The Opportunity
Blue Owl is seeking a strategic and experienced finance leader to serve as Head of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) for its Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Reporting to senior leadership, this Managing Director will build and lead the FP&A function, provide critical financial insights, and support strategic decision-making across the organization. This is an opportunity to join a high-growth platform and play a key role in shaping the financial strategy and performance of the business.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Planning, Forecasting & Analysis
- Lead the annual budgeting process and multi-year strategic planning across asset management, acquisitions, capital markets, and corporate functions.
- Develop and maintain property level and consolidated financial models, including revenue, operating expenses, capital expenditures, debt service, and liquidity projections.
- Prepare rolling forecasts and analyze portfolio performance, market trends, and macroeconomic drivers.
- Monitor budget-to-actual results, identify key variances, and provide actionable recommendations to management.
- Produce and analyze key REIT metrics, including NOI, FFO, AFFO, leverage, liquidity, and capital structure performance.
- Perform scenario, sensitivity, and strategic analyses to support acquisitions, dispositions, developments, capital allocation decisions, and balance sheet optimization.
Executive, Board & Investor Reporting
- Partner with Accounting and Investor Relations to support quarterly earnings reporting, including FFO/AFFO reconciliations, earnings guidance, and supplemental disclosures.
- Develop analytical materials and presentations for executive leadership, investor communications, earnings calls, and Board meetings.
- Benchmark company performance against public REIT peers and industry trends.
Reporting & Process Enhancement
- Design and maintain management reporting packages, KPI dashboards, and performance analytics for senior leadership and the Board.
- Establish scalable reporting processes, templates, and controls to ensure consistency and accuracy across internal and external reporting.
- Partner across Finance, Asset Management, Capital Markets, and Investor Relations to improve reporting, forecasting, and decision-support capabilities.
Leadership & Team Development
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing FP&A team.
- Establish best practices, tools, and processes to support continued organizational growth.
- Mentor team members and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and intellectual curiosity.
- Oversee staffing, performance management, and professional development.
Qualifications & Experience
- 12+ years of progressive FP&A, corporate finance, or related experience, with significant exposure to real estate, REITs, or real estate investing.
- Prior public REIT experience is strongly preferred; investment banking, private equity, or Big Four advisory experience with relevant real estate expertise will also be considered.
- Deep understanding of REIT and real estate performance metrics, including NOI, FFO, AFFO, NAV, leverage, and capital structure analysis.
- Advanced financial modeling skills with experience developing complex, integrated forecasting and valuation models.
- Experience supporting earnings processes, financial guidance, and investor-facing analyses.
- Strong understanding of leases, debt agreements, partnership structures, and purchase and sale agreements.
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex analyses into clear business recommendations.
- Highly organized, deadline-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Advanced Excel proficiency required; experience with planning systems (Anaplan, Adaptive, Hyperion) and BI tools (Tableau, Power BI) preferred.
Leadership Characteristics
- Lead by Example: Demonstrates accountability, sound judgment, urgency, and a results-oriented mindset.
- Strategic Business Acumen: Brings strong market awareness and knowledge of industry trends and best practices.
- Vision & Influence: Effectively communicates strategy, aligns stakeholders, and inspires teams to achieve business objectives.
- Collaborative Leadership: Builds trust, motivates teams, and fosters a high-performance culture.
- Integrity: Operates with the highest standards of ethics, transparency, and professionalism.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related discipline required.
- MBA, CFA, or other advanced credentials preferred.
The base annual salary range for this Chicago based position will be $250,000 to $300,000. Actual salary offered will be based on the candidate's skill, experience, and qualification for the role. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus, based on factors such as individual and team performance.
