Senior Group Accountant - Integration (Fixed Term)

Sovereign Housing Association Limited; Basingstoke; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading housing association in England is seeking a Senior Group Accountant - Integration on a fixed term contract until June 2026. Based in Basingstoke, you will lead financial reporting and budgeting efforts, ensuring accuracy and efficacy in conveying the financial health of the organization. The ideal candidate is a qualified accountant with a strong background in financial management, reporting, and stakeholder engagement. The position offers a combination of office and home working to enhance work/life balance.

Benefits

25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays

Flexible benefits package for holiday trading

3 wellbeing days and 2 volunteering days

Generous matched pension scheme up to 12%

Options for private medical and dental insurance

Qualifications

• Experience in a senior accounting role within a large or complex organisation.
• Knowledge of financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting.
• Strong experience in report writing and variance analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of management information across the SNG business.
• Compile consolidated budgets for monthly and annual reporting.
• Develop reporting packs for Budget including key metrics.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Continuous improvement mindset

Education

Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

ERP systems

MS Excel

Job description

Are you experienced in Management Reporting and Budgeting?

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Senior Group Accountant - Integration to join Sovereign Network Group (SNG) on a fixed term contract until the end of June 2026. You'll be based from our head office in Basingstoke, combining office and home working to ensure a positive work/life balance.

SNG is one of the largest housing associations in England. We provide over 85,000 homes and invest in communities across London, the South East, South West and East of England, as well as aiming to create thousands of new affordable homes every year.

The Role

Reporting into the Head of FP&A, you'll be responsible for leading on the delivery of robust management information across the merged SNG business, providing sound financial advice. You'll work across the business to deliver both operational and financial information, ensuring that the prime book of accounts is reflective of all the activities of the business.

This role will champion and lead on development of reporting and continually seek ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness to help SNG meet its strategic goals. Responsibilities include:

• Compiling consolidated budgets across SNG for reporting on a monthly and annual basis, ensuring full understanding of key financial and non-financial drivers of budget by working closely with key business partners across SNG
• Working with the Head of FP&A to develop reporting packs, primarily for Budget, including key metrics to ensure the ‘story' of SNG numbers is clearly depicted and highlights understanding of Risks and Opportunities, being prepared to answer any questions raised
• Supporting the production of monthly SNG consolidated management reporting, ensuring information from across the business is accurate and received in a timely manner
• Liaising closely with relevant teams across the business to ensure SNG's financial and non-financial metrics remain pertinent and are consistently and accurately reported
• Ensuring the accuracy of the Group's combined General Ledgers, ensuring that effective procedures are in place and all errors are identified and corrected
• Identifying and driving forward process and reporting improvements to facilitate improved business insights, enabling leadership teams to enhance their understanding of the key drivers of performance in the overall SNG business
• Providing support for, and leading where appropriate, the development and management of systems and processes that deliver co-ordinated, accurate financial management information to the group business as a whole

What we need from you

You'll be a Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with demonstrable experience in a similar senior accounting role, ideally within a large or complex organisation. A good understanding of relevant legislation and accounting principles for Housing Associations is highly desirable, but not essential. You'll also need:

• Proven track record and knowledge of financial analysis and appraisal, budgeting and forecasting
• To be commercially minded, able to take a broader strategic view of the business whilst also maintaining attention to detail where necessary
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, demonstrating effective communication and ability to influence or add challenge to senior stakeholders
• To be a self-starter with a continuous improvement mindset, proactively seeking ways to make improvements to systems and processes
• Strong, clear working knowledge of processes and controls surrounding financial accounting and management account preparation, including detailed report writing and analysis
• A strong, clear working knowledge of management information report writing and design, including detailed variance analysis
• Knowledge of methods to monitor the quality of data and identify issues, propose resolutions and follow through with actions to resolve
• Experience in traditional and modern ERP systems and advanced MS Excel skills would be advantageous

Your Benefits

We have some great benefits at SNG, including:

• 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays (with an extra day every year up to 30 days)
• Chance to buy or sell holiday as part of our flexible benefits package
• 3 additional wellbeing days and 2 paid volunteering days
• Generous matched pension scheme up to 12% and Life cover at 4x salary
• Options for private medical insurance, dental insurance and critical illness cover
• Wellbeing discounts, including Gym Memberships and access to a 24/7 virtual GP service

At Sovereign Network Group, we are passionate about inclusion for all and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. We are committed to our Equality Diversity and Inclusion strategy and believe that you can truly be yourself at SNG. Take a look at our careers site to learn more about us and our values.

If you would like the opportunity to make a real impact within our changing and growing organisation, we would love to hear from you!