Manager, Lease Accounting

Driven Brands Inc.•Charlotte, NC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Lease Accounting will oversee lease accounting activities, journal entry review, balance sheet reconciliations, control execution, and audit-ready documentation for the company’s lease portfolio. This role is especially important in an environment addressing material weaknesses related to leases, journal entries, and account reconciliations, and will be responsible for strengthening the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, review, and documentation of these areas. The Manager will lead day-to-day lease accounting activities, strengthen close and reconciliation processes, support remediation efforts, and help guide the company’s lease system transition by overseeing data validation, testing, conversion reconciliation, and process documentation. This role will also help establish repeatable close procedures, disciplined journal entry review practices, account reconciliation standards, and sustainable controls that support material weakness remediation and ongoing SOX compliance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
6-8 years of progressive accounting experience, including lease accounting, corporate accounting, public accounting, or controllership experience.
Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, ASC 842, and SOX compliance requirements.
Experience reviewing journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations, control evidence, and audit support.
Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

CPA preferred.
Public company, public accounting, or multi-location company experience.
Experience in an environment remediating material weaknesses or significant control deficiencies.
Experience with lease accounting software, lease administration systems, or similar platforms.
Experience with Oracle, FCCS, or other large ERP/consolidation systems.
Prior experience supervising or reviewing the work of accounting professionals.

Responsibilities

Oversee accounting for operating leases, finance leases, lease modifications, additions, terminations, reassessments, and remeasurements in accordance with ASC 842.
Review lease accounting entries, schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with company policies.
Partner with Real Estate, Legal, Operations, FP&A, and other stakeholders to ensure lease events are identified, evaluated, and recorded timely.
Support maintenance of the lease population and related accounting assumptions, abstracts, and system data.
Manage monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities for lease accounting and assigned corporate accounting areas.
Review recurring and non-recurring journal entries to ensure appropriate support, approval, and control evidence, including clear preparer and reviewer documentation, completeness and accuracy checks, and timely posting.
Review complex balance sheet reconciliations and ensure reconciling items are investigated and resolved timely.
Identify recurring close or reconciliation issues and implement practical process improvements to improve quality and reduce risk, including standardized reconciliation procedures, journal entry review expectations, and close controls.
Lead remediation activities related to lease accounting, journal entries, and account reconciliations.
Oversee execution of assigned SOX controls and ensure control evidence is complete, accurate, and retained timely.
Document and improve processes, risks, controls, review procedures, and standard operating procedures, including enhancements to lease accounting controls, journal entry review controls, and account reconciliation controls.
Coordinate with Accounting Management, SOX, Internal Audit, and External Audit teams during remediation, testing, and audit activities.
Help lead the lease system transition, including data validation, user acceptance testing, reconciliation of converted balances, and process documentation.
Review system outputs and converted data to support completeness and accuracy of lease accounting records.
Coordinate with accounting, systems, and business stakeholders to identify issues, support resolution, and maintain appropriate documentation.
Provide guidance, coaching, and review support to senior accountants involved in lease accounting, close, reconciliations, and controls.
Support training on lease accounting policies, documentation expectations, controls, and system-related processes.
Communicate status, risks, and issues clearly to accounting leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.