Director of Finance

Office based with Hybrid approach, CW9 7LL

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: 94,113.60 per annum, FTE (Plus annual Car Allowance)

Hours: 37 hours per week (to be worked flexibly in line with business needs)

Location: Hybrid / Based at Gadbrook Park, Northwich.

The Trust operates an agile working environment which is a combination of working from our Head Office Gadbrook Business Park, Northwich, and home working.

The Opportunity

Weaver Vale Housing Trust has an exciting opportunity for someone who is looking to continue their career with a great company. We are looking for an experienced and strategic Director of Finance to lead our Finance function and play a key role within our Senior Leadership Team. Reporting to the Executive Director of Finance and Business Services, you will shape and deliver the Trust’s financial strategy, oversee financial planning and management, and ensure robust budgetary control, statutory reporting, treasury management and long-term financial viability. This is a high-impact leadership role for a qualified accountant with strong senior-level experience, ideally within the social housing sector. You will lead a high-performing finance team, provide clear financial insight to support decision-making, and help drive innovation, value for money and sustainable growth across the organisation.

What Will You Do?

• Provide strategic financial leadership as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, helping shape corporate strategy, business planning and organisational performance.
• Lead and develop the Finance Team, embedding a high-performance, customer-focused and collaborative culture.
• Oversee financial planning and control, including budgets, management accounts, forecasts, statutory accounts and regulatory returns.
• Drive long-term financial sustainability through business planning, treasury management, stress testing, tax planning and covenant compliance.
• Deliver strong financial insight and reporting to support decision-making, transparency and effective business partnering across the Trust.
• Ensure robust governance, risk management and compliance across finance operations, controls, audit, insurance, payroll, pensions and tax.
• Improve systems, processes and value for money, supporting efficiency, automation, ESG reporting and the Trust’s wider corporate plan.

Minimum Requirements For This Role

• Qualified accountant, educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Strong senior-level finance leadership experience, with the ability to work credibly with senior leaders and Board members.
• Broad expertise in financial management, control and planning, including budgets, statutory accounts, treasury and cash flow management.
• Proven team leadership skills, with experience of coaching, mentoring and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong ability to communicate complex financial information clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Experience of driving improvement and change, including project work, systems implementation and automation.
• Knowledge of accounting practice and policy.
• Ideally, experience within the social housing sector.

This role will require the successful candidate to undergo a DBS check. Due to the nature of the role, a full current driving licence and access to a car is essential. Additionally, due to the flexible working arrangements with this role, you will need access to a room where you can work from and a suitable internet connection.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement – 32 days holiday plus UK public/bank holidays (based on level of service) (part-time pro-rata)
• Ability to buy up to 5 days additional annual leave (pro-rata for part-time) each year
• 12% employer contribution to our Pension Scheme (minimum 2% employee contribution) with life assurance benefit.
• Day off for your Birthday to be taken during your birth month (based on contractual hours)
• One day’s paid leave (per year) to support a charity or community group of your own choice
• Candidate Referral Scheme
• Option to enrol in a Health Cash Plan
• Private health insurance
• ‘Thank you’ gift for your continuous service starting at 5 years’ service, and every 5 years’ thereafter.
• 24/7, 365 day Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) including free counselling
• Compensation for professional memberships which are an expressed requirement for the role.
• Free annual flu vaccines and free Eye Care Vouchers
• Access to the Trust discount and benefit platform, the C.A.R.E hub.
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free to use car park at our office on Gadbrook Park
• Involvement in regular health and wellbeing initiatives and charity fundraising activities

We appreciate your interest in the role and the time you have invested in applying. The Trust invites applications from all members of the community, irrespective of gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, disability, age, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership.