Director, Commercial Real Estate Lease Analysis & Data Operations in London

About Realty Income

Realty Income (NYSE: O), an S&P 500 company, is a real estate partner to the world's leading companies. Founded in 1969, we invest in diversified commercial real estate and have a portfolio of 15,600 properties in all 50 U.S. states, the UK and six other countries in Europe, with a gross book value of $58bn. 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 656 consecutive monthly dividends and are a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats® index, having increased our dividend for the last 30 consecutive years.

You will be joining one of the largest Real Estate Investment Trusts in the world as we rapidly expand into the UK and European markets, including moving into new offices at 3 St. James’s Square. The European portfolio, including the UK, has experienced consistent growth quarter-on-quarter since our first international acquisition, a £429m 12-property portfolio from Sainsbury’s in 2019. In just five years the portfolio now includes investments of over $11bn, and 483 distinct properties.

This opportunity will give you the chance to develop and shape the leasing analysis and data operations team, being part of the internal decision-making process with exposure to senior management. There will be dynamic opportunities for career growth as the company and our portfolio expands.

Position Overview

This Director role is a senior operational leader responsible for the accuracy, governance, and execution of portfolio data and lease analysis across the UK/EU region. This role oversees the Lease Analysis and Portfolio Data Management teams, ensuring all lease abstractions and portfolio transactions are reviewed for completeness and accuracy. The Director partners closely with Finance Operations (US), Legal, Asset Management, Enterprise Architecture (Salesforce), IT, and Finance Transformation to deliver reliable data, process improvements, and reporting excellence. The role requires the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic organisation, multitask effectively, and consistently achieve monthly close deadlines in a global real estate environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Team Management
  • Lead and develop high-performing teams in Lease Analysis and Portfolio Data Management, setting clear expectations for accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
  • Mentor and coach team members, fostering a culture of operational discipline, attention to detail, and professional growth.
  • Oversee work allocation, training, performance evaluations, and team dynamics to ensure effective execution and quality outcomes.
  • Design and supervise offshore teams, ensuring seamless integration and consistent standards across geographies.
• Lease Abstraction & Portfolio Transaction Oversight
  • Directly responsible for reviewing and approving the accuracy of all lease abstractions and portfolio transactions, ensuring compliance with UK/EU and global standards.
  • Apply deep expertise in commercial real estate and lease administration, including complex lease structures, VAT, rent indexation, break clauses, dilapidations, and multi-country requirements.
  • Standardise abstraction templates, audit checklists, and sign-off protocols; ensure all data is validated and promoted to the system of record.
• Operational Execution & Process Improvement
  • Architect and continuously improve end-to-end workflows for portfolio data and lease analysis, embedding automation, controls, and best practices.
  • Drive process improvement initiatives to enhance data quality, reduce manual tasks, and increase operational efficiency using ERP/CRM systems (Yardi, Salesforce) and analytics tools.
  • Lead new country implementation projects, including operating model design, Yardi setup, and vendor management.
  • Monitor data quality indicators (DQIs), track operational metrics, and implement remediation plans for exceptions and errors.
  • Multitask effectively and manage competing priorities to achieve monthly close deadlines and support business growth.
• Stakeholder Collaboration & Cross-Functional Coordination
  • Collaborate closely with Finance Operations (US), Legal (including acquisitions), Asset Management, Enterprise Architecture (Salesforce), IT, and Finance Transformation on process design, requirements, automation, reporting, and testing.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for transaction-related data and process requirements, ensuring timely and accurate support for business needs.
  • Facilitate cross-functional initiatives and change management efforts to support organisation agility and growth.
• Reporting & Compliance
  • Oversee internal and external reporting requirements, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with UK/EU and global standards.
  • Maintain documented procedures and evidence supporting financial and supplemental reporting, including ICFR/SOX and local obligations.
• Organisational Relationships
  • Regular interaction with domestic and international teams and senior leadership across various departments including Legal, Asset Management, Acquisitions, Finance Operations, Development, Asset Management, IT, and Internal Audit.
  • This role interacts with third-party vendors supporting Property Management as well as ongoing offshore projects and initiatives to ensure seamless project execution and alignment with organisational goals.

Candidate Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Must have for the role:
  • Extensive experience in Commercial Real Estate portfolio management, Lease Administration and Lease Abstraction expertise, gained in either a larger /or complex commercial real estate (property management) firm or a global law firm.
  • Strong understanding of UK/EU property law and commercial lease documentation.
  • Leadership experience: Proven success in leading teams, driving accountability, and building strong cross-functional relationships, including offshore team supervision.
  • Bachelor’s degree in real estate or related field required; advanced degree or professional accreditation preferred.
  • Accuracy & Attention to Detail: Demonstrated ability to review, validate, and ensure the accuracy of complex lease abstractions and portfolio transactions.
  • Process Improvement & Automation: Experience in process design, automation, and continuous improvement using ERP/CRM systems (Yardi, Salesforce) and analytics tools (Power BI, Alteryx).
  • Global Experience: Experience working in a global real estate environment, managing operations across multiple countries, and leading new country implementations.
  • Vendor Management: Experience with vendor selection, onboarding, and oversight for abstraction and data management services.
  • Project Management: Strong organisational skills, managing resources effectively to meet deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
  • Results Orientation: Proven ability to multitask, prioritise, and consistently achieve monthly close and reporting deadlines.
• Desirable But Not Essential:
  • Legal qualification (Qualified /Paralegal / pre-qualification degree or diploma)
  • European language

Our Mission & Values

For more than 50 years, Realty Income has been guided by our mission to invest in people and places to deliver dependable monthly dividends that increase over time. We do this by nurturing long-term, meaningful relationships that enable people to achieve a better financial outlook. We understand that when individuals succeed financially, they are able to provide for their families, support local businesses and pursue their greatest ambitions, creating a lasting positive impact on communities.

Realty Income is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.