Head of Service Charge Accounting

Location

This role is based at London, Victoria and offers hybrid working (minimum 3 days in the office).

You will lead the Service Charge Accounting team within Group Finance, working closely with colleagues across Finance Operations, Financial Reporting, Commercial Finance, Operations and site teams based at head office and at our shopping centres and office assets across the country. The team sits at the heart of the organisation and plays a key role in supporting Landsec's internal and external financial reporting, including service charge reporting to customers.

The Head of Service Charge Accounting is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership of the Service Charge Accounting function, holding full accountability for governance, budgeting, expenditure control, variance analysis and year‑end reconciliations across the portfolio.

Acting as a strategic business partner, the role drives continuous improvement, champions new systems, ensures regulatory compliance and customer confidence, and sets high standards for performance and control. A core expectation is to drive change and improvement by simplifying processes, enhancing controls and embedding data‑driven ways of working across the service charge lifecycle.

What makes this role unique?

• You will not simply identify improvement opportunities but own and deliver change initiatives from concept through to implementation.
• You will proactively leverage new systems to deliver efficient, automated and system‑led solutions, challenging the status quo.
• You will take full end‑to‑end ownership of service charge accounting outcomes, ensuring budgets, expenditure, reporting and reconciliations are accurate, timely and well governed.
• You will work closely with senior stakeholders across finance, operations and property, building strong partnerships and influencing decision‑making.
• You will shape how service charge governance is delivered, strengthening confidence with customers and stakeholders through clear accountability and best practice.
• You will lead and develop a high‑performing specialist team, setting the standard for ownership, professionalism and continuous improvement.
• You will play a visible role in the performance and reputation of our flagship assets.

• Lead, develop and inspire the Service Charge Accounting team, with full accountability for recruitment, onboarding, performance management, capability development and succession planning.
• Set clear expectations and standards, embedding a culture of ownership, accountability, continuous improvement and customer focus.
• Build strong, credible relationships with internal stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor on service charge matters and influencing decision‑making.
• Lead engagement with tenants, service charge consultants and external partners, resolving issues pragmatically while protecting Landsec's reputation and customer trust.
• Work closely with external partners to conduct cost reviews, challenge spend and drive efficiency and value‑for‑money outcomes.
• Act as a role model for proactive leadership, professional judgement and collaborative working, setting the tone for high standards and constructive partnership across teams.
• Work closely with the Operations team and take ownership of service charge budgeting processes, ensuring robustness, consistency and alignment with operational plans and business priorities.
• Review, challenge and approve service charge budgets and year‑end reconciliations, ensuring accuracy, transparency and full compliance with lease obligations and best‑practice requirements.
• Oversee service charge expenditure across the portfolio, proactively identifying, investigating and addressing variances and emerging risks.
• Produce and own portfolio‑level variance analysis, providing clear insight and actionable commentary to senior stakeholders.
• Provide service charge expertise to support acquisitions and disposals, ensuring risks, liabilities and assumptions are clearly understood, accurately assessed and effectively managed.
• Lead the review and allocation of central service charge costs, ensuring fairness, transparency and…