Development Finance Manager

NET Recruit; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

NET Recruit partners with an established organisation in Dorset to recruit a Development Finance Manager. This role leads financial accounting and control for development activities, overseeing WIP, assets in construction, capitalisation decisions and impairment assessments, while ensuring VAT/CIS compliance and robust governance.

Strong technical accounting and leadership are essential. The role also involves business partnering across Finance, Development and operations, supporting monthly and

Qualifications

• Recognised professional accountancy qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA) or equivalent.
• Significant experience in financial accounting, financial control and development accounting or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of development accounting including capitalisation, WIP, fixed assets, impairment and grant funding.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial accounting and control of development activities across the project lifecycle.
• Oversee development work in progress, assets under construction and transferred fixed assets.
• Review development transactions to ensure correct capitalisation, expensing or impairment.
• Lead impairment assessments across development programmes with audit trail.
• Manage VAT and CIS compliance for development activities and reporting.
• Support monthly/quarterly/annual financial reporting with analysis for programme decision-making.
• Manage grant funding accounting, ensuring regulatory compliance and conditions.
• Provide technical accounting advice to finance and project teams to ensure practices are compliant.
• Lead reconciliation and control of development balance sheet accounts (WIP, fixed assets, grants, accruals, provisions).
• Contribute to month-end and year-end close and support statutory reporting.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Analytical skills

Communication

Cross-team collaboration

Education

Professional accountancy qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA)

Tools

Integrated financial systems

Reporting tools

Job description

Your Company:

NET Recruit is proud to be partnering with an established organisation in their search for a Development Finance Manager to join its Finance team in Dorset.
This is an excellent opportunity for a fully qualified accountant with strong technical accounting and financial control experience to oversee the financial management of a development programme. Working closely with Finance, Development and operational teams, you will ensure accurate financial reporting, robust governance and compliance with relevant accounting and regulatory requirements.
The role combines technical accounting expertise, financial leadership and business partnering. Experience in development, construction or a complex project-based environment would be particularly advantageous, as would previous experience within a large corporate organisation.

Your Role and Responsibilities:

While in this position your duties may include but may not be limited to:

• Leading the financial accounting and control of development activities, ensuring expenditure is accurately recorded, monitored and reported throughout the project lifecycle.
• Overseeing development work in progress (WIP), assets under construction and completed schemes, ensuring timely and accurate transfers into fixed assets.
• Reviewing development transactions and project costs to ensure expenditure is appropriately capitalised, expensed or impaired in line with accounting standards and internal policies.
• Leading impairment assessments across development programmes, including new-build sales, maintaining appropriate controls and a clear audit trail.
• Managing VAT and Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) compliance for development activities, ensuring transactions are accurately recorded and reported.
• Supporting monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting, producing analysis to support development programme reporting and decision-making.
• Managing the accounting, reconciliation and reporting of grant funding, ensuring compliance with funding conditions and regulatory obligations.
• Providing technical accounting advice to Finance, Development and project teams, promoting consistent and compliant financial practices.
• Leading the reconciliation and control of development-related balance sheet accounts, including WIP, fixed assets, grants, accruals and provisions.
• Taking responsibility for development accounting during month-end and year-end close, working closely with senior finance colleagues.
• Providing financial advice and constructive challenge to project managers and budget holders to support effective financial management.
• Working across Finance and Development to improve data quality, strengthen controls and enhance operational efficiency.
• Identifying and implementing improvements to accounting processes, reporting frameworks and control procedures.
• Supporting audit and statutory reporting requirements, ensuring financial information is accurate and well documented.
• Supporting and developing team members, maintaining high standards of performance and accuracy.

What You Will Need to Apply:

• A recognised professional accountancy qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent.
• Significant experience in financial accounting, financial control, development accounting or a similar technical finance role.
• Strong knowledge of development accounting, including capitalisation, WIP, fixed assets, impairment and grant funding.
• Essential knowledge of taxation, particularly VAT relating to development and construction schemes, alongside an understanding of CIS requirements.
• Experience managing financial controls, balance sheet reconciliations and reporting within a complex programme or project-based environment.
• A good understanding of accounting standards and their application to development expenditure, fixed assets and grant accounting.
• Experience leading month-end and year-end processes, with exposure to statutory reporting and audit requirements.
• The ability to provide financial advice and constructive challenge to operational teams, influencing decisions while maintaining financial compliance.
• Experience improving financial processes, internal controls and reporting frameworks.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial information and present clear recommendations.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience using integrated financial systems and reporting tools.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across Finance, Development and operational teams.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities.

What You Will Get in Return:

In return, you will receive a salary of up to £55,000 and the opportunity to take on a key finance leadership role within an established organisation.
This position offers a varied workload across development accounting, financial reporting, balance sheet management and business partnering. You will contribute to the financial oversight of a development programme while helping strengthen controls, improve processes and support informed business decisions.
Working closely with colleagues across Finance and Development, you will have the opportunity to apply your technical expertise, develop your leadership capabilities and make a meaningful contribution to the organisation's financial performance and development objectives.