Job Description:

Part-Time

Financial Controller (Property)

£35–£40/hr (DOE) 

Approx. 2 Days/Week | Predominantly Remote | Leeds

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Financial Controller/Qualified Accountant to join an established and successful property business on a part-time basis.

This is a senior, hands-on finance position working alongside the existing finance team to improve reporting, reconciliations and financial controls, whilst supporting the team's ongoing development and sharing best practice.

The role will suit someone with strong, hands-on knowedge of Property Development VAT. You will need previous experience managing the VAT complexities associated with property development, rather than general VAT/accountancy experience alone.

The position is predominantly remote, requiring approximately two days per week, with occasional meetings in Leeds. Candidates should therefore ideally be based within approximately 40 miles radius of Leeds.

The flexible structure could particularly appeal to an experienced Financial Controller, portfolio accountant or freelance finance professional looking for a high-quality, long-term appointment that can sit comfortably alongside other professional commitments.

The Role

• Overseeing financial accounting across a multi-company/multi-entity structure
• Reviewing and reconciling intercompany balances, transactions and loan accounts
• Investigating and resolving intercompany discrepancies
• Preparing and submitting VAT returns
• Managing VAT treatment relating to property rental activities including refurbs and part exchange
• Completing Partial Exemption/PEP calculations and adjustments
• Ensuring appropriate VAT treatment across different property activities
• Understanding the financial and accounting considerations associated with HMOs and residential property
• Maintaining appropriate quarter-end transactional cut-off procedures
• Preparing and posting quarterly journals
• Completing quarterly balance sheet reconciliations
• Preparing balance sheet reconciliation packs to support year-end statutory accounts
• Producing quarterly financial and management reporting
• Supporting the development and reporting of relevant KPIs
• Developing and maintaining short-term cash-flow forecasting
• Preparing financial information, schedules and reconciliations for annual statutory accounts
• Liaising with external accountants and professional advisers as required
• Maintaining accurate and well-controlled financial records within Xero
• Identifying opportunities to strengthen financial controls, processes and reporting

Systems & Process Development

There may also be the opportunity to become involved in future finance systems and process improvement projects.

Depending upon experience, this could include supporting:

• Finance system implementation and development
• Finance process mapping and system design
• Data migration and reconciliation
• System testing
• Implementation readiness
• Process and control improvements
• Go-live and post-implementation support

Previous involvement in a finance systems implementation would be advantageous, although it is not essential.

About You

We are looking for an experienced finance professional who is technically strong, commercially aware and comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy.

You are likely to have:

ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification, or significant equivalent experience gained within a senior finance role

Previous experience within property, real estate, property investment, residential lettings or a closely related environment

Strong technical knowledge of property VAT and rental income

Experience of Partial Exemption / PEP calculations and adjustments

Experience working within a multi-company or group structure

Strong knowledge of intercompany accounting and loan reconciliations

Experience preparing information for annual statutory accounts

Management accounting and balance sheet reconciliation experience

Cash-flow forecasting experience

Strong working knowledge of Xero

The confidence to investigate discrepancies and challenge information where appropriate

The ability to work independently while building strong relationships with Directors and other stakeholders

Experience of HMOs and residential property portfolios would be particularly useful.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

Alongside the technical interest of the role, the culture of the business is a genuine attraction.

As their recruitment partner, I know this client particularly well and can genuinely vouch for the way they work with and value their people. They are professional, supportive and approachable, and personally one of my favourite clients to recruit for.

The position also offers something increasingly difficult to find at this level: the opportunity to retain a genuinely senior and technically interesting finance role without committing to a traditional five-day working week.

It could therefore be particularly attractive to:

• An experienced Financial Controller looking to reduce their working week
• A senior accountant developing a portfolio career
• A freelance or contract accountant looking for a regular, long-term assignment alongside other clients
• An experienced finance professional looking for greater flexibility without sacrificing the quality or complexity of their work