Service Charge Manager

Birmingham City Council; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Great pension scheme

Well-being support

Annual travel passes

Discounts at city centres

Job summary

Birmingham City Council is seeking a Service Change Manager (Permanent) to oversee housing service charges across tenanted and leasehold properties. The role blends strategic leadership with hands-on control of calculations, estimates and final accounts to maximise HRA income and ensure legislative compliance.

You will lead the Service Charge Team, collaborate with residents and cross‑Council colleagues, and drive process improvements while maintaining transparent, policy-aligned charges.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant or equivalent experience with CPD.
• Three+ years in social housing or related management role.
• Knowledge of rent and service charge legislation and leases.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with residents and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end service charge calculations, invoicing, estimates and final accounts.
• Manage annual budgeting, estimation and year-end reconciliations across tenures.
• Identify recoverable charges to maximise HRA income.
• Lead and develop the Service Charge Team.
• Act as lead officer for service charge matters with residents and partners.
• Ensure charges remain transparent, compliant with legislation and policies.
• Support housing IT systems and work with auditors to drive improvement.

Skills

Management

Leadership

Customer care

Communication

Education

Qualified accountant

Job description

Service Change Manager Permanent Grade D - £45,091 - £53,460 Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Equal Pay Programme Working 36.5 hours per week Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

About the role

We're looking for an experienced Service Charge Manager to take responsibility for Birmingham City Council's housing service charges across both tenanted and leasehold properties. This is a newly created role combining strategic leadership with hands‑on operational responsibility. You'll lead the accurate calculation, construction and issuing of estimated and actual service charges, ensuring they are transparent, timely and compliant with legislation, contractual requirements and Council policies. You'll also lead and develop the Service Charge Team, working across the Council and with residents to ensure all appropriate costs are identified and recoverable charges are applied correctly, helping to maximise income to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

What you'll be doing

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of service charge and major works calculations, invoicing, estimates and final accounts, ensuring statutory and contractual compliance.
• Manage the annual service charge budgeting, estimation and year-end reconciliation process across all tenures, including new-build properties.
• Identify service-chargeable costs and maximise legitimate income to the HRA by ensuring all appropriate recoverable charges are applied.
• Lead, manage and develop the Service Charge Team, creating a high-performing, customer-focused and process-driven service.
• Act as the lead officer for service charge matters, working collaboratively with residents and teams across the Council and responding effectively to enquiries from homeowners, tenants and their representatives.
• Maintain transparent service charges and ensure policies and procedures remain aligned with legislation, government guidance and wider best practice.
• Support the development of housing IT systems and work with internal and external auditors, using service charge performance information to drive continuous improvement.

What we're looking for

• A qualified accountant or appropriate relevant experience supported by evidence of continuous professional development (CPD), together with a management qualification.
• At least three years' experience within a social housing environment in a similar or related role, including experience in a management position.
• In-depth knowledge of rent and service charge legislation, with a good understanding of residential leases and freehold transfers.
• Strong management and leadership skills, with the ability to develop and motivate an effective team.
• Excellent customer care skills and the ability to deal professionally with residents, colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the

Working for Birmingham City Council is more than just a job; it's about making life better for the 1 million plus people who live and work in the city., The Council is a fantastic place to work. You will find an organisation that is both challenging and supportive; with a leadership impatiently adventurous in its pursuit of excellence.

• A Prosperous Birmingham: through a focus on inclusive economic growth, tackling unemployment, attracting inward investment, and maximising the benefits of the Commonwealth Games.
• An Inclusive Birmingham: through a focus on tackling poverty and inequality, empowering citizens, promoting diversity and civic pride, and supporting and enabling all children and young people to thrive.
• A Safe Birmingham: through a focus on making the city safer, safeguarding vulnerable citizens, increasing affordable housing, and tackling homelessness.
• A Healthy Birmingham: through a focus on tackling health inequalities, encouraging physical activity and healthy living, supporting mental health, and improving outcomes for adults with disabilities and older people.
• A Green Birmingham: through a focus on street cleanliness, improving air quality, continuing the route to net zero, and becoming a city of nature.

We see the Council's role as providing strategic leadership - that's being able to visualise a new future for the city and equipping others to share our vision. We want to ensure the provision of services for all, so we can support those least able to support themselves by working with partners and putting citizens and neighbourhoods at the heart of our decision-making. We are always looking for people who put the customer at the centre of their approach, with a commitment to excellence to help us achieve our vision. We will support you to develop and thrive in your role, building a pathway for long-term success, with lots of development opportunities, such as apprenticeships.

confidence to communicate effectively at all levels and in a range of situations.

Why join us?

Birmingham City Council is one of the largest local authorities in Europe, giving you the opportunity to work at significant scale and make a tangible difference to housing services across the city. This newly created role provides an opportunity to shape how service charges are managed, strengthen transparency for residents and improve the systems and processes supporting the service. You'll work across City Housing and the wider Council, combining your technical expertise with leadership and service improvement to help deliver an accurate, compliant and customer-focused service. You'll join an organisation committed to equality, inclusion and providing high-quality services to Birmingham's residents.

• In return, we offer you excellent terms and conditions, generous annual leave, a great pension scheme, well-being support, annual travel passes and discounts at a number of city centre establishments.