Head of Group Financial Reporting

Title: Head of Group Financial Reporting

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full-Time, 35 hours per week

Persona: Agile/hybrid working (office-based 20-40%)

Office Location: Stratford, London or Trafford, Manchester

Salary: Competitive

Closing date for completed applications: 10th June 2025

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an appropriately qualified, self-motivated and highly organised individual to join our Finance Department as the Head of Group Financial Reporting. Reporting directly to the Director of Group Financial Reporting, you will be responsible for leading our Group Financial Reporting to meet the L&Q Group’s statutory and regulatory reporting requirements, and for co-ordinating and delivering a successful year end and external audit.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Providing leadership for the Group financial reporting function, leading a team of qualified accountants and analysts

• Ensuring the financial reporting timetable is adhered to across the Group and all statutory and regulatory requirements are met

• Leading the consolidation of the Group financial reporting for annual financial statements, monthly management reporting, quarterly trading statements and regulatory reporting.

• Leading the annual external audit process, managing key stakeholder relationships and the annual timetable to deliver a consistent high quality information and successful year end

• Provide technical accounting expertise around the activities and portfolios including expert knowledge of the applicable Financial Reporting Standards (FRS) and Housing SORP.

We are looking for someone with strong interpersonal and organisational skills to lead the team. You will need to be flexible and adaptable to change, a strong and effective communicator, with experience of financial reporting (ideally under FRS102) alongside experience of leading the external audit process and Group consolidation (ideally in a large Group structure).

Your skills and experience should include:

• Qualified Accountant with minimum 3 years PQE and experience operating at a senior level

• Practical knowledge / experience in Group consolidation and financial reporting under FRS102

• Sector specific and/or previous external audit experience

• Experience in delivering large Group external audit and Financial Statements within challenging deadlines

• An accomplished people manager with proven experience of developing and training people

• Must have good commercial acumen to understand implications of the financial measures and be able to interpret and explain the impact of and implement changes in accounting standards.

• Excellent planning, co-ordination and organising skills

• Effective communicator at a senior level. Able to prepare persuasive reports, not just reporting on financial performance but also giving direction

If you believe you have the qualities we are looking for and are interested in working for an organisation that can really make a difference to people’s lives, then please apply without delay.

*We are a multi-site organisation, so some roles may require occasional travel between offices, but expenses will be covered.

At the foundation of everything that we do are our corporate values and associated behaviours. Our organisational behavioural framework outlines the core expectations of all employees, which should be demonstrated at all times when representing L&Q. More information about L&Q’s values can be found on our website and a copy of our behavioural framework can be provided on request.

Our commitments:

At L&Q, people are at the heart of our business and our success depends on employing the best people and getting the best from them. This is why we are committed to developing our people. It's only by investing in a well-trained and motivated workforce that we can continue to prosper and sustain business success.

In addition to our support and training, the successful candidate will have access to our full suite of benefits including 28 days holiday rising to 31 days with length of service, Westfield health cash plan, annual bonus subject to group performance, excellent Pension scheme, an employee assistance programme and non-contributory life assurance.

We are committed to supporting your work-life balance and recognise the changing demands and circumstances in life. Please let us know during the recruitment process if you’re interested in part time working or job sharing. In addition, should your circumstances change once you have joined L&Q, you can also request flexible working arrangements, e.g. a change to working hours - if it’s feasible then we’ll make it happen.

We are recognised externally for our commitment to inclusion. We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident (Committed) employer and have signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge to demonstrate our commitment to end mental health discrimination in the workplace.

We expect all of our employees to support our environmental policy and social responsibility work. We are an employer committed to environmental and social responsibility.

L&Q is a regulated charitable housing association and one of the UK’s most successful independent social businesses. The L&Q Group houses around 250,000 people in more than 97,000 homes, primarily across London and the South East.

As a charitable organisation, our role goes beyond providing homes and housing services. We are a long-term partner in the neighbourhoods where we work. We hope to build aspiration, opportunity and confidence in our communities through our £250 million L&Q Foundation and our skills academy.

In response to the housing and affordability crisis, we will build 100,000 new homes over ten years. Of these, 60,000 homes will be built or funded by L&Q, whilst a further 40,000 will come through partnerships. Crucially, at least 50% of these new homes will be genuinely affordable, with a target of 60% in London.

Our vision is that everyone has a quality home they can afford, and we combine our social purpose with commercial drive to create homes and neighbourhoods everyone can be proud of.