Head of Property Finance

Camden, London
Aga Khan Foundation (UK)

JOB PURPOSE: To support the Chief Financial Officer in managing efficient and effective accounting and financial reporting processes in relation to AKF(UK) managed properties and AKF(UK)’s trading subsidiary. To maintain a close working relationship with the Head of King’s Cross properties, commercial tenants and external property management companies in relation to the KX buildings. To oversee all AKC shared service supplier contracts and procurement processes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Financial planning, management and reporting

• Ensure robust financial systems, procedures and controls are in place, documented and reviewed
• Ensure all property transactions are reflected accurately and produce monthly management reports
• Review the expenditure of all properties to ensure all relevant costs and income are included
• Complete reconciliations of all property control accounts in a timely manner
• Prepare financial reports for all AKC shared service teams and all KX buildings
• Lead the budgeting process for all AKC shared service teams
• Support the Victoria Hall managing agents to produce budgets and financial reports
• Support the preparation of the AKF(UK) statutory financial statements

2. Audit and compliance

• Contribute to audits and statutory compliance
• Prepare audit schedules, answer audit queries and manage actions on property related matters
• Stay up to date on property financial regulations, compliance, reporting and the Property Finance Manual reflects this
• Manage internal financial control policies and procedures related to properties
• Ensure that all supplier invoices are paid promptly
• Manage the AKF(UK) Properties risk register
• Lead the process for collecting carbon data and producing emission reports
• Support any environmental audits that are carried out
• Manage VAT for AKF(UK) and its trading subsidiary

3. Property accounting and management

• Responsible for the financial management of all AKF(UK) properties
• Lead on the funding model for the Aga Khan Centre shared services
• Support the shared service teams to benchmark and develop service level standards
• Prepare and keep up to date asset lists for KX buildings
• Lead on the financial aspects of contracts related to all KX properties
• Ensure all sales invoices are produced in a timely manner
• Ensure safeguarding is integrated into procurement and contracts for all properties
• Responsible for overseeing all procurement related to KX buildings
• Complete reconciliations between AKF(UK) and the Victoria Hall managing agents
• Participate in any contract changes with the managing agents of Victoria Hall
• Assist the managing agents of Victoria Hall in ensuring operating licenses are in place
• Ensure repair works for Victoria Hall are included in the sinking fund
• Ensure repair works for Fenman House are included in the sinking fund
• Support the sale of any Fenman House apartments
• Liaise with the KX Estate Landlord regarding estate service charges
• Support the Facilities and Maintenance Manager in producing a sinking fund for AKC
• Liaise with local authorities to ensure that business rates and council taxes are being charged
• Lead on the development of AKF(UK) service level standards for the other significant properties
• Responsible for the coordination of the AKF(UK) Property Committee meetings
• Responsible for the coordination of other significant property Quarterly meetings
• Attend the AKF(UK) Finance Committee meetings

4. AKF(UK)’s trading subsidiary

• Responsible for the financial management of AKF(UK)’s trading subsidiary
• Manage relationship with the subsidiary managing agents
• Produce reports for the Directors and the AKF(UK) Property Committee
• Lead on the budget process for the trading subsidiary
• Complete reconciliations between the trading subsidiary and the property management agents
• Manage the year-end processes and create all audit schedules

5. Team management

• Help promote a culture of teamwork and service, high-quality, transparency and accountability, innovation, and inclusiveness
• Supervise, coach and mentor property finance staff, building a highly skilled and motivated team
• Set annual performance objectives and evaluate performance
• Build a culture in the property finance team of continuous improvement

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, BEHAVIOURS

Qualifications

• CCAB qualified accountant

Experience

• Post qualification experience in financial accounting, management accounting and reporting
• Experience of charity accounting, VAT and knowledge of auditing
• Experience of project budgeting and accounting including cost recovery modelling, cash flow management and reporting
• Experience of designing and managing financial systems, processes and procedures
• Advanced hands-on experience using Excel and integrated multi-ledger accounting systems, including the production and adaptation of pivot tables
• Experience of managing internal cost recharges and allocations

Skills

• Good interpersonal, customer care and liaison skills with a wide range of stakeholders
• First rate oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to manage competing priorities and deliver to tight deadlines
• Ability to synthesise complex operational and financial details for reporting and presentation
• Ability to take a robust but tactful position, confident with a positive outlook
• Ability to problem solve, working with both internal and external stakeholders to deliver results
• Ability to work in a multi-institution network within a multi-cultural environment
• Fluent in oral and written English
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel

Knowledge

• Understanding of and appreciation for ADKN’s goals, values and ethics
• Knowledge of charity accounting
• Knowledge of UK tax system, and specifically VAT
• Knowledge of company legislation
• Knowledge of trading subsidiaries

Attributes

• Demonstrates equity, transparency and integrity with high personal and organisational ethical standards; is fair, honest and trustworthy with respect for confidentiality; inspires and builds trust and respect
• Respectful of diversity; sensitive towards others; open and understanding toward other people’s cultures, values, autonomy, and faiths; demonstrates compassion and empathy; is courteous to others with respect for their background, religion, gender and age

Behaviours

• Communicates clearly and concisely, individually and across a broad scope of stakeholders and communities; expresses complex ideas and concepts in simple terms; listens to the views of others; changes communication styles to meet individual and audience needs; encourages dialogue and effective communication by others
• Builds, maintains and deepens constructive and effective relationships with stakeholders, changes approach to achieve desired results if required
• Has a customer focused approach, is flexible and always puts the good of others at the centre of decision making; optimises the culture of volunteerism and respect for others and is dedicated to AKF’s purpose and fulfilling the mission
• Is a supportive team player, collaborates creating a culture of knowledge sharing and team learning. Is proactive in teamwork
• Inspires self and others to greater performance, professional standards and results; likes to get things done; accepts new challenges and opportunities to enable self-reliance and achievement of full potential; gives and receives timely balanced feedback
• Acknowledges creativity; adapts established methods for new uses; is focused on improving systems and processes; open to change; analyses, synthesises and challenges conventional thinking
• Enterprising attitude that is quick to search out alternative solutions to needs or problems; creates and participates in communities of practice to establish networks of problem solving and organisational learning
• Drives commitment to delivering high-quality results with cost-effective use of resources; sets appropriate deliverables and uses innovative working methods to develop capacity, capability and a sustainable environment; has a clear vision of outcome and communicates this to inspire resources

APPLICATION DETAILS

Applications should include CV, a cover letter, preferred salary and notice period.

Closing date: 5pm Tuesday 27th October 2026

Salary: £75,000 + benefits

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK