Head of Finance in Girton

At Bellway we recognise that people are the key to our success, and we are committed to building an inclusive culture that values and respects difference combined with creating a safe and inclusive working environment for all colleagues. This means we are positive about making adjustments as well as providing flexible working and we would be happy to talk to you about how this could work for you.

A unique opportunity has opened within Bellway to become the principal finance lead on our Springstead Village joint venture, based in Cherry Hinton, Cambridge. The JV forms part of the wider Bellway Essex Division but operates as a stand‑alone LLP with its own on‑site project office overseeing infrastructure and unit delivery across multiple live phases.

With support and oversight from the Essex Divisional Finance Director, the Head of Finance will take full responsibility for driving the financial performance of the LLP and will form a key member of the LLP’s senior management team owning all financial forecasting and reporting for the LLP and maintaining relationships with the finance teams of our JV partners. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Finance Manager / Head of Finance looking for a pathway to progression to a future Finance Director role.

Principal accountabilities of the Head of Finance role include:

• Divisional Management
  • Develop the business plan, ensuring it is aligned to the LLP’s strategic objectives.
  • Take ownership, and drive the delivery, of the budget and forecast for the division, ensuring it is accurate and well managed, with particular attention to WIP and cash management.
  • Own and control the Joint Venture Financial model ensuring it is complete, accurate and updated on a timely basis.
  • This includes modelling various different strategies and being capable of critically appraising both the inputs and the outputs.
  • Primary divisional contact for divisional HR, payroll, IT and fleet issues with support available from Group and lead and manage the Divisional finance team and ensure accuracy, quality and efficiency are maximised.
• Reporting, Controlling and Operational
  • Ensuring compliance with the Group Accounting Manual and manage the interim and year end process with external auditors through to sign off for the division.
  • Oversee all month end processes for the Joint Venture and timely delivery of management information to the Bellway divisional management team, our Joint Venture Partners, and Group.
  • Treasury management – ensuring monthly and daily cash flow forecasts for the LLP are as accurate as possible enabling both Joint Venture Partners to make well informed strategic decisions based on the cash needs of the LLP.
  • Management compliance and overall responsibility for all taxes relating to the Division. This includes VAT, CIS, payroll taxes, corporation tax and residential property developer tax.
  • Forecast valuation revenues in conjunction with the Sales Director for inclusion in the quarterly valuations.
  • Understand the costs and risks for each phase, providing active review and challenge to both the Commercial and Construction Director, of both the costs incurred to date and costs to come.
  • Carry out any other reasonable tasks as directed by the Divisional Finance Director and/or Group Finance Management Team.

Experience, Qualifications and Skills

• Experience
  • Considerable post-qualified experience gained in industry in a role incorporating accounting, financial control and commercial finance/business partnering.
  • Experience must include: financial and management accounting including leading month end close, evidence of responding to and working with external auditors, providing analysis, profit and loss and cashflow, forecasting and planning, supporting and challenging businesses to make optimal operational and performance decisions.
  • Experience of successfully leading and developing a team.
  • Experience of working with joint ventures would be preferred.
  • Working knowledge of COINS is desirable.
• Qualifications and Training
  • ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification.
• Skills and Aptitude
  • Excellent administration and organisation skills.
  • Analysis, numerical and report writing skills.
  • Strong management and time management skills.
  • Strong communication, listening and problem solving skills.
  • Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.
  • Demonstrates a high level of discretion and confidentiality.
  • Excellent attention to detail.
  • Ability to work on own as well as part of a team.
  • Proficient IT skills along with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Outlook) and the ability to adapt to new systems.
  • Committed to diversity and inclusion.

The Role and Working Conditions

• Willing to be flexible in respect to day to day duties and hours worked.
• Office based role with some travel within the Divisional area and Head Office, located in Newcastle upon Tyne.
• Please note this role is subject to a basic DBS and financial pre-employment checks.

In return we can offer you:

• Competitive salary.
• Competitive car allowance.
• Optional salary sacrifice car scheme.
• Competitive annual bonus.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• 25 days holiday, plus.