Senior Lease Accountant

Ralph Lauren; Watford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job description

Company Description
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands. At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.

Position Overview
The Senior Lease Accountant will join the team in charge of the accounting, reporting, forecasting and administration of all Ralph Lauren stores' and corporate offices' leases across Europe. The team oversees key areas in relation to Leases and their administration: accounting & reporting under US GAAP and local GAAPs (20+ legal entities), planning & forecasting (rolling forecast, annual plan, long range plan) and finance operations linked to the administration of the Leases (invoice review, payment to landlords, etc.). The team partners very closely with Real estate, Legal and Financial Planning & Analysis teams to support Ralph Lauren strategy to expand our footprint across EMEA and deliver excellent accounting, forecasting and administration of our Leases. The team is in direct contact with landlords across Europe and thus plays a key role in building and maintaining strong and sustainable relationships with these partners.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

* Prepare and maintain financial records in compliance with established policies and accounting standards (ASC 842)
* Perform month-end close activities (accruals, reconciliations, P&L and balance sheet reviews, variance analyses)
* Ensure all lease related expenses are accurately recorded and accounted for
* Prepare EMEA Lease reporting packages
* Participate in the preparation of statutory accounts in compliance with local GAAPs (20+ legal entities)
* Provide support with internal and external Audit requests
* Prepare the rolling forecast (twice a quarter), annual plan and long-range plan for areas of responsibilities
* Analyze and explain variances between actuals and forecast and/or plan
* Work with the Financial Planning & Analysis team on closing and forecast to ensure updates and variances are properly captured and explained
* Partner closely with the Financial Planning & Analysis, Real estate and Legal teams to ensure financial data are up to date and a smooth administration of the Leases
* Connect regularly with Real Estate and Legal teams to be aware of all new store/offices openings, closures, renewals, etc.
* Review and analyze lease data on the agreements and conclude on the classification and proper accounting treatment
* Generate the accounting schedules for new leases / renewals in our Lease management system (Costar)
* Work with the Global accounting policy team on technical areas requiring their expertise and/or validation
* Support other team members on lease administration activities where needed: invoice review, reconciliations payments to landlords, issue resolution, etc.
* Other duties as assigned

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

* 3-5 full strategic cycles of experience in Accounting, Finance or Audit
* Systems knowledge: Lease Administration software (e.g. Costar) and SAP a plus
* Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
* Proactive and self-driven
* Can-do and problem-solving attitude
* Ability to adhere to tight deadlines and escalate issues timely
* Detail-oriented with ability to multitask without impacting accuracy
* Excellent analytical, organizational, and time management skills
* Provides high degree of professional customer service to both internal and external parties
* Excellent communication skills.