Head of Finance Business Partner -Housing Internal

Job Overview

We are recruiting to the Head of Finance Business Partnering – Housing role, covering the Housing General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA). Heads of Finance Business Partners act as trusted advisors to senior management and service users, providing expert financial advice and strategic support.

Key Responsibilities

• Promote a culture of strong financial management within the Finance service and with the Housing Service.
• Collaborate with the Place Directorate to understand their financial needs and objectives, ensuring that they have the requisite skills, knowledge and ongoing support to manage their own budgets.
• Analyze financial data to provide risk‑based insights and recommendations.
• Provide specialist financial advice to ensure strong financial management and consistent financial grip.
• Oversee the delivery of prompt, accurate and meaningful management reports and translate data into meaningful outputs.
• Prepare and present informative, high‑quality reports to members and other senior stakeholders that aid informed service and corporate decision‑making.
• Align Directorate financial strategies with overarching organisational objectives and contribute to long‑term planning to ensure financial sustainability.
• Support the financial evaluation and management of major projects (both revenue and capital) and initiatives, ensuring robust business cases and effective resource allocation.
• Collaborate with Transformation and Performance to enhance the reporting of service activity, including the delivery of savings and performance indicators.
• Assist with the efficient and timely completion of specific tasks within the annual closing of accounts process and ensure that information presented in the financial statements complies with the CIPFA Code of Practice and reporting standards.
• Ensure compliance with the Financial Regulations and relevant standards and codes of practice, including the Financial Management Code.
• Act as a deputy for the Assistant Director Finance Business Partnering when required.

Requirements & Qualifications

Preferred: CCAB Qualified Accountant with experience and knowledge of Housing General Fund and HRA Accounting.

• Full qualified accountant – CIPFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA.
• Evidence of post‑qualification continuing professional development.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent (desirable).

Terms and Conditions

• Satisfactory employment references.
• Satisfactory declaration of interest.
• Satisfactory DBS check.
• Continued professional body registration.
• This post is politically restricted; the post holder is disqualified from undertaking certain political activities under the Local Government Officers (Political Restrictions) Regulations 1990.
• As a public authority, we must ensure that members of staff in public‑facing roles can speak fluent English. This requires a command of spoken English, with confidence and accuracy, sufficient for the effective performance of the role. It does not require staff to speak only in English.

Equality & Diversity Statement

The Council is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage, and ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels. We provide fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent services to all and respect diversity as a core Council value.