Job Description

An Essex-based Local Authority is seeking an experienced professional to lead a comprehensive review of its Service Charge and General Fund HRA mechanisms. This project is pivotal to improving cost transparency, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory frameworks, and restoring confidence among key stakeholders including council tenants and leaseholders.

Key Objectives

• Deliver full transparency in service charge and HRA cost structures.
• Ensure statutory and regulatory compliance (Landlord & Tenant Act 1985, Housing Act 1985, RICS Code, etc.)
• Identify discrepancies in service charges between council tenants and leaseholders and propose sustainable solutions.
• Enhance stakeholder trust through improved governance and engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct a thorough review and analysis of existing service charge and HRA mechanisms.
• Identify areas of non-compliance and suggest corrective actions.
• Map and streamline service charge/HRA-related processes and workflows.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and consultations including Community Equality Impact Assessments.
• Produce a comprehensive compliance and governance report with actionable recommendations.
• Collaborate with Housing, Finance, ICT, and Legal teams to cleanse data and improve system functionality (NEC system focus).
• Support the development of a long-term governance framework and communication strategy.

Required Skills and Experience

• This role is perfect for someone who has proven experience in housing finance, service charge reviews, or HRA financial frameworks.
• You must have in-depth knowledge of relevant UK housing legislation and regulations
• Experience working with NEC (Northgate) Housing systems or equivalent
• Strong analytical and process mapping capabilities
• Excellent communication and report writing skills

This role is expected to run for at least six months on a hybrid work pattern.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your CV immediately or call Stuart at Park Avenue.