Finance Director

MLC are proud to be partnered with Oak Housing in their search for a Finance Director.

Oak Housing is a For-Profit Registered Provider offering a range of affordable housing solutions to Local Authorities and NHS Trusts in London and the South East. Since being acquired in 2019 by a consortium of real estate professionals and the current management team and organisation has grown from 200 to almost 1000 units and have ambitious plans to triple in size over the next 3 years. Working closely with strategic partners and funds, one of their biggest growth areas recently has been in providing key-worker accommodation, specifically with the NHS.

The Finance Director will sit alongside the Operations Director and report into the CEO. The role is responsible for overseeing all financial activities for the organisation, whilst offering critical strategic direction. The internal finance function is growing, and the organisation needs more strategic involvement at the director level. As the organisation and the role develop, there is scope for this role to grow and develop further and the team reporting into this role will expand in the short to medium term.

Main responsibilities of the role:

• To support the CEO in managing the rigors from day-to-day budget setting / monitoring and cashflows to fund reporting and Board briefings.
• Carry out a review of the present situation, incorporating systems, processes, deficiencies and risk areas.
• Manage, nurture and develop a finance team, implementing sound financial controls and a can-do culture to empower decision making.
• Work with the operations director to prepare the organisation for the regulatory scrutiny that will come as the organisation passes the 1000-unit mark.
• Deliver board-level strategic insight, shaping the future of the organisation and driving growth.
• Flex up and down between a 'doing’ role and a board-level role involved in decision making about the strategic direction of the organisation.

This role will suit someone who thrives on responsibility and wants to influence a whole organisation without being constrained by pre-existing structures. If you are someone who loves a challenge, is entrepreneurial, wants to think outside the box and be a disruptor, this could be the role for you! Oak is also open to someone stepping up from a Head Of role in a larger organisation into this as a first director position.

To be considered for this role, the successful candidate will:

• Be a fully qualified accountant, ideally with experience in housing or working within a regulated sector.
• Show the flexibility to move from high-level strategic decision making to rolling their sleeves up and getting stuck in to solve problems.
• Have managed teams previously and be able to demonstrate a track record of success.

Please contact Jamie Elliott at MLC Partners for an informal discussion about the role.