Lease Audit Sr. Manager

Job Title

Lease Audit Sr. Manager

 

 

Job Description Summary

The Lease Audit Sr. Manager leads the Lease Audit function within Portfolio Lease Administration (PLA), delivering full-scope audits of commercial real estate leases with a focus on operating expenses (OpEx), common area maintenance (CAM), real estate taxes, and insurance pass-throughs. This role ensures clients pay only what their leases require, recovers overcharges from landlords, and prevents future overbilling. The Sr. Manager also plays a key role in growing the business by using audit results, portfolio insights, and client relationships to win new work, expand services, and increase revenue.

 

 

Job Description

Primary Responsibilities 

Operations, Team Leadership & Governance 

Team Leadership 

·       Lead and manage a high-performing, multidisciplinary Lease Audit Team, including:  

• 4 auditors responsible for full-scope lease audits
•  1 Lease Audit Coordinator supporting operations, billing, and audit tracking 

·       Recruit, develop, and retain top-tier talent, fostering a results-driven and collaborative team culture  

·       Conduct annual performance evaluations and mid-year reviews, delivering actionable feedback and development plans  

·       Establish clear performance objectives aligned with business priorities and provide ongoing coaching, mentorship, and support  

·       Ensure quality assurance, consistency, and adherence to audit standards across all deliverables 

·       Celebrate success by sharing kudos, employee recognition, individual and team achievements, and facilitate regular line of sight to senior leadership 

 

Audit Billing Coordination and Preparation 

·       Oversee end-to-end audit billing processes, including:  

·       Preparation of client invoices 

·       Coordination with auditors, accounting teams, and internal/external stakeholders 

·       Monitor receivables, proactively manage delinquencies, and ensure revenue integrity  

·       Track and manage third-party audit firm billing thresholds and approvals  

·       Ensure timely payment to third-party vendors following client collections 

 

Process Development and Maintenance 

·       Own, maintain, and continuously enhance the Lease Audit Team Playbook and standard operating procedures  

·       Ensure alignment with evolving GAAP standards and Cushman & Wakefield policies  

·       Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, scalability, and service quality 

 

Project and Task Tracking 

·       Oversee project tracking and reporting using tools such as Smartsheet, including:  

·       Active audit pipelines and project status 

·       Billing, receivables, and financial metrics 

·       Ensure data accuracy and visibility to support operational decision-making and leadership reporting 

 

Lease Audit Project Management 

Audit Management 

·       Direct and drive the success of multiple client engagements 

·       Lead and oversee a large portfolio of client engagements, while managing  a consistent high volume of concurrent audits on a rolling basis  

·       Prioritize audit activity based on property type, lease structure (e.g., NNN, modified gross, full-service gross), operating expense trends and year-over-year variances, audit history, audit rights deadlines, recovery potential, and other salient factors, optimizing resource allocation and revenue generation  

·       Drive successful execution while maintaining quality, timelines, efficiency, and client expectations 

·       Collaborate with EMEA and APAC teams to support global client engagements  
 

Audit Execution 

·       Act as a player/coach by leading the team while independently managing complex audit assignments  

·       Provide technical expertise, guidance, and escalation support for high-impact audits and/or unique audits with a high degree of complexity 

·       Oversee full-scope audits of landlord operating expense, CAM, real estate tax, and insurance reconciliations, verifying billed charges against lease terms, amendments, and abstracts 

·       Validate tenant pro rata share calculations, including rentable square footage, building and project denominators, and allocation methodologies across multi-building or mixed-use properties 

·       Test application of base year, expense stop, and gross-up provisions, ensuring variable expenses are properly adjusted for building occupancy 

·       Confirm compliance with controllable expense caps (cumulative and non-cumulative), management and administrative fee limits, and excluded cost provisions such as capital expenditures, landlord overhead, leasing commissions, and financing costs 

·       Review landlord general ledger detail, invoices, tax bills, and insurance documentation to identify overcharges, duplicate billings, misallocated costs, and improper capital amortization 

·       Audit base rent, escalations, and other lease charges, and verify that rent abatements, allowances, credits, and other concessions have been properly applied 

·       Monitor audit rights provisions, including notice requirements, audit windows, and lookback periods, so clients do not lose recovery opportunities 

·       Lead negotiations with landlords and property managers to resolve audit findings, secure settlements, and confirm recoveries are credited or refunded to clients 

·       Review and approve audit findings reports that quantify recoveries, cost avoidance, and future savings, and recommend lease language improvements for future renewals and negotiations 

 

Reporting & Communication 

·       Ensure timely delivery of client-facing Lease Audit status reports (monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly)  

·       Oversee preparation of quarterly reporting for PLA and IPM Leadership teams  

·       Track and report key audit metrics, including dollars identified, dollars recovered, recovery rates, aged findings, and cost avoidance 

·       Deliver clear, concise, and actionable insights to stakeholders 
 

Third-Party Coordination: 

·       Manage relationships with third-party auditors and vendors to ensure:  

·       Timely project execution 

·       Accurate reporting and billing 

·       Leverage third-party providers to address capacity constraints and mitigate potential conflicts of interest 

 

Client Relationship Management 

·       Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, ensuring a high level of satisfaction throughout the audit lifecycle  

·       Proactively identify risks and resolve issues through root cause analysis and solution-driven approaches  

·       Exhibit subject matter expertise through thought leadership, best practices, and insights on emerging trends and innovation 

Business Development  

·       Represent the Lease Audit function in client pitches, onboarding discussions, and strategic meetings  

·       Use audit results, including recovery dollars, recovery rates, and client success stories, as proof points in pitches, proposals, and RFP responses 

·       Partner with brokerage and operational teams to support new business and client expansion initiatives  

·       Conduct portfolio assessments for prospects and existing clients, using lease structure, rent and operating expense spend, and audit history to estimate recovery potential and build a compelling business case 

·       Contribute to revenue growth by identifying and promoting innovative solutions and service enhancements  

·       Position lease audit as a value-added service alongside lease administration, transaction management, and facilities and property management, and as an entry point for new client relationships 

·       Support business development efforts, contributing to approximately 15% of team capacity 

·       Partner with PLA Leadership on pricing and fee structures, including contingency (percentage-of-recovery), fixed-fee, and hybrid models, and draft scope of work language for lease audit services 

·       Partner with PLA Leadership to identify cross-sell opportunities and expand service offerings 

·       Assist with development of case studies and benchmarking data that demonstrate successful outcomes and recoveries for our clients 

·       Build market awareness through client presentations, quarterly business reviews, webinars, and industry events 

·       Track the lease audit opportunity pipeline, win rates, and new revenue generated through cross-sell and client expansion 

Financial Oversight & Accountability  

·       Partner with the Global Head of PLA, Americas PLA Lead, and GOS Finance to develop annual budget and forecasts for the Lease Audit function 

·       Own achievement of annual Lease Audit revenue and profitability targets 

·       Monitor and analyze monthly and YTD financials prepared by GOS Finance, proactively addressing any negative variances 

·       Maintain strong cost control discipline to ensure efficient and profitable operations 

Key Skills & Qualifications 

·       CPA required  

·       Proven experience in lease audit, financial analysis, or real estate accounting  

·       In-depth knowledge of commercial lease structures (NNN, modified gross, full-service gross) and operating expense provisions, including CAM, real estate tax, and insurance clauses  

·       Ability to interpret complex lease language, amendments, and audit rights provisions, and to analyze landlord reconciliations, general ledgers, and expense allocations  

·       Proven negotiation skills with landlords and property managers to resolve audit findings and secure recoveries  

·       Strong leadership and team development capabilities  

·       Expertise in client relationship management and strategic account oversight  

·       Business development experience, including client pitches, proposal and RFP responses, and pricing of professional services  

·       Experience managing billing, accounts receivable, and revenue tracking  

·       Demonstrated ability in process improvement and SOP development (Playbook ownership)  

·       Familiarity with Smartsheet or comparable project tracking tools preferred  

·       Experience in cross-regional collaboration and global portfolio management  

·       Strong audit execution, review, and quality assurance skills  

·       Experience managing third-party vendors and external partners  

Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills 

Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

The compensation that will be offered to the successful candidate will depend on factors such as whether the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the geographic area in which the work will be performed, market pay rates in that area, and the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

The company will not pay less than minimum wage for this role.

The compensation for the position is: $ 119,000.00 - $140,000.00

Cushman & Wakefield is an Equal Opportunity employer to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Discrimination of any type will not be tolerated.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position at Cushman & Wakefield, please call the ADA line at 1-888-365-5406 or email Accommodations@cushwake.com. Please refer to the job title and job location when you contact us.

INCO: “Cushman & Wakefield”