Head of Finance in Birkenhead

Responsible to: Director of Finance & Resources

Responsibility for: Finance team, currently:

• Management Accountant
• Finance Officer (payroll and transactions)
• Finance Officer (Fixed Assets, VAT and reporting) – P/T
• Finance Officer (Accounts Payable)
• Rent Officer

Wirral Methodist Housing Association is a small but vibrant housing association with a strong, values-driven staff team and a committed, supportive Board. As we look to the future, our ambition is to continue growing organically, staying true to our local roots, our mission, and the communities we serve. The Association has 23 staff operating on a hybrid basis from offices in Central Birkenhead.

The work of the Head of Finance is likely to be varied and extremely ‘hands-on’ due to the size of the Finance team. We see this role as a career opportunity offering the post-holder an enjoyable, flexible working environment with the potential for substantial job satisfaction.

Key Areas

• Management and development of the Finance team, including the Association’s Rent Officer.
• Ensuring the proper and efficient delivery of the Association’s Finance and Treasury Management functions.
• Overview and development of timely, accurate, regular and functionally beneficial financial management reporting.
• Oversight and support with Income Management, rents and debt management.
• Assisting the Association’s Management with ensuring that the work of the Association is planned, controlled and monitored to meet the objectives of the Association and to protect its resources.
• Supporting the Association in strategic planning and in the preparation of appropriate reports to the Board and its Committees on relevant issues.
• Assist Director of Finance and Resources in assessing, monitoring and managing the Association’s risk exposure.

Main Tasks

• Oversight and supervision of the Finance team members including regular 121 meetings, objective setting and monitoring, identifying and delivering training requirements.
• Provision of regular financial and other relevant management information and advice to the Executive and wider Management Teams, budget holders, and the Board and its Sub-Committees.
• Ensuring the validity and accuracy of the Association's financial transactions, system, and policies.
• Ensuring adherence with all legal, regulatory and accounting frameworks appropriate to a registered social landlord.
• Lead the development and maintenance of the Finance modules of the Association’s housing management system, i.e. Homemaster (December 2025), including the design and operation of suitable financial reporting.
• Ongoing review and control of Treasury management matters, including maintaining historic and future cashflows, loan monitoring and reconciliations, covenant compliance.
• Assist with the development of and delivery of the Association’s Financial Strategy and the development, maintenance and regular update of the Association’s 30-year Business Plan using Brixx financial planning software.
• Financial appraisal and evaluation of capital development schemes or other new initiatives or ventures, using suitable appraisal software, leading to support, reporting, and analysis of all areas of Development Finance.
• Develop and maintain all necessary information and records to ensure compliance with financial covenants, including the maintenance of historic and future cash flow reporting models suitable for provision of information to Executive Management on the availability of cash resources and appropriate borrowing activity.
• The completion and production of all Finance-related statistical and regulatory returns, including, but not limited to, NROSH and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) annual submission.
• To plan and prepare for the audit and production of the annual Financial Report and Accounts including liaison with the Association’s External Auditors, combined with the ongoing review of accounting policies and procedures.
• Contribute positively to the continuous improvement ethos of the Association, including attendance at off-site meetings.
• Ensuring participation in identifying their own training and development needs and to bring these to the attention of the Director of Finance & Resources. To co-operate with training and development offered by the Association and to encourage and guide all staff under their supervision.
• Undertake other associated duties as may be required from time to time.

PERSON PROFILE

Responsible to: Director of Finance and Resources

Responsible for: Finance team, currently:

• Management Accountant
• Finance Officer (payroll and transactions)
• Finance Officer (Fixed Assets, VAT and reporting) – P/T
• Finance Officer (Accounts Payable)
• Rent Officer

1. Qualifications & Professional Memberships

Essential

• Fully qualified accountant (e.g., ACCA, CIMA, ACA or CIPFA).
• Demonstrable evidence of Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
• Strong technical understanding of UK financial reporting, including FRS 102 and Housing SORP.

Desirable

• Membership of CIPFA or experience in the social housing or regulated not‑for‑profit sectors.
• Relevant management or leadership qualification (e.g., ILM, CMI).

2. Experience

Essential

• Proven experience leading a finance function or Finance team within a small/medium sized organisation.
• Demonstrable experience of preparing annual financial statements, management accounts, budgets and forecasts.
• Experience in cashflow and treasury management, including long-term scenario modelling.
• Experience supporting or leading external audit processes.
• Experience in producing high‑quality financial information for Boards, committees and senior stakeholders.
• Experience of risk management, internal controls, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience developing and improving financial processes, systems and reporting.

Desirable

• Experience working within a Registered Provider, charity, or regulated not-for-profit environment.
• Experience of loan covenant reporting and managing relationships with lenders.
• Experience supporting regulatory returns (e.g., FFR, SDR) or engagement with the Regulator of Social Housing.
• Experience in procurement or contract/asset‑related financial analysis.

3. Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

• Strong understanding of UK GAAP, Housing SORP, and best‑practice financial governance.
• Knowledge of budgeting, forecasting and financial performance management.
• Understanding of risk management and internal control frameworks.
• Awareness of regulatory expectations around economic standards for housing associations, including:

• Financial viability
• Value for Money
• Governance requirements

Desirable

• Understanding of social housing rent standards, service charge compliance, and unit costing.
• Awareness of current sector pressures (inflation, repairs, decarbonisation, rent caps, development viability, etc.)

4. Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Strong leadership and people management skills, able to develop a high‑performing finance team.
• Excellent analytical skills, able to interpret complex financial information for non‑financial colleagues.
• High level of proficiency in Excel, covering pivot tables, Tables.
• Ability to plan, prioritise, and deliver to competing deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organised, methodical, and detail‑oriented.
• Ability to drive improvements, implement new processes, and support organisational change.

Desirable

• Knowledge and understanding of ‘modern’ Excel, e.g. Power Query (Get & Transform), Power Pivot & the Data Model, dynamic arrays.
• Ability to support digital transformation or finance system upgrades.
• Experience producing business cases and financial appraisals for asset investment or development.

5. Personal Qualities

Essential

• High levels of integrity, professionalism and accountability.
• Commitment to the values and social purpose of the housing association sector.
• Eligibility to work in the UK.
• Collaborative working style, promoting partnership and teamwork across the organisation.
• Resilience and sound judgement, especially when working under pressure.
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion and fair access to services.

6. Other Requirements

Essential

• Willingness to work flexibly according to the needs of the organisation.
• Preparedness to attend occasional evening Board meetings.