Head of Transactional Services

The role

The Head of Transactional Services is responsible for leading teams delivering operational Accounts Payable, Cash and Banking and Credit Control services for our clients. The primary objective of the role is to ensure that the transactional services functions are managed and led, and services are delivered in an effective and timely manner and risks are mitigated in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.

As a member of the department’s Senior Leadership Team, the Head of Transactional Services supports the Head of Client Finance by:

• Leading the transactional services operations, ensuring services are delivered accurately, on time and to a high standard.  
• Ensuring all statutory, legislative and internal process requirements are always met, including the requirements of HMRC, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and internal and external auditors.
• Acting as a subject matter expert in the areas of client monies, credit control and inward and outward payment controls.
• Having responsibility for Transactional Service Team Associate Directors and their teams, ensuring that internal and external stakeholder expectations are met
• Monitoring key performance indicators and reporting on a regular basis in accordance with client and departmental requirements, ensuring internal and external service levels and targets agreed with clients and internal surveying teams are met
• Working with the Senior Leadership and Senior Management Team to continuously improve the Client Finance capabilities and service offering, to ensure the department is recognised both internally and externally as a leader in its field

Key deliverables

People

Effective People leadership is considered critical to the success of the department, to ensure we attract and retain high performing talent.  As a member of the Senior Leadership team, it is key that this role will: 

• Provide guidance and motivate the Transactional Services teams to ensure they obtain results and achieve client and team KPIs
• Act as a mentor and role model to team members, providing coaching and support to the team to ensure appropriate levels of performance and technical skills are maintained

Processes

Processes are seen as essential to the operations of the team, department and wider internal stakeholders.  As a member of the Management team, it is key that this role will: 

• Develop, implement and continuously improve processes and procedures to ensure service delivery standards for internal and external clients are met in accordance with all relevant legislation and regulations
• Design and implement the departmental control framework and delegation policy relevant to their areas.
• Work with internal audit and compliance to ensure that all compliance and control requirements are met; and
• Drive forward the effectiveness of controls of activities performed by the team.

Service Delivery

The Client Finance department is a critical part of service delivery to many of the BNP Paribas Clients and is considered to be market leading.  As a member of the Senior Leadership team, it is key that this role will: 

• Work with the Senior Management Team (SMT) and other members of Client Finance to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and control of the operations.
• Ensuring contractual compliance across the team, including SLAs and KPIs are achieved on behalf of BNPPRE;
• Delivery of all transactional services tasks, including processing service charge and reporting, accurately and on time.
• Ensure all queries are responded to in good time 
• Ensuring all necessary Quality Assurance reviews have been undertaken and signed off before issue; and
• Assist in internal and external audits of financial information, procedures and controls
• Act as an escalation point for clients, surveyors and other relevant parties 
• Leading, managing and working on key strategic projects.
• Continuously improving processes to ensure market leading best practise financial management, in accordance with all relevant legislation; and
• Contribute to the fee generation and cost savings of the Client Finance Department

Responsibilities

Financials

• Individual and team-based targets; and
• Manages within budget and minimises overhead spend.

Clients and Business Development

• Manages existing Client and key stakeholder relationships. 
• Able to work on a broad range of projects; and
• Enhance BNP Paribas Real Estate‘s reputation through successful delivery.

People

• Recognised senior specialist who shares knowledge and advises others.
• Works with and develops less experienced employees
• Coaching/mentoring of others. 
• Ability to deliver in a fast-paced environment to tight deadlines.

Systems and Process

• Evaluates, adapts and improves standards, techniques and procedures.
• Is a contributor to BNP Paribas Real Estate Projects
• System Implementation/Project Management

Person specification

• Highly numerate with strong attention to detail and excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Finance Shared Service experience, preferably in a professional services capacity.
• Understanding of accounting techniques, to include cashbook management, bank reconciliation control and management.
• Experience of leading a team delivering high volume and value banking transactions across a significant number of bank accounts.
• Leading aged debt reduction initiatives and Accounts Payable process initiatives.
• Considerable practical experience in client monies management, financial operations and associated processes and controls.
• Experience of leading large teams within a professional services environment.
• Tenacious, presentable, assertive, adaptable, self-aware and self-motivated with excellent verbal and written communication skills and a professional manner.
• Flexible in style and approach, able to be a self-starter and manage own workload
• Committed to the provision of excellent customer service and to meeting deadlines.
• Commercially astute, innovative and solutions oriented.
• Good skills in Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, and Outlook).  Experience of property management and accounting packages for managing agents (ideally Trace Tramps, or similar packages such as Yardi Propware / Voyager, Qube Horizon) would be a distinct advantage.

• Heath & Leisure: Private medical cover, up to 30 days annual leave + public holidays (the option of purchasing up to 5 additional days via flex benefits), health screening, gym discounts, wellbeing support, volunteering opportunities, cycle to work scheme, eye care voucher, travel & retail discounts, travel insurance, concierge service, kids pass, open fairways golf card, great company culture and social events (including sports teams, charity events, art pass), perks at work 
• Financial: Pension, company car allowance, life assurance at 8 x basic salary, group income protection (long term disability insurance), interest free season ticket loan, bonus scheme - you will be eligible to participate in the Company’s Bonus Scheme, share incentive plan, financial and mortgage advice