Realty Income is seeking a Manager, Finance Operations Automation to own and advance the customer payment experience and cash application automation capabilities within the Invoice-to-Cash value stream. Reporting to the VP, Finance Operations, this leader will work at the intersection of Finance Operations, Technology, Data, Accounting, and Client Experience to improve how customers pay and how payments are matched, applied, controlled, and reported.
The role will serve as the functional owner of the cash application automation domain, leading strategy, implementation, governance, and continuous improvement across payment portals, ACH and wire enablement, banking instructions, remittance processing, matching logic, exception management, ERP capabilities, and supporting platforms.
Responsibilities
- Own the end-to-end customer payment strategy across portal, ACH, and wire channels, with accountability for consistent, scalable, and low-friction payment experiences.
- Govern banking instruction processes, including onboarding, validation, change management, controls, and auditability.
- Oversee customer statements, portal payments, dunning workflows, and alignment between customer communications and downstream cash application processes.
- Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of cash application automation, including remittance ingestion, matching logic, posting strategies, tolerance rules, confidence thresholds, and exception handling.
- Define scalable frameworks that connect payments, remittance data, customer accounts, and open receivables across entities and systems.
- Partner with Finance leadership and Accounting to balance automation efficiency, posting accuracy, financial controls, and audit requirements.
- Apply AI, advanced analytics, and data-driven processing techniques to improve payment matching, remittance association, and straight-through processing.
- Partner with Technology and Data teams to design scalable, governed, integrated, and auditable solutions.
- Evaluate technology and vendor options; develop business cases, translate business needs into requirements, and support integration, implementation, testing, and adoption.
- Act as the primary liaison across Finance Operations, Accounts Receivable, Accounting, Technology, Data, Client Experience, and Business Analyst teams for cash automation initiatives.
- Identify repeatable exception patterns and convert them into automation opportunities, rules, product enhancements, or process changes.
- Own and prioritize the cash automation backlog based on customer impact, control risk, operational effort, scalability, and measurable value.
- Translate business requirements into clear functional specifications and coordinate communication, UAT, implementation readiness, and post-launch improvement.
- Own the cash application technology ecosystem, including ERP and supporting payment, banking, remittance, reporting, and workflow platforms.
- Establish and monitor performance measures such as automation rate, exception volume, posting accuracy, manual effort, and improvement delivery.
- Lead change management and continuous-improvement routines that build sustainable adoption, documentation, accountability, and cross-functional alignment.
Qualifications
We would expect the successful candidate to have:
- We expect at least 5 years of experience leading projects or programs within Finance Operations, Accounting, cash application, accounts receivable, payments, or a related domain.
- Proven experience leading automation, system implementation, finance transformation, or process redesign initiatives from requirements through deployment and stabilization.
- Experience designing or improving rule-based workflows, advanced matching solutions, AI-enabled processes, or exception-management frameworks.
- Strong analytical skills and practical experience with SQL, Python, Power BI, or comparable data and reporting tools.
- Understanding of financial controls, audit requirements, data governance, process accuracy, and the risks associated with payment and posting workflows.
- Ability to translate ambiguous business challenges into scalable automation strategies, roadmaps, requirements, and prioritized backlogs.
- Strong problem-solving, communication, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills across Finance, Accounting, Technology, Data, and client-facing teams.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools, including Excel and PowerPoint.
- Experience with ERP systems and payment or banking platforms.
- Familiarity with data integration, APIs, modern automation concepts, testing, and implementation practices.
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Yardi or another ERP supporting real estate receivables and cash application.
- Experience in real estate, a REIT, or another complex multi-entity environment.
- Demonstrated ownership of customer payment channels, banking instruction controls, remittance processing, and cash application performance.
- Experience applying AI, machine learning, advanced analytics, or confidence-based matching to finance operations.
- Experience developing business cases and evaluating vendors or technology platforms for finance transformation.
The position is hybrid and based at Realty Income’s San Diego (Del Mar Heights) headquarters, with in-office collaboration Monday through Thursday and the opportunity to work remotely on Friday. The salary range for the position is $98,416 - $124,766 - $149,981.
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Offers near the high end are uncommon but may be considered for candidates with exceptional experience and skills and are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. You may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus and an annual discretionary stock award, to be discussed during the interview process. An annual pay rate and total compensation package is generally determined by the candidate's experience, knowledge, education, skills, performance, and abilities, as well as internal equity, company performance, and alignment with market data.
We offer a best-in-class benefits package that includes healthcare, dental, and vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents. Our 401(k)-retirement plan has a company match of 50% up to 6% of eligible compensation. Realty Income also offers other wellness, financial, and work/lifestyle-specific benefits, along with a generous PTO accrual; in addition to 12 paid holidays, and paid volunteer time. Realty Income’s purpose is to build enduring relationships and brighter financial futures, and this starts with you!
This role is subject to enhanced compliance and disclosure requirements comparable with those of a regulated financial services organization, including conflict of interest disclosures and personal trading policies.
