You will provide dedicated, time-limited accountancy and finance capacity to support the transition to a single operating model for the management of Somerset Council s 10,000 Social Housing Properties, from the current two operating models in time for the agreed go-live date.
The postholder will lead and deliver all finance-related preparation for go-live, ensuring that financial systems, processes, controls, governance, reporting and budget management arrangements are fully designed, configured, tested and embedded. The role will also support cutover planning and early post-go-live stabilisation to ensure continuity of financial control and service delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Transition Planning, Cutover & Go-Live Readiness
- Lead finance transition planning, ensuring all finance-related activities required for go-live are identified, sequenced and delivered.
- Define and manage finance cutover arrangements, including treatment of accruals, prepayments, provisions, opening balances and straddling transactions.
- Support preparation and validation of opening balances for the new operating model.
- Develop and maintain a finance transition risk register and mitigation plan.
- Provide hands-on finance support during go-live and early stabilisation to resolve issues quickly and minimise disruption.
Financial Systems & Chart of Accounts
- Lead the consolidation, redesign and implementation of the chart of accounts to support the enlarged 10,000-home organisation.
- Configure and test financial systems to support new service structures, cost centres, budget holder responsibilities and reporting hierarchies.
- Support data migration, system testing and validation of transferred financial data.
- Ensure finance systems are appropriately set up to support statutory reporting, management reporting and audit requirements.
Budgeting, Budget Holder Framework & Reporting
- Support the establishment and embedding of budget holder responsibilities for transferring teams.
- Design and implement budget structures, monitoring processes and reporting frameworks aligned to the new operating model.
- Work with Heads of Service to ensure budgets are understood, ownership is clear and financial accountability is embedded.
- Support the design of management reporting for the enlarged operating model, including performance, cost centre and service-level reporting.
Financial Controls, Reconciliations & Governance
- Establish and/or review reconciliations for key balance sheet and control accounts to support a robust control environment at go-live.
- Design and embed proportionate financial controls and month-end processes suitable for the enlarged organisation.
- Review and support updates to financial regulations, schemes of delegation and key financial policies to reflect the new operating model.
- Support audit readiness by liaising with internal and external auditors on transition-related accounting treatments and control frameworks.
Income, Recharges & Inter-Organisation Arrangements
- Support the design and implementation of SLAs between the Council and the new operating model.
- Ensure income streams (including management fees, service charges and recharges) are correctly set up within the finance system and aligned to accounting policies.
- Support modelling and monitoring of cashflow and working capital implications arising from the transfer.
Stakeholder Working, Training & Change Enablement
- Work collaboratively with Council finance teams, new operating model colleagues and operational managers to deliver a smooth financial transition.
- Act as a finance subject matter expert to transition workstreams and governance groups.
- Design and deliver training, guidance and support for new budget holders and managers to enable effective financial management post-transfer.
- Provide pragmatic, hands-on support to colleagues during the transition period to resolve issues and build confidence in new arrangements.
Operational Support & Knowledge Building
- Provide support to the finance team by taking ownership of selected day-to-day activities, ensuring continuity of service during the transition period. This practical involvement will help build the detailed understanding of the financial management information system required to design and establish processes, controls and reporting arrangements for the new operating model. By engaging directly in core activities, the postholder will gain the insight necessary to inform the development and embedding of effective practices.
Documentation, Knowledge Transfer & Handover
- Produce clear documentation of new or revised finance processes, controls and system configurations.
- Ensure structured handover to permanent finance staff, embedding sustainable business-as-usual arrangements post-transition.
- Identify any residual risks or unfinished actions for follow-up after the end of the fixed-term contract.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential
- CCAB-qualified accountant (or equivalent experience).
- Strong experience in financial accounting within local government, housing, ALMO or a similar public sector environment.
- Proven experience supporting finance system changes, restructures or organisational transitions.
- Strong technical understanding of chart of accounts design, reconciliations, controls and financial reporting.
- Experience of working in complex stakeholder environments and across organisational boundaries.
- Ability to work at pace in a time-limited, delivery-focused role
Desirable
- Experience of go-live or cutover support in finance transformation projects.
- Experience of working with internal or external auditors on change programmes.
Personal Attributes
- Highly organised and delivery-focused, with strong prioritisation skills.
- Pragmatic and solutions-oriented, with a hands-on approach to problem-solving.
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity and evolving organisational contexts.
- Strong communicator, able to explain financial concepts clearly to non-finance colleagues.
What we offer
We want Homes in Somerset to be a great place to work, where colleagues are proud to work for the organisation. As well as working alongside some amazing colleagues to provide great services to our customers, we offer a range of benefits.
- We recognise the importance of a work life balance and our hybrid working policy allows you to adapt.
- Up to date, modern equipment provided whether working at home or in the office. We also offer a contribution towards the cost of a desk.
- Generous holiday allowance which rises with service.
- You ll be auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme with a generous employer contribution.
- We pay more than the statutory parental leave and work with you to balance work and life commitments.
- We offer a 24-hour helpline and access to welfare and lifestyle advice, including counselling. We have also supported colleagues to become Mental Health First Aiders.
- Great learning and development opportunities.
- We celebrate success linked to our values including HiS Heroes and long service.
- Access to discounts for sport, leisure, and entertainment activities via our benefits platform.