Rent and Service Charge Manager

Service Charge & Rent Manager Location: Northampton Employment Type: Permanent Salary: £58.000 - £68,000 + bonus, pension, life cover We’re recruiting for an experienced Service Charge & Rent Manager to join a growing housing organisation based in Northampton. This is a key operational leadership role with responsibility for the effective delivery of rent setting and service charge activity across a varied housing portfolio. You’ll lead and develop the Service Charge and Rent team, ensuring annual cycles are delivered accurately, on time and in line with relevant legislation, regulation, leases and internal controls. The Role You’ll take responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Service Charge and Rent function, translating strategic priorities into clear operational plans and ensuring the team delivers an accurate, compliant and customer-focused service. Key responsibilities will include: * Leading and developing the Service Charge and Rent team, including performance management, objectives, one-to-ones and development * Managing the end-to-end annual service charge cycle, covering budgets, estimates, reconciliations, billing information and customer communications * Managing annual rent reviews across relevant housing portfolios * Overseeing rent increase activity from calculation and data validation through to notices, system updates and post-implementation checks * Ensuring rent and service charge calculations are supported by accurate data and robust quality controls * Working closely with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, reconciliations and material variances * Ensuring compliance with relevant housing regulation, lease requirements and service charge legislation * Managing relationships with managing agents and reviewing and challenging budgets, invoices and audited accounts * Providing technical guidance on service charge recovery, rent setting, lease interpretation and shared ownership * Overseeing complex customer queries and complaints * Identifying opportunities to improve processes, controls, systems, reporting and overall service delivery. About You We’re looking for someone with strong experience across service charges, rent setting, housing finance or leasehold management, coupled with proven people management experience. You’ll ideally bring: * Strong knowledge of the Regulator of Social Housing’s Rent Standard, Shared Ownership Code and affordable housing rent setting * Good knowledge of leasehold requirements and service charge legislation, including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 * Experience managing annual rent and service charge cycles across a varied portfolio * Proven experience managing and developing a team * Strong financial and analytical skills, including budgets, reconciliations and forecasting * Experience working with managing agents and reviewing service charge budgets, invoices and accounts * The ability to interpret leases, policies, regulatory requirements and complex financial information * Strong quality assurance and control management skills * Excellent stakeholder management skills with the confidence to constructively challenge where appropriate * Experience handling complex customer queries and complaints * The ability to manage competing priorities and fixed annual deadlines without compromising accuracy. A relevant housing, finance or property qualification would be beneficial, although this is not essential