Savills

Role Overview 

Job location – Finsbury Circus House

The Commercial Management department manage in excess of 2,500 properties on behalf of clients/landlords within all sectors. This encompasses an approximate rent roll of £1.71 billion and circa 18,000 tenants across the UK.

Regional offices service both local and national clients. For Property Management Finance, the regional teams are currently based in London City, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Glasgow. The Treasury function (cash/processing transactions) is centralised in the Manchester office.

The Role

A role has become available for a Service Charge Accountant based in the London City office.

The function of the role is the finalisation of service charge year end reconciliations. The Service Charge Accountant will work within a team in line with tasks detailed below.

The position reports direct to the Service Charge Manager.

Team Overview

Savills culture is one of trust and respect, teamwork and collaboration. Our teams and our clients benefit when we work together, listening to and learning from each other.  Above all, we value the motivation of our people. This is evidenced by our wellbeing offer, our capability to facilitate flexible working and our support to enjoy a healthy work life balance.

A fast paced and friendly team, working closely with the facilities management team, client services and the Client. The team has a flexible approach to ensure deadlines are met successfully.

Key Responsibilities of the Role

•    Inputting service charge budgets onto accounting system
•    Producing the service charge income/expenditure reports ready for year end audit
•    Liaise with external accountants to resolve queries
•    Take ownership for ensuring the service charge accounts are completed within the deadline
•    Assist Centre managers, surveyors and other teams to resolve queries
•    Completing journals, accruals & prepayments
•    Carrying out mid-year reviews liaising with the site team, property managers etc
•    Completing tenant recharges and reconciling these
•    Reconciling the balancing year end charges/credits due
•    Creating statement of funds
•    Carry out Balance Sheet reviews and clearing these items
•    VAT reconciliation
•    Complete service charge handovers and take on

Customers:

Internal:
Property Management consisting of Surveyors/Property Managers and Site staff, Regional Client Accountants and Treasury colleagues, Head of Property Management Finance. Other Savills departments/offices.

External:
Clients. Tenants. Suppliers. Service charge accountants. RICS Auditors. ‘Outsourced ‘Internal’ Accountants. Bankers – Royal Bank of Scotland/NatWest Bank

Systems in operation, to be used to carry out the role:

•    Client systems in operation (Yardi)
•    MRI – property database and accounts system
•    NatWest bank line
•    Barclays Business Master
•    Microsoft Office including Excel/Access

Skills, Knowledge and Experience 

Skills and Knowledge

•    The individual who carries out the role of Service charge accountant is strong and self-motivated, ideally with solid financial and technical reporting experience in a service charge role. The individual has excellent organisation, communication skills with the ability to communicate with all within the business as well as clients.

•    Previous experience of working within a service charge role is essential.  Excellent excel skills are required.

•    The individual will be a strong team player with the ability to meet strict deadlines and prioritise their workload. Due to the nature of Property Management the Service Charge Accountant must be able to work in a varied and evolving department.

•    There are no particular professional qualifications required for this position. It is expected that the individual be enthusiastic and willing to learn.

•    Strong team player: builds relationships and consults with others, quickly establishes trust and credibility

Assessment applicants can expect during selection
•    I/2 stage interview