Supervisor, Land Lease Payables

Job Type:

Plains is an industry-leading transportation and midstream provider specializing in transportation, storage, processing and marketing solutions for crude oil. We own an extensive network of pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage and gathering assets in key oil producing basins and transportation corridors and at major market hubs in the United States and Canada. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

We’re on the lookout for passionate self‑starters who thrive in fast‑moving, collaborative, and innovative environments.

Plains is seeking a Supervisor, Land Lease Payables to lead the team that administers payment obligations under the company's easements, rights-of-way (ROW), surface leases and other land agreements (together, "land agreements"). Based in Houston within the Land Records group, this role makes sure every land payment is calculated correctly, approved, paid on time and properly reported, in line with company policy, SOX internal controls, and tax and unclaimed property requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership and Team Management
• Lead, coach and develop the Land Lease Payables team; set clear performance goals, conduct performance reviews and address performance issues.
• Take part in hiring, onboarding and training of team members.
• Assign and balance workload so payment deadlines are met and keep cross-training and backup coverage in place for every critical task.
• Create, document and maintain team procedures, desk manuals and quality standards.

Payment Administration

• Oversee the review and abstraction of payment terms (amounts, due dates, escalations and payees) from land agreements and escalate unclear or disputed terms to Legal.
• Oversee the setup of new payment obligations and the calculation of recurring and one-time payments, including CPI and fixed escalations and prorations.
• Establish appropriate review and documentation standards for payment calculations, including applicable index sources, base periods, formulas, effective dates, supporting documentation and approval.
• Oversee the monthly review of uncashed land payments
• Oversee the transition of land payment obligations associated with acquisitions and divestitures, including the identification, validation, set-up, transfer and termination of applicable obligations, and coordinate with appropriate stakeholders to resolve payment-related exceptions and maintain supporting documentation and controls.

Controls, Reconciliation and Reporting

• Review and approve changes to payee names, addresses, ownership and banking information based on appropriate supporting documentation, including deeds, probate records, affidavits of heirship and assignments. Ensure sensitive payee changes, particularly banking, ownership and remittance changes, are appropriately verified and documented in accordance with company policies, internal controls and segregation-of-duties requirements.
• Prepare the annual land payment forecast and monthly budget variance analysis and explain significant variances.
• Perform periodic audits of payment transactions and supporting records to confirm accuracy and compliance.
• Serve as the primary contact for internal and external auditors, provide documentation and explanations, and correct any control findings.

Data Integrity and Stakeholder Support

• Ensure financial terms and payee data in the land records database are accurate, complete and consistent with the governing land agreement.
• Respond to landowner and payee inquiries professionally and promptly and resolve escalated issues.
• Work with Land, Legal, Accounting, Accounts Payable, Tax and other departments on payment issues and projects.
• Lead process improvements and support the adoption of new technology, workflows and automation in land payment operations.
• Stay current on best practices and on changes to SOX, IRS reporting and state unclaimed property rules that affect land payments.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• Five or more years of experience in accounts payable, lease or royalty payables, or accounting operations.
• Two or more years of experience supervising or leading a team.
• Strong working knowledge of internal controls, segregation of duties and SOX compliance.
• Proficiency in an ERP system (Oracle Fusion preferred) and advanced Microsoft Excel skills, such as pivot tables and lookups.
• Ability to read land agreements and identify payment terms.

Preferred

• Experience with right-of-way, surface lease or land payment administration in the pipeline or energy industry.
• Working knowledge of land management software.
• Familiarity with ownership documents (deeds, probate records, affidavits of heirship and assignments) and legal descriptions.
• Experience supporting acquisitions and divestitures.
• Experience with month-end close and budget forecasting.

Core Competencies

• Strong organizational and analytical skills with close attention to detail.
• Clear, professional written and verbal communication with landowners, coworkers and auditors.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Works well independently and as part of a team, and adapts readily to new technology, workflows and processes.

#Plains

At Plains, our employees are our most valuable asset. Hard work is rewarded with competitive compensation and a top-tier benefits program designed to keep our employees safe, healthy and happy. We work hard to deliver the best results to our stakeholders, and we also respect our employees' need for personal and family time, which is reflected in our benefits program.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified individuals, without regard to age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetic information, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Applicants with disabilities can request accessible formats, communication supports, or other accessibility assistance by contacting WebCareers@Plains.com.

Salary details estimated by job boards such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn do not represent Plains’ compensation structure. We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

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