Full job descriptionWe are working with a well-established organisation in the social housing sector to recruit a Finance Business Partner to lead financial planning and business partnering across a key area of its housing operations.
This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified accountant with strong finance business partnering experience and a good understanding of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) finance. You will play a key role in financial planning, budget management and performance reporting, working closely with senior stakeholders to support effective decision-making across housing services.
About the role
Reporting to the Head of Business Partnering and Planning, you will take ownership of financial planning, management reporting and business partnering across a housing-focused portfolio, with particular responsibility for revenue and capital budgets and longer-term financial planning.
Key responsibilities will include:
*Leading the delivery of monthly management accounts, budget monitoring, forecasting and variance analysis across revenue and capital expenditure.
*Leading the development and maintenance of five-year financial plans, including income and expenditure, balance sheets and cash flow forecasts.
*Supporting the ongoing development and monitoring of the HRA business plan, ensuring financial forecasts are accurate, robust and aligned with organisational priorities.
*Undertaking scenario modelling and stress testing, challenging assumptions and identifying financial risks and opportunities.
*Working closely with operational leads, budget holders and local authority stakeholders to review financial performance, improve value for money and support effective decision-making.
*Overseeing financial monitoring of repairs and maintenance expenditure, savings targets and performance against budgets.
*Preparing financial reports and commentary for senior management, committees and Board-level stakeholders.
*Monitoring cash flow, grant expenditure and financial commitments, ensuring statutory and regulatory returns are completed accurately and on time.
*Managing year-end processes, audit queries, reconciliations and statutory reporting requirements.
*Identifying financial risks and developing appropriate mitigation strategies.
*Managing and developing a direct report, delegating work effectively and maintaining high standards across the team.
About you
We are looking for a technically strong and commercially minded finance professional who combines excellent financial planning skills with the ability to influence operational stakeholders and provide meaningful financial insight.
You will ideally have:
*A recognised professional accountancy qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA, or equivalent.
*Strong experience in finance business partnering, management accounts, budgeting and forecasting.
*Experience working with Housing Revenue Accounts (HRA), ideally within local government or social housing.
*A good understanding of HRA financial planning, including revenue and capital expenditure, longer-term business planning and budget monitoring.
*Experience developing financial plans, analysing variances and undertaking scenario modelling or financial stress testing.
*The ability to explain complex financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues and senior stakeholders.
*Experience identifying efficiency opportunities, managing financial risks and driving value for money.
*Strong report-writing and presentation skills, with the confidence to challenge assumptions and influence decision-making.
*Experience managing or developing finance team members.
*Excellent Excel skills, strong analytical ability and exceptional attention to detail.
Experience working with local authorities, housing providers or other complex public-sector organisations would be particularly beneficial.
What’s on offer
*The opportunity to take ownership of financial business partnering across a key area of housing operations.
*Direct involvement in HRA financial planning, revenue and capital budgets and longer-term business planning.
*Exposure to senior stakeholders and the opportunity to influence financial decisions across housing services.
*A varied role combining technical finance, strategic planning and operational business partnering.
*Responsibility for developing a direct report within a purpose-led organisation.
If you are a qualified accountant with experience in HRA finance and are looking for a role combining financial leadership, business partnering and longer-term housing financial planning, we would be keen to hear from you.
Apply today to find out more.