Job Description
Head of Financial Accounting - £80,000 - £90,000 - Basingstoke - Hybrid Working & Benefits - Housing - ACCA/CIMA/ACA
IN2 Consult are partnering with a leading company in the Housing sector, a key player in their market, on their search for a Head of Financial Accounting to join their expanding finance team.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who has experience in technical accounting for multiple entities, developing and leading successful teams, and strong year-end audit involvement.
This Head of Financial Accounting role includes the following duties:
Reporting & Analysis
* Lead the consolidation and preparation of annual statutory accounts, financial statements, and various regulatory submissions including statistical returns and housing sector reporting requirements.
* Partner closely with external auditors to manage the year-end audit process, ensuring a smooth, timely sign-off and clear communication throughout.
* Analyse the implications of emerging accounting standards and legislation, providing strategic insight to executive stakeholders to inform key decisions and operational readiness.
* Support end-to-end improvements in reporting frameworks and internal processes through automation, efficiency initiatives, and implementation of best practices.
* Ensure the financial system's chart of accounts remains appropriately structured to support comprehensive reporting across all legal, regulatory, and management levels.
* Deliver monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements for each legal entity, covering income & expenditure, balance sheet, and cash flow.
* Serve as the primary contact for statutory and regulatory financial reviews, audits, and external reporting engagements.
Accounting & Compliance
* Take ownership of monthly and year-end ledger close processes, with full accountability for control adherence and accurate results.
* Define and maintain robust accounting policies aligned to latest UK GAAP (FRS 102) and sector guidance, ensuring consistency across all legal entities.
* Maintain strong relationships with tax, procurement, and planning teams to align financial treatment with broader compliance and efficiency goals.
* Oversee financial integrity of the balance sheet by ensuring comprehensive reconciliations and appropriate follow-up across all entries and transactions.
* Work closely with teams managing fixed assets to ensure completeness and accuracy of the group's asset register and related disclosures.
* Monitor regulatory updates, proactively adjusting internal policies and practices to stay compliant and ahead of risk.
Leadership
* Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership to the financial accounting function, embedding a culture of performance, ownership, and continuous improvement.
* Align team resources to business needs, managing workloads and priorities to ensure delivery of timely, high-quality outputs.
* Champion diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing initiatives while supporting individual development, team engagement, and mentorship across the finance function.
* Ensure systems, policies, and processes are continuously evaluated and refined to provide reliable, efficient financial services to internal and external stakeholders.
* Actively contribute to wider organisational priorities, translating strategic objectives into actionable finance goals.
The ideal candidate for this Head of Financial Accounting role will have the following experience:
* ACCA/CIMA/ACA Qualified with significant years' PQE
* Housing industry experience is essential
* Proven experience in financial accounting, adhering to FRS102 / SORP
* Prior track record of developing and leading a team of qualified accountants
* Exposure to year-end audits, ideally being the main point of contact for internal and external stakeholders
* Ability to partner effectively with a variety of stakeholders
Head of Financial Accounting - £80,000 - £90,000 - Basingstoke - Hybrid Working & Benefits - Housing - ACCA/CIMA/ACA