Head of Client Accounting in Manchester

People are at the heart of every decision we make - our team, clients, occupiers, residents and partners alike. This philosophy has shaped our success across mixed-use estates, commercial assets and, increasingly, Build to Rent.

Our growth is intentional. We prioritise consistency, quality and long-term relationships over scale for its own sake, ensuring every asset is well managed, every client has confidence in our delivery, and our teams have the right systems and support around them.

Over the last 10 years, we have built a strong and growing client base and work with leading institutional investors including Aviva Investors, Schroders Capital and PGIM Real Estate. As our portfolio continues to expand across commercial property, mixed-use estates and Build to Rent, the strength of our client accounting function is fundamental to our continued growth.

We are looking for an experienced Head of Client Accounting to lead and develop our client finance function. This is a key role within Form, responsible for ensuring robust financial controls, accurate and timely client reporting and a consistently high standard of financial management across our portfolio and for our internal management accounts.

The role will combine technical accounting expertise with team leadership, systems capability and a strong understanding of property management. You will work closely with our Managing Directors, property management teams and clients, while leading and supporting the Client Accounting team.

We are looking for someone who is technically strong but equally collaborative, approachable and comfortable working across the wider business. As Form grows, we want someone who can help us continually improve our systems, processes and controls without losing the responsive and personal approach that is important to us.

Future

Form is continuing to grow across commercial property, mixed-use estates, residential property management and Build to Rent, with a developing pipeline of new instructions across the UK.

Our technology and financial infrastructure will be an important part of supporting that growth. We currently operate MRI Qube across our established property management portfolio and are making a significant investment in Yardi to support our growing Build to Rent platform.

The Head of Client Accounting will play an important role in ensuring we maximise the capability of both systems, developing efficient processes, strong financial controls and consistent reporting across the business.

Experience of Yardi and MRI Qube is highly desirable. Previous experience within Build to Rent would also be welcomed as we continue to develop this part of the business.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of an established function while helping shape how it evolves as Form continues to grow.

Role Purpose

The Head of Client Accounting is responsible for the leadership, accuracy and effective operation of Form's client accounting function.

The role will oversee financial controls, service charge reconciliations (both commercial and residential), VAT, payment processes, cash flow reporting, client reporting and the financial onboarding of new assets.

Working closely with the Managing Directors, clients, property management teams and wider business, the Head of Client Accounting will ensure that financial information is accurate, deadlines are consistently achieved and appropriate controls are maintained.

The role will also lead the Client Accounting team, providing day-to-day support, allocating workload and creating a positive environment in which the team can perform and develop.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, support and develop the Client Accounting team.
• Manage workloads across the team, ensuring responsibilities and priorities are clearly understood.
• Take overall responsibility for team deadlines and the timely delivery of client requirements.
• Hold regular team meetings and provide support with general accounting and property finance queries.
• Foster a collaborative, supportive and accountable team culture.
• Support the continued development of the team as the portfolio grows.
• Review and sign off bank reconciliations.
• Review and sign off trial balance reconciliations.
• Review and sign off VAT reports and submit VAT returns.
• Approve payment runs in accordance with agreed controls and procedures.
• Review and approve service charge invoices where required.
• Ensure double-entry accounting is correctly applied, and appropriate accounting records are maintained.
• Review and continually improve financial processes and controls across Client Accounting and the wider Form business.
• Respond to and resolve ad-hoc financial and accounting queries relating to managed assets.

Client Reporting & Cash Management

• Review and sign off external client financial reporting.
• Oversee the preparation of monthly cash flows.
• Ensure financial reporting is accurate, consistent and delivered within agreed deadlines.
• Work closely with property managers and clients to respond to financial queries and provide clear supporting information.
• Maintain a high standard of financial governance and transparency across the portfolio.

Systems & Technology

• Lead the financial onboarding and setup of new assets within Form's property management systems.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of MRI Qube and Yardi, ensuring both systems are used effectively across the relevant portfolios.
• Support the continued development of Yardi as Form's Build to Rent platform.
• Identify opportunities to improve automation, reporting, controls and efficiency through better use of technology.
• Work with operational teams to ensure financial and property management processes are effectively integrated.
• Support the development of consistent processes as new assets and clients are onboarded.

Property & Service Charge Accounting

• Provide financial oversight across commercial buildings, mixed-use estates and other managed assets of varying sizes and complexity.
• Support property management teams with service charge accounting and related financial queries.
• Ensure service charge transactions are accurately processed and appropriate controls maintained.
• Support the financial mobilisation of new property management instructions.
• Help ensure financial processes remain scalable as the number and complexity of managed service charges increases.

Stakeholder & Client Management

• Build strong relationships with clients, property managers and colleagues across Form.
• Act as the senior point of contact for client accounting matters.
• Provide clear, timely and commercially minded advice when accounting issues arise.
• Work collaboratively with operational teams to ensure client accounting supports the wider delivery of each instruction.
• Maintain the responsive and personal approach to client service that is central to Form.
• Support the continued development of Form's client accounting function as the business grows.
• Review existing processes and identify opportunities to strengthen controls and improve efficiency.
• Support the mobilisation and financial onboarding of new client instructions.
• Help develop processes capable of supporting Form's growing Build to Rent portfolio, alongside our established commercial and mixed-use estate business.
• Contribute to wider business projects where client finance expertise is required.

About You

• A team player who is collaborative and approachable.
• Significant experience within property client accounting or a similar property finance environment.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including double-entry bookkeeping and reconciliations.
• Experience of managing and developing a client accounting or finance team.
• Strong understanding of service charge accounting and property management finance.
• Experience of working with property management accounting systems.
• Experience of Yardi and MRI Qube is highly desirable.
• Previous Build to Rent experience would be welcomed, particularly experience of the financial requirements associated with mobilisation and operational assets.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accuracy while managing multiple deadlines.
• Confident communicating with clients, senior stakeholders and operational teams.
• Comfortable taking ownership while remaining willing to get involved in the detail when required.

Knowledge and Expertise

• Strong property and client accounting knowledge.
• Excellent understanding of reconciliations, VAT, payment processes and financial controls.
• Strong understanding of service charge accounting.
• Sound knowledge of cash flow management and client financial reporting.
• Experience of financial onboarding and setting up new assets.
• Strong working knowledge of property management accounting software, particularly Yardi and MRI Qube.
• Ability to review processes critically and implement practical improvements.
• Strong organisational, prioritisation and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate effectively within a growing and fast‑paced property business.