Head of Finance – HRA

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic financial advice and building strong, trusted relationships with Members, the Corporate Director of Resident Services, Housing and Resident Experience Directors, and senior managers across the Council. The post holder will also maintain effective relationships with major partners, contractors, registered providers and sector bodies involved in housing, homelessness and customer services.
• Leading all aspects of Financial and Management Accounting for the Housing General Fund and HRA, ensuring robust financial controls, effective forecasting and medium to long-term sustainability. This includes financial leadership of high-risk areas such as Temporary Accommodation, homelessness prevention activity, repairs, housing operations and customer contact services.
• Overseeing ad hoc project management and implementing new financial initiatives, including those linked to housing supply, homelessness reduction, stock investment, building safety, service transformation and improvements to Resident Experience.
• Providing high-quality insight, challenge and value-added analysis to Heads of Service and Directors on all aspects of financial performance. The role requires identifying emerging risks particularly around market-driven increases in TA costs and demand and advising on mitigation strategies, efficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
• Managing significant budget areas, including the HRA Business Plan and the Housing General Fund. The post holder will ensure robust governance, internal control, regulatory compliance and delivery against all statutory financial responsibilities.
• Acting as a senior leader within the Finance service, contributing to corporate financial strategy and being capable of deputising for the statutory Chief Finance Officer (s151 Officer) when required.

For this specific post, the Head of Finance for Resident & Housing Services will act as the Council’s senior financial lead for the Housing General Fund, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), and the wider Resident Experience portfolio.

This includes responsibility for Temporary Accommodation, which represents one of the Council’s most significant and volatile budget pressures.