Senior Management Accountant

Leading Educational Institute based on Central London is looking for a qualified/qualified by experience Finance Business Partner to support the Director of Accommodations.

The post holder will ensure that the Associate Director of Accommodation, budget managers and other associated stakeholders have the appropriate information, whilst providing professional advice to aid key business decisions to ensure the effective running of the department. This is a key role which requires regular communication and collaboration across the accommodation, estates and finance departments at the University.

The successful person will have clear and confident communication skills along with a strong technical background in a high data/transaction environment. Key experience is required in the following areas

• To lead the development of the annual financial budgets of approx. £50m
• To lead the annual rent setting exercise.
• To create and maintain a database which contains the asset replacement lifecycle for each of the halls of residences, to ensure that asset replacement costs are provisioned within future budgets over the next 5 years
• To support in appraising investments to support the 10 year Accommodation Services Strategy Plan and to ensure that a sufficient bed stock will be available to provide students over the next 10 years.
• To lead on providing to the Lead Accountant - Estates, on value for money and affordability implications of potential upcoming revenue initiative
• Accountable for the completeness of periodic management account
• Taking the lead to ensure fit-for-purpose internal finance controls are in place over the income and expenditure procedures
• Work collaboratively with the Associate Director and budget holders to take the lead and prepare annual zero based profiled budgets and quarterly forecasts for each service area within accommodation services
• Responsible for processes to benchmark University and Private Provider rents in readiness for rent setting by November each year for the subsequent academic year.To take the lead and collate London University data to include in the rent paper prior to rent setting process, detailing all residence rents, occupancy, room numbers and costs in preparation for rent review meetings.
• During year, forecast of staffing, revenue spend, summer business
• To take the lead and ensure rent payments of approx. £23m to providers are paid in a timely and efficient manner

Advanced Excel and a full/part professional qualification are essential