Head of Housing Finance
Salary: £57,617 - £61,581
Organisation: London Borough of Lambeth
Closing date: 28th April 2004, 5:00 p.m.

Job description
Initiatives such as the Government's bid to ensure decent homes for all council tenants by 2010 is at the fore of the department's thinking. Working extensively with our partners, Affordable Housing is also on the agenda, as is Value for Money.
The Comprehensive Performance Assessment recovery plan is in its first year and there is already evidence of significant improvement in the performance against the targets.
Major change programmes include the Reframing of the Housing Management Service, a major re-engineering of the housing service that will mean a fundamental shift in the way they are managed and delivered. The programme includes the development and implementation of Customer Contact and Joint Service Centres with partners. There is also a new multi-million pound Housing system planned for implementation in 2005.
Development of a coherent Investment Strategy for implementation over the next 8 years means ongoing option appraisal, monitoring and financial management is required to underpin the long term financial plan for the department.
We should not forget ongoing financial priorities. Lambeth Housing manages 35,000 homes. We are big. A robust financial control environment is essential in order that we fulfil our duty of stewardship of public funds on a continuous basis. There are also significant challenges setting and monitoring revenue and capital budgets of more than £300m a year. The collection of debt has become a priority and the new prudential code and capital accounting rules mean a greater emphasis on working capital management across the board.

This is a period of great change that will provide a challenge to ambitious and dedicated finance and accounting professionals at all levels. Although qualifications and experience are important, we also value the ability to get on with other people, a sense of public duty and desire to achieve lasting solutions.
Managing the Housing Finance function for the authority and to deputise for the Divisional Director of Housing Finance and IT. Your task will be to ensure the department's financial status is robust, developing the housing finance function and ensuring it meets the department's needs, corporate finance and other internal and external stakeholders. To ensure the department's finance systems are robust and to best serve the interests of the department. To lead on internal financial control for the department as well as debt management. To ensure finance staff within the department are managed and developed in such a way as to benefit themselves and the authority.
Your strengths: A thorough knowledge of all areas of Housing Finance. Strong managerial skills required together with a strong systems focus. Inherent organisational development potential.
Managing the Housing Finance function for the authority and to deputise for the Divisional Director of Housing Finance and IT.
Your task will be to ensure the department's financial status is: robust, developing the housing finance function

ensuring it meets the department's needs, corporate finance and other internal and external stakeholders

To ensure the department's finance systems are robust and to best serve the interests of the department

To lead on internal financial control for the department as well as debt management.

To ensure finance staff within the department are managed and developed in such a way as to benefit themselves and the authority.

Your Strengths:

A thorough knowledge of all areas of Housing Finance

Strong managerial skills required together with a strong systems focus.

Inherent organisational development potential.

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
HOUSING DIRECTORATE
FINANCE AND IT DIVISION
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Head of Housing Finance/Group Accountant
REPORTING TO Assistant Director of Housing (Finance and IT)
RESPONSIBLE FOR All staff within the Accountancy Team, and all staff within
the Finance Division in the absence of the Assistant
Director of Housing (Finance and IT)
GRADE: PO9
_________________________________________________________________________
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Assist and when necessary deputise for the Assistant Director of Housing (Finance and
Support Services) in meeting his/her responsibilities to both the Executive Director of
Housing Services and the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services for the
proper administration of a sound comprehensive and professional financial management
and performance service, with particular reference to delegated accountancy, budget
management and advice, financial systems and other associated financial technical
services of the Housing Services Directorate.
2. To deputise for the Assistant Director of Housing Services (Finance and IT) in their
absence.
3. To manage the Accountancy Team with full regard to the Council’s and Directorate’s
Policies and Procedures, instructions from the Assistant Director of Housing (Finance
and Support Services), and to ensure adequate and effective supervision, training,
development, motivation, support, discipline, and control of staff.
4. To set and monitor individual targets in respect of productivity and quality having regard
to team targets, and carry out appropriate staff appraisal.
5. To be responsible for the recruitment, training and discipline of staff of the Team
6. To develop, maintain and monitor the rolling Team Work Plan, ensuring the Plan meets
Corporate and Directorate requirements, is understood, and that deadlines are met.
7. To ensure the timely and accurate preparation and submission of financial reports as
required, including Committee and Member requests.
8. To represent the Executive Director of Housing Services or the Assistant Director of
Housing Services (Finance and Support Services) when necessary at meetings with all
levels of management, at Committee meetings, and at meetings with external
organisations including negotiating on behalf of the Council when required.
9. To manage the delegated capital and revenue budget process in accordance with the
timetable determined by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services, and
in accordance with professional codes of practice, regulations and advice.
10. To manage the delegated Final Accounts process in accordance with the timetable
determined by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services, and in
accordance with statutes, professional codes of practice and other regulations and
advice. Production of final accounts, balance sheets and liaison with auditors (both
internal and external) when necessary.
11. To determine, agree and ensure compliance with professional requirements for working
papers / documents necessary in support of the Council’s Statutory Accounts, grant and
subsidy claims and annual budget preparation.
12. To initiate, co-ordinate and develop the production of procedure and process notes for all
aspects of the work of the Team.
13. To be responsible for developing awareness of and compliance with the Corporate and
Directorate’s financial policies and procedures by budget holders and for providing
budget holders with the information, advice and training required by them to manage
their budgets.
14. To ensure that staff of the Team responds to enquiries courteously, accurately, efficiently
and within appropriate timescales.
15. To take specific responsibility for the budget, accountancy and associated financial work
of the Housing Revenue Account.
16. To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of all legislative and professional developments
related to the work area.
17. To identify and evaluate relevant I.T. developments within the work area
18. To ensure all planning and implementation processes conform to the Council’s Equal
Opportunities policy.
19. To ensure compliance with all relevant Legislation, Policies and Regulations in force
including the Data Protection Act, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities and Staff
Appraisal.
20. To manage the Directorate’s primary financial applications, ensuring they meet the
business needs of the Directorate, ensuring data integrity is maintained, the systems
have maximum availability, and users are trained. Ensuring data fully reconciles with
feeder systems and that primary financial applications are internally reconciled.
Ensuring that users’ views are addressed. Ensuring that training is designed and
delivered to users. Ensuring that the training needs of financial system users are
assessed.
21. To manage the income and payment function. Ensuring that income is correctly
accounted for, that systems are regularly reconciled. Ensuring that debtor invoices
requested are raised, that patterns of debt payment are identified, and that debts
referred to the Division are vigorously pursued.
22. To clearly identify all debts that he/she is responsible for collecting. To take all
reasonable steps to recover outstanding debts. To write-off any debts that cannot be
reasonably recovered, in accordance with council policy and best practice. To account
for all debts. To project total debt write-off activity. To project the total level of provisions
required for the current total level of debts.
23. To ensure that the Directorate’s system of business units meets the Council and
Directorate’s financial policies and procedures. To provide support for business units in
financial matters, identify training needs, to ensure training is provided.
24. To undertake any other duties that may be required to meet the needs of the service
within the grade of the job.
25. To take responsibility, appropriate to the post for tacking racism and promoting good race, ethnic and community relations
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
HOUSING DIRECTORATE
FINANCE AND IT DIVISION
HEAD OF HOUSING FINANCE/GROUP ACCOUNTANT
COMPETENCY BASED PERSON SPECIFICATION

Physical Requirements
Able to carry out full range of duties with or without the use of aids and adaptations.
Qualifications Q Recognised CCAB qualification.

Key Knowledge
K1
Knowledge and understanding of legislation
concerned with Housing & Local Authority Finance.

E1 2 years experience of line management in a large
public sector environment.

E2 2 years experience of providing financial advice to
senior officers and members including formal
committees.

E3 1 years experience at a senior level of local
government budget preparation both revenue and
capital.

Relevant Experience:
E4 3 years experience in the use of computerised
financial systems.
SM1 Leading and Inspiring
SM2 Facilitating Learning and Development
SM3 Delegating Effectively
SM4 Negotiating and Persuading
SM8 Analysing and Evaluating
SM9 Applying Business & Financial Acumen
SM11 Planning Strategically
SM12 Exercising Political Awareness
SM13 Resilience and Professionalism
SM14 Creating Positive Change
SM15 Creating Customer Centred Services
SM16 Delivering Organisational Excellence

KeyCompetencies
SM18 Managing and Minimising Risk