Interim Head of Financial Accounting

Can you take control of a pressured year-end and bring calm, structure and direction? Are you a proactive leader who plans ahead rather than reacts late? Can you manage auditors, senior stakeholders and a capable team without creating chaos?

A sizeable Housing provider in Hampshire is seeking an Interim Head of Financial Accounting to lead the delivery of year-end, statutory reporting and audit during a critical period of change.

This is a 6m Fixed Term Contract starting in early March. This is not about producing the consolidation personally. The technical foundation and team capability are in place. What’s needed is clear leadership, proactive planning and confident stakeholder management to ensure year-end is delivered smoothly — particularly alongside a major system go-live at the start of the new financial year.

Approximately 60–70% of the role will focus on year-end delivery and audit coordination, with the remainder centred on leadership and oversight of the financial accounting function.

Key responsibilities include:

• Taking full ownership of the year-end timetable and ensuring all subsidiary drafts and the consolidated accounts are delivered to auditors in line with agreed deadlines.
• Leading proactive engagement with external auditors, agreeing deliverables and managing expectations rather than reacting to them.
• Reviewing and challenging statutory outputs prepared by Qualified Accountants before submission to audit.
• Providing clear direction and stability to a competent team, ensuring workstreams remain coordinated and on track.
• Managing stakeholder relationships across Finance and senior leadership, including effective upward management.
• Resetting and strengthening planning processes where required to ensure disciplined delivery.

This is a high-visibility assignment within one of the larger Housing providers in the sector. You will be stepping into a capable team that needs structured, proactive leadership to navigate a pressured year-end alongside system change. Success in this role will be defined by organisation, clarity and calm delivery — not heroics at the last minute. You’ll lead the team in person twice per week out of the attractive Hampshire office.

To be considered, please meet all these criteria:

• Proven experience co-ordinating and leading year-end and statutory reporting in a medium-to-large, complex organisation, with a strong preference for this experience to come from within the Housing sector.
• Strong leadership capability — able to coordinate multiple workstreams and senior stakeholders under pressure.
• A fully qualified accountant with demonstrable experience proactively managing external auditors.
• Highly organised planner with the ability to anticipate risks and address them early.
• Confident stakeholder manager, comfortable managing upwards and across functions.

Please apply now or reach out directly for an informal chat about the role. Similarly – if this role appeals but the nature of a FTC doesn’t then please get in touch for a discussion about opportunity for a day rate contract.