East End Homes are partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell in their search for a permanent Financial Controller. East End Homes, is a locally based and community-led housing association in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This year East End Homes is celebrating its 20th anniversary. In 2005 residents of five estates across Tower Hamlets voted for their homes and communities to be transferred to the newly established social landlord. Today, its 120-strong team manages over 3,900 homes with local offices in each neighbourhood.
The newly created Financial Controller position offers a rare opportunity for a technically strong, ambitious, and commercially aware finance professional to play a key role in reshaping East End’s finance function and influencing decision-making at a senior level. The Financial Controller will be a member of the Senior Management Team and this role is seen as a natural stepping stone toward Finance Director level within the sector.
The Role:
- Work closely with the Finance Director and Executive Team to support strategic planning and organisational transformation.
- Oversee the development and delivery of Eastend Homes’ long-term financial plans, annual budgets, and business modelling (including BRIXX).
- Deliver and embed a proactive finance business partnering approach across the organisation, influencing decision-making and performance management.
- Drive improvements to financial reporting, insight, and analysis, delivering value across the organisation.
- Coordinate the production of our financial plans and reports including monthly management accounts, the annual statutory accounts, forecasts and the budget.
- Oversee day-to-day financial operations, ensuring sound internal controls, process improvement, and compliance with relevant regulations (FRS102, SORP, RSH).
- Manage cash flow forecasting, covenant compliance, and other treasury responsibilities, with support available for professional treasury qualifications if desired.
- Play a leading role in mentoring, developing, and embedding a high-performing, collaborative finance team (c.3–4 staff).
- Actively contribute to the Senior Management Team and support wider change initiatives across the business.
The Organisation:
East End Homes has made significant progress in stabilising its operations and strengthening its governance. With the appointment of a highly experienced new CEO and completion of key commitments to the Regulator of Social Housing, the organisation is now focused on long-term sustainability, performance improvement, and resident impact. The recent appointment of an Interim FD has brought further structure and capability to the finance function, and this Financial Controller hire will be a cornerstone of building a modern, resilient, and insight-led finance team.
Person Specification – Essential:
- Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA).
- Strong technical knowledge of financial and statutory reporting including FRS102 and Housing SORP.
- Demonstrable experience in social housing finance including business planning, management accounting and regulatory compliance.
- Experience of delivering improvements in management reporting, financial controls, and/or business partnering.
- A confident communicator with excellent interpersonal skills and a track record of engaging with and challenging senior stakeholders.
- Digitally confident with strong Excel skills and familiarity with financial planning tools (e.g., BRIXX).
- Forward-thinking and inquisitive, with a continuous improvement mindset and strong problem-solving ability.
- Experience of coaching or leading teams and ability to develop others.
This role will be based at East End Homes’ head office in Tower Hamlets, with travel between estate-based local offices as required. The closing date for applications is 6th July with interviews taking place week commencing 21st July (first stage) and final interviews scheduled for week commencing 28th July.
Applications will be reviewed continuously before the closing date. Please apply via our exclusive search partner Robertson Bell.
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Service Charge Analyst
£43,000 | East London | Hybrid (2 days in office)
Gateway Housing Association
Robertson Bell are pleased to be exclusively partnering with Gateway Housing Association in their search for a Service Charge Analyst to join their close-knit, dynamic team on a permanent basis. Gateway are uniquely the largest Sheltered Housing provider in Tower Hamlets and were the first registered provider of older persons shared ownership in the borough. They are particularly proud of their new build properties for leasehold, shared ownership and direct sale, which are low-density and high-quality.
They are seeking an organised, diligent Service Charge professional to support on the technical side of the Service Charge lifecycle and improve processes within the department. You will work closely with budget holders, enabling data-led decision-making and supporting donor and committee reporting. As a key member of a small, collaborative team, you will be hands-on managing a mix of transactional and more advanced duties, proactive in ensuring the key points in the yearly Service Charge cycle run smoothly.
Role Responsibilities:
- Undertake assigned processing, accounting, monitoring, control and review of service charge income and costs on a periodic basis.
- Review service charge income and costs monthly to ensure they have been charged to the correct scheme and fully investigate and resolve any principal variances and anomalies identified (e.g., miscoding’s, duplications).
- Prepare periodic reconciliations of service charge income and costs on a scheme/block level and with the preparation of annual service charge estimates and actuals processes for all tenures.
- Resolve service charge queries from internal and external customers.
- Complete assigned elements of strategic delivery projects across the organization, particularly relating to service charge specific projects.
- Ensure consistent apportionment and allocation of scheme costs in mixed tenure blocks and other complex schemes and regular monitoring, control and analysis of such costs.
- Implement and embed key service charge systems and processes as part of the organisation wide service charge improvement project.
Person Specification:
- Experience in service charge computation, accounting and analysis, including preparation of service charge budgets, estimates and actuals
- Robust understanding of residential service charge management, including current legislative requirements and sector best practice
- Strong organisational skills, able to control and deliver a range of tasks to strict deadlines
- Social housing experience.
- Experience of working with third parties, the wider community, and other external partners including managing agents
This is a hybrid position based out of Mile End. The closing date for applications is on the 15th July with first stage interviews taking place the week commencing the 21st July.
Applications will be under continuous review before then so please don’t delay in submitting your CV for consideration!