Head of Finance

Page Executive; Horsham; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Saxon Weald, a community-focused housing association based in Horsham, is seeking a Senior Finance Director to join the senior leadership team and guide the organisation's financial strategy. You will oversee budgeting, forecasting, statutory reporting, audits and regulatory compliance, building a high-performing finance function and delivering robust insight to support the Corporate Plan.

The role requires a qualified accountant with experience leading finance teams in a regulated sector,

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with strong knowledge of finance business partnering and reporting.
• Experience leading finance functions and teams within a complex organisation.
• Strong expertise in budgeting, forecasting and financial performance management, providing insight to support decision-making.
• Experience preparing statutory accounts and managing external audits, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills, with the ability to manage financial risk and drive continuous improvement; social housing or similar regulated sector experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong financial control environment, overseeing core finance operations, financial systems, compliance and financial risk management to ensure accuracy, efficiency and accountability.
• Oversee rent, service charge and tax compliance, ensuring regulatory requirements are met and performance is effectively monitored and reported.
• Lead statutory reporting and audit, ensuring timely production of annual accounts, regulatory returns and compliance with accounting standards.
• Lead the organisation's budgeting and forecasting processes, providing robust reporting, insight and analysis to support effective decision making and the successful delivery of the Corporate Plan.
• Develop a high-performing finance function, leading and supporting the team while driving continuous improvement, customer focus and the effective use of systems and data.

Skills

Finance leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Forecasting

Budgeting

Finance business partnering

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)

Job description

• Excellent opportunity to work as part of the senior leadership team.
• Saxon Weald is a community focussed housing association based in Horsham.

About Our Client

Established in 2000, Saxon Weald is a successful housing association managing nearly 7,000 homes across Sussex and Hampshire. We provide affordable rented and shared ownership homes for individuals and families, alongside specialist housing for people aged 55 and over.

As a charitable Community Benefit Society, every pound we generate is reinvested into managing, maintaining and developing high-quality homes and communities. Regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing, we are committed to delivering excellent services while ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

Job Description

• Maintain a strong financial control environment, overseeing core finance operations, financial systems, compliance and financial risk management to ensure accuracy, efficiency and accountability.
• Oversee rent, service charge and tax compliance, ensuring regulatory requirements are met and performance is effectively monitored and reported.
• Lead statutory reporting and audit, ensuring timely production of annual accounts, regulatory returns and compliance with accounting standards.
• Lead the organisation's budgeting and forecasting processes, providing robust reporting, insight and analysis to support effective decision making and the successful delivery of the Corporate Plan.
• Develop a high-performing finance function, leading and supporting the team while driving continuous improvement, customer focus and the effective use of systems and data.

The Successful Applicant

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with strong knowledge of finance business partnering and reporting.
• Experience leading finance functions and teams within a complex organisation.
• Strong expertise in budgeting, forecasting and financial performance management, providing insight to support decision-making.
• Experience preparing statutory accounts and managing external audits, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills, with the ability to manage the financial risk and drive continuous improvement; social housing or similar regulated sector experience is desirable.

What's On Offer

• Salary £100,000
• Location: Horsham.

Contact

Quote job ref: JN-082026-7092597