Service Charge Manager

Full Time | 37 Hours per Week

We are recruiting for an experienced Service Charges & Rent Manager to join an established Housing Association and take operational responsibility for the management of rents and service charges across a varied housing portfolio.

This is a senior operational role with responsibility for ensuring rents and charges are accurate, compliant and clearly communicated to residents. You will lead a customer-facing team while acting as a key source of expertise across service charges, rents, leasehold matters and associated legislation.

Key Responsibilities

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• Lead the annual service charge budgeting and reconciliation process across a varied portfolio, ensuring charges are accurate, transparent and appropriately apportioned.
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• Oversee annual rent setting and service charge notifications, ensuring residents receive clear information explaining their charges and any changes.
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• Ensure service charges, estate costs and utility billing arrangements remain compliant with relevant housing and leasehold legislation.
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• Manage complex variable service charges, sinking funds and different rent arrangements including Social, Affordable and Intermediate Rent.
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• Provide expertise on leasehold management, Section 20 consultation requirements, managing agents and associated service charge matters.
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• Work alongside internal teams, contractors and suppliers to ensure recoverable services are delivered in accordance with agreed standards and contractual requirements.
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• Lead and develop a customer-facing team, maintaining strong performance against service standards and KPIs.
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• Oversee complex resident enquiries and complaints relating to rents and service charges, ensuring issues are resolved accurately and professionally.
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• Use financial data, customer feedback and performance information to identify improvements to processes and service delivery.
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• Support the development and implementation of systems and technology used for rent and service charge management.
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• Maintain relevant policies and procedures, ensuring changes in legislation and regulation are reflected within operational practice.
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• Prepare and present complex financial, performance and compliance information to senior stakeholders and governance groups.
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• Develop operational plans covering areas such as quality assurance, team development, training and annual service delivery.
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Experience & Knowledge

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• The successful candidate will have substantial experience within service charge and rent management, ideally gained within a Housing Association, property management organisation or public sector housing environment.
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• You will need strong experience of complex variable service charges, estate charges, sinking funds and multiple rent regimes, alongside a good understanding of leasehold management and Section 20 consultation.
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• A strong working knowledge of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, relevant Housing Acts and wider legislation governing rents, leases and service charges is essential.
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• You should also understand the Regulator of Social Housing Consumer Standards, alongside developments affecting leasehold, shared ownership and freehold charges.
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• Previous experience leading a customer-facing team is required, with evidence of delivering strong performance against KPIs and handling complex or challenging customer enquiries.
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• Experience of financial modelling, budgeting and forecasting is important, as is the ability to interpret financial information and explain complex charges clearly to residents and colleagues.
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• You should be comfortable working with housing management systems and have experience supporting system, software or process changes.
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• Experience working with senior stakeholders and presenting financial or compliance information within a governance environment is also required.
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Qualifications

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• Degree-level education, relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience.
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• Evidence of continued professional development.
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• CIH Level 3 or above, or currently working towards an equivalent housing qualification, would be advantageous.
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About You

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• You will be an experienced housing professional with strong analytical skills and a detailed understanding of rents and service charges.
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• You will be comfortable balancing financial accuracy and regulatory compliance with the need to provide a clear, accessible service to residents.
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• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills are essential, alongside the ability to develop teams and improve operational performance.
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• You will be highly organised, confident working with complex financial information and comfortable managing competing priorities during busy periods such as annual rent setting and service charge reconciliation.
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• Strong Excel skills and experience using housing management systems are expected.
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• Occasional travel across the organisation's housing portfolio may be required.
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This position is subject to a Basic DBS check.