Finance Manager

The Opportunity

Yolk Recruitment is delighted to be partnering with a leading Housing Association to recruit an experienced Interim Finance Manager - Operations.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on and confident finance leader to step into an established finance function and make a tangible impact from day one.

You will provide strong leadership across the organisation's transactional finance operation, bringing energy, direction and accountability, helping teams improve performance, embrace change and identify more efficient ways of working.

The Role

As Finance Manager - Operations, you will provide leadership and oversight across a range of key transactional finance functions, including:

Accounts Payable and Purchase Ledger Payroll and Pensions Rent Income and customer account transactions Sales Ledger Banking, reconciliations and control accounts Payment processing and financial controls Wider transactional finance systems and processes You will lead and support several teams within the finance function, including the Transactional Manager, Senior Income Officer, Rent Income team, Transactional Finance team and Payroll function. A key part of your role will be bringing these areas together, ensuring effective performance management, clear accountability and a consistent, proactive approach.

What you'll be doing

Provide strong leadership and day-to-day management across the transactional finance teams. Drive performance and create a more proactive, accountable and customer-focused culture. Oversee key finance operations, ensuring robust controls, accurate reconciliations and high-quality service delivery. Lead and support managers and team members through regular 1:1s, objective setting, development and performance management. Ensure effective management of rent income accounting, customer accounts, arrears-related financial information and income controls. Oversee payroll services, ensuring compliance with HMRC, pensions, statutory requirements and internal controls. Support ongoing digital and systems change, including the implementation and improvement of finance and procure-to-pay processes. Work collaboratively with Finance, ICT, Procurement, HR and other stakeholders to improve systems and service outcomes.

What we're looking for

We're looking for an experienced Finance Manager or Transactional Finance Manager with a strong background in operational finance and, crucially, the confidence and ability to lead people.

You will be a full or part-qualified accountant from a recognised professional body, or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge and experience, with a strong understanding of operational finance in a complex environment. Extensive experience managing transactional finance services, including purchase and sales ledger, banking, payments, reconciliations and control accounts. Strong technical knowledge of financial controls, VAT and relevant tax considerations. Experience of managing rent income accounting, customer accounts and income reconciliation, ideally within a registered social landlord or similar environment. Strong payroll knowledge, including HMRC requirements, pensions, statutory deductions, reconciliations and payroll controls. Experience of improving finance systems, processes, workflows, reporting and data quality. Excellent people management skills, with experience setting objectives, developing colleagues and confidently addressing performance issues. The ability to use performance information and management reporting to improve service quality and accountability. Strong systems and digital capability, with the ability to support colleagues through technological change.