Finance Manager- Aviation Investment & Leasing

Job Title: Finance Manager Aviation Investment & LeasingJob Description

The Finance Manager Aviation Investment & Leasing will support aviation investment, leasing, and portfolio management activities as a highly visible individual contributor. This role partners closely with executive leadership and finance teams to evaluate aircraft investment opportunities, optimize capital deployment strategies, and enhance the performance of a global aviation asset portfolio. The position requires a blend of deep aviation industry expertise, advanced financial modeling skills, structured finance knowledge, and strong accounting acumen to drive informed investment decisions and robust financial governance.

Responsibilities

• Support lease accounting activities, including determining operating versus finance lease classifications in accordance with applicable standards.

• Coordinate monthly close activities and ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of financial reporting related to aviation investments and leasing.

• Evaluate the accounting implications of aircraft acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing transactions, including revenue recognition, depreciation, impairment, and transaction accounting.

• Partner with accounting and tax teams to support reporting compliance and tax-efficient decision making.

• Strengthen internal controls and financial governance processes to ensure robust oversight of aviation investment and leasing activities.

• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting and regulatory standards, including lease accounting frameworks.

• Analyze aircraft investment opportunities and assess both asset-level and portfolio-level performance.

• Evaluate asset-level and portfolio-level returns using industry-standard valuation methodologies, including IRR, NPV, MOIC, cash yield, and other return metrics.

• Monitor fleet trends, market demand, residual values, and leasing cycles to inform investment and portfolio decisions.

• Assess counterparty credit risk and exposure, and incorporate findings into investment and leasing strategies.

• Develop and present recommendations to improve investment performance, capital allocation, and overall portfolio returns.

• Build, maintain, and audit sophisticated financial models that incorporate debt structures, tax impacts, maintenance reserves, and lease structures.

• Evaluate financing alternatives, including senior and subordinated debt, warehouse facilities, asset-backed securitizations, term financing, and equity partnerships.

• Support treasury and refinancing initiatives by analyzing financing options and their impact on capital structure and cash flow.

• Analyze capital structures and recommend strategies to maximize shareholder value, optimize capital deployment, and enhance cash flow.

• Prepare executive reporting materials, dashboards, and presentations for investment committees and senior leadership.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership by providing clear, data-driven insights on investments, portfolio performance, and capital structure.

• Mentor finance professionals and promote best practices in financial modeling, portfolio analysis, and structured finance across the organization.

• Provide forecasting and strategic decision support for aviation investments, leasing activities, and portfolio management initiatives.

Essential Skills

• At least 7 years of experience in aircraft leasing, aviation finance, aviation investments, or structured finance.

• Strong understanding of aircraft leasing cycles and lease economics, including lease structures, pricing, and return dynamics.

• Knowledge of fleet demand trends, residual values, and secondary market dynamics in the aviation sector.

• Expert-level proficiency in Excel, including building and auditing complex financial models.

• Experience building financial models that incorporate debt structures, tax impacts, maintenance reserves, and lease structures.

• Ability to perform IRR, NPV, MOIC, cash yield, and comprehensive return analyses at both asset and portfolio levels.

• Experience evaluating debt structures, including senior debt, subordinated debt, warehouse facilities, asset-backed securitizations (ABS), term financing, and equity partnerships.

• Strong understanding of capital deployment strategies and capital structure optimization in a financing or investment context.

• Working knowledge of ASC 842 and/or IFRS 16 lease accounting standards.

• Experience supporting lease classification, revenue recognition, depreciation, impairment, and transaction accounting for leasing activities.

• Experience assessing portfolio performance and investment returns for aviation or related asset classes.

• Experience in credit risk analysis and counterparty evaluation, particularly in aviation leasing or financing.

• Experience providing forecasting and strategic decision support for investment and portfolio decisions.

• Strong business partnering skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across finance, accounting, tax, treasury, and operational teams.

• Experience presenting investment recommendations and financial analyses to executive leadership or investment committees.

• Understanding of global leasing and financing structures within the aviation industry.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• MBA preferred, with a focus on finance, accounting, or a related discipline.

• Experience within aircraft leasing organizations, aviation asset managers, investment firms, airlines, MRO organizations, or aviation finance groups.

• Knowledge of aircraft valuation methodologies and secondary market trends, including residual value analysis and remarketing dynamics.

• Treasury management experience, including evaluating financing options and supporting refinancing initiatives.

• Experience in financial control, including oversight of internal controls, governance frameworks, and compliance processes.

• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex financial analyses into clear, actionable insights for senior stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide finance professionals, promoting best practices in modeling, analysis, and structured finance.

Work Environment

This is an onsite position based in a corporate office environment in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The role operates within a professional, collaborative setting that provides direct exposure to executive leadership and cross-functional teams. The Finance Manager works closely with colleagues in finance, accounting, tax, treasury, and operations, using advanced financial modeling tools and corporate systems to support aviation investment and leasing activities. The position offers a dynamic work environment centered on a growing aviation investment and leasing platform, with opportunities to influence investment decisions, capital deployment strategies, and portfolio performance across a global aviation asset portfolio.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $145000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

401(k) retirement plan Paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays Employee training and development opportunities Health Insurance Plan

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Fort Lauderdale,FL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 23, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] (%[email protected]) for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.