner to the world's leading companies. Founded in 1969, we invest in diversified commercial real estate and have a portfolio of over 15,450 properties (including properties acquired in the Spirit merger in January 2024) in all 50 U.S. states and in seven countries in Europe. We are known as "The Monthly Dividend Company®," and have a mission to deliver stockholders dependable monthly dividends that grow over time. Since our founding, we have declared 645 consecutive monthly dividends and are a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats® index for having increased our dividend for the last 25 consecutive years.