Finance Analyst; Rent & Charges

The London Borough of Harrow is seeking a Finance Analyst (Rent & Charges) to join the Finance Directorate. This is an exciting opportunity for a finance professional to play a key role in supporting the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), ensuring accurate rent and service charge setting, robust financial planning and effective financial management. Reporting to the Finance Manager, the postholder will provide expert financial analysis, business partnering and technical support that directly contributes to the long-term sustainability of the Council’s housing services and income streams.

The successful candidate will lead on a range of complex financial activities relating to rents, service charges and HRA financial management. You will support the annual rent-setting process, develop financial models and forecasts, analyse income and expenditure trends, and provide detailed financial advice to managers and budget holders. The role also includes responsibility for statutory returns, reconciliations, year-end accounting processes, benchmarking activities and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, policies and financial regulations.

Working closely with Housing Services and Finance colleagues, you will help identify risks, improve financial performance and support strategic decision-making.

This is a varied and influential role offering the opportunity to contribute to service improvement, systems development and long-term financial planning within a key area of the Council. The ideal candidate will combine strong technical finance skills with excellent analytical ability, business partnering expertise and a proactive approach to problem-solving. You will be capable of translating complex financial information into meaningful insight that supports high-quality services for residents and tenants across the borough.

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience working within a finance or accounting environment, ideally supporting housing or public sector services
• Knowledge and experience of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) accounting and financial planning
• Experience of rent and service charge setting, including financial modelling and compliance requirements
• Strong analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial data and identify risks and opportunities
• Experience providing financial advice and business partnering support to non-finance managers and stakeholders
• Strong understanding of financial systems and Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel
• Excellent communication and report-writing skills, with the ability to explain financial information clearly and confidently
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work to statutory deadlines and take ownership of complex financial work streams
• A proactive and solution-focused approach, with a commitment to continuous improvement, financial governance and delivering value for money
• AAT qualified, part-qualified CCAB (or equivalent), or able to demonstrate significant relevant finance experience

For more information, please refer to the Role Profile/ Selection Criteria