Wheatley Group (Wheatley) is Scotland’s leading housing, care and property-management group and one of the UK’s best-accredited organisations. Owning or managing over 93,700 homes, Wheatley delivers a range of award-winning services aimed at “Making Homes and Lives Better” for over 210,000 people across 19 local authorities in Scotland.

Wheatley employs 2,700 people directly and a further 2,000 as joint owners of one of Scotland’s largest repairs and maintenance companies, City Building (Glasgow). Over the past decade Wheatley’s Registered Social Landlords have created no fewer than 11,000 jobs and 2,000 training places as they seek, with partners, to break the cycle of poverty and exclusion that many of its customers still experience.

Wheatley’s partner organisations remain firmly rooted in their local communities, whilst drawing on the strength, size, scale and resources of the Group to contribute on a regional and national level to affordable housing, care and community regeneration across Scotland.

The UK’s largest builder of social rented homes four years in a row, it is also one of the country’s best accredited organisations. By way of example, the Group’s largest subsidiary, Glasgow Housing Association (GHA), was named by the European Foundation of Quality Management as one of only three winners of the 2017 Global Excellence Award – and both Investors in People’s UK’s Platinum Employer and Apprentice Employer of the year. Wheatley was also named in 2018 as the Best Development Team at the prestigious Inside Housing Awards.

To learn more about Wheatley Group, please visit them online at www.wheatley-group.com

The Opportunity

Due to a recent change to the finance structure, an opportunity has arisen to introduce a talented new individual to the business. The role will report directly to the Director of Financial Reporting, manage a team of finance professionals within the Group Finance Head function, and interface regularly with other members of the Senior and Executive team.

The Financial Controller will be responsible for all aspects of the delivery of financial reporting and control across the Wheatley RSL portfolio and will deputise for the Director of Financial Reporting as required. This will include, but not be limited to:

• Responsibility for ensuring the preparation of Group and subsidiary budgets and management/statutory accounts
• Regular communication of financial information to Boards, the Executive Team and senior budget holders across the Group
• Support on business planning processes
• Taxation (including VAT)
• Line management responsibility for a number of members of the Group Finance team (15 in total via 3 direct reports)

The Financial Controller will be part of the senior management team within Group Finance, with responsibility for supporting delivery of the Group strategy.  This will include ensuring a culture of financial awareness and value for money exists throughout the Group.

The Individual

This is a key position within a well-established, sizable and complex organisation requiring a qualified accountant of the highest calibre.

The Financial Controller should be highly adept in delivering all the budgeting, planning, statutory and reporting requirements for the Group, along with ensuring that the management information requirements of the Executive team are consistently met and exceeded as they arise. It is highly likely that the individual will have trained as a Chartered Accountant within a large or Big 4 firm and, as such, have an excellent technical foundation in the areas of audit, corporate governance and taxation.

As this is a leadership role, the appointed individual will be experienced in managing, training, coaching and/or mentoring others to ensure that tasks are delivered to the highest standards. As the organisation continues to grow and develop, it is critical that the Financial Controller can further develop systems, processes, reporting and a team that allows them to support the delivery of shareholder value. First class communication skills and an ability to manage a wide range of stakeholders is essential in a complex multi-site, relationship led business.

What is on Offer?

In addition to a competitive salary in the region of £80,000 per annum, you will also have the option to be part of a highly attractive defined benefit pension scheme and receive a total of 41 days holiday a year, inclusive of statutory days.

What to do Next

To find out more or see a full Position Profile, please contact our retained advisor, Mark Lewis at Rutherford Cross by emailing [email protected]

Please note that any direct or third party approaches will be sent to Rutherford Cross for review and assessment.