Real Estate Transformation Senior Lead Finance Analyst - Forecasting & Analytics

Job Description Summary

Wells Fargo recently outsourced most of the Corporate Real Estate functions. The Corporate Real Estate Finance Team needs to re-build major components of the finance process to support the transformation and integrate information from third parties as we migrate to a principal model with external Real Estate Management firms.

This is a business aligned finance role that will define requirements and implement a new forecast process that tracks actuals, budget, and forecast at the right level of granularity to support business decisions. It will require implementation of a new cash flow tool to convert capitalized expenses from cash basis to P&L across the full depreciable life of assets, and a forecasting tool to enable efficient multi-year P&L scenario analysis.

About this role:

• This position will lead the effort to build an integrated financial reporting, forecasting, and budgeting process for the Corporate Real Estate Finance team. It will require collaboration and integrated planning with line of business partners, technology, and other groups who consume real-estate space, make decisions that impact direct expense in the Properties Portfolio and receive occupancy allocations. Outcomes must include streamlined processes, new tools that provide scenario analysis capabilities for long-term capital planning, explicit measurement of fixed asset balances on the balance sheet over time, and cost of funds projections so that business groups and enterprise functions understand how their decisions impact the Properties Portfolio direct expense and future occupancy allocations.

• Move beyond the current forecasting methodology which rolls forward historical trends in general ledger lines to project future performance. Incorporate metrics and data from underlying operational systems into a model tied more closely to the drivers of activity and cost. Include planned future actions gained through active participation in the long-term capital planning process, the branch network strategy, the overall Real Estate strategy for office renovation in core markets, and data center strategy driven by Tech. Leverage all the known insight to assess the impact to op-ex and cap-ex as delivery of projects changes over time and as inflationary pressures impact property management costs.

• Define requirements for integrated financial reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and occupancy allocation in the Real Estate portfolio
• Implement new processes and tools to support monthly forecast revisions, explanation of variances, and development of annual budgets
• Establish process and implement tools to enable more efficient long-term capital planning, supported with scenario analysis
• Model balance sheet and income statement impact of fixed asset depreciation over the life of the assets
• Develop concise executive presentations and interact with executives to influence Real Estate decisions
• Streamline and automate financial analysis and reporting of Real Estate Portfolio expense to reduce delivery time and improve controls
• Creatively solve problems and find ways to move forward when the path is not clear or obstacles emerge
• Collaborate with cross-functional groups (Corporate Real Estate, Technology, Data Management, Corporate Finance) to achieve outcomes
• Synthesize complex information and deliver insights to senior leaders

• 7+ years of Finance experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education

• 7+ years hands-on experience in Corporate Real Estate Finance
• 7+ years hands-on lease accounting experience - conversion from cash to P&L basis, long-term forecasting linked to critical assumptions and drivers, deep knowledge of the property construction, management, and lease administration process, understanding of specialized accounting treatment for rent smoothing, and other items required to correctly model cash flows in each of these areas
• 7+ years experience modeling balance sheet and income statements in the Real Estate space, including cash flow projections for capitalized assets over their depreciable life consistent with accounting rules. Experience building assumption-based scenario analysis to project a range of outcomes and to communicate the implications in a simple way to executive leadership.

• Strong collaborator, communicator, organizer and leader adept at defining requirements and outcomes, obtaining buy-in from executive leaders, guiding cross-functional resources to achieve desired outcomes, and providing regular status reports to stakeholders to socialize progress
• Expert problem solver with proven track record of driving results on tight timelines - create accountability for delivery of outcomes, apply critical thinking to resolve blockers and optimize execution, guide team through ambiguity and create clarity if it does not exist so that project goals are understood and remain aligned to desired outcomes
• Prior experience consulting, influencing, and partnering with senior business leaders

• Health benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid time off
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• Parental leave
• Critical caregiving leave
• Discounts and savings
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement