HRA and Development Accountant

A local authority in Essex are currently looking to recruit for an Interim HRA Accountant to manage the Council’s HRA Business Plan, and take responsibility for financial reporting and budgeting in relation to all Housing activities, including housing investment and development activity, and rent setting processes.

To ensure the maintenance and development of the HRA Business Plan model in line with corporate forecasting strategies, systems and practices.

To contribute to the development and continuous improvement of medium and long term financial forecasting within the Council and specifically in relation to Housing activity.

To support strategic decision making through delivering financial information to the Housing directorate management team and providing cohesive, congruent and long term commercial advice and business solutions to achieve housing business plans and objectives.

Main Duties

• Monitor the political, economic, social and technical context that affects Housing and the HRA.  Take account of these factors in strategic and operational plans.
• Revisit and update the HRA Business Plan and associated plans at least at quarterly intervals and in accordance with Gateway processes.  Support the growth of a strong capital base for the directorate to ensure a sustainable development pipeline. 
• Monitor and report underpinning assumptions and produce sensitivity analysis and options.  Reflect associated risks including impact of welfare reforms, rent arrears, Right To Buy levels. 
• Feed into the performance management agenda, including void levels, rent performance, volume of responsive repairs, movement in costs and other local factors; highlight implications. Support client contracting through provision of financial and performance data
• Ensure that both the HRA Business Plan and are reported on a regular basis through Directors Board and Cabinet to inform the medium term financial position of the Council, including reports on budgeting, funding, borrowing and repayment position. 
• Lead on rent setting and modelling, including affordable rents and advise on low cost home ownership schemes.
• To analyse government announcements, funding settlements and policy statements to ensure that financial implications are captured and reflected within financial forecasting projections.  Ensure that legislative changes, public sector expectations and funding allocations are financially appraised, statutory requirements have been met and income has been maximised and correctly accounted.
• Be aware of and propose development and funding initiatives and capitalise on external funding opportunities. 
• Actively support the Head of Corporate Finance and Director of Housing and undertake ad-hoc and specific projects as and when required and assist in the development of housing strategies and corporate financial policies and strategies. 

 You will be CCAB qualified and have extensive knowledge of local government housing finance with a focus on HRA.