Within the Finance team, our Management Accountants are responsible for looking after the costs for Leeds Federated as well as our in-house contractor APS (Arthington Property Services).

From capital and systems, revenue, service charges and finance systems, they cover everything cost-related!

We caught up with Alex Stephenson, who’s been an APS Management Accountant since December 2024. Although she’s part of the Leeds Federated Finance team, Alex spends most of her time at the APS office in Millshaw Park.

Alex gives us an inside look at what it’s like to keep APS’s accounts running smoothly.

A glimpse into Alex’s week

“I joined Leeds Federated in December 2024 as the APS accountant. The past 9 months have flown by, and I’m loving every minute of it.

“A typical week for me starts with going to the APS office at Millshaw, where I’m based 3 days a week. I enjoy going into the office as I get to interact with APS colleagues and build those relationships that can sometimes be missed when working from home.

“My day usually starts with checking any emails and setting tasks to action them. I then see what tasks I have on for the day. This could be reconciling balance sheets, checking costs have been allocated accurately or working on month-end tasks.

“Each month, I work through what we call the valuations. This is a costing spreadsheet which details all jobs completed throughout the financial year and the costs associated with them. So, whether the APS team have installed a new kitchen, a DFG (Disabled Facilities Grant) bathroom or completed a repair or a damp and mould job for a customer, it will be costed up on the valuation spreadsheet.

“Being a management accountant, the job itself can be quite repetitive as we work towards either a month, quarter or even year-end. Each of these has its own set of tasks that need completing. This is something I personally thrive on, as I like to have a plan and a general idea of how the day is going to go!

“However, I do enjoy it when an out-of-the-ordinary task comes in. I have already been lucky enough to be involved in the implementation of our new invoice system. I worked with the Finance team to test the system before it went out to the wider organisation.

“I work on the annual budget for APS with Operations Manager, Steve Preston. I make sure it ties into the Leeds Federated budget in terms of completions and costs. I also work with Steve throughout the year to track spend and any over/under spends that occur. We look at how we can manage costs to provide the best value for money while still delivering the best service for customers.

“I also attend the quarterly APS Board meeting, where I present the latest quarter financials and answer any questions that arise.

“My week also consists of general team catch-ups. These meetings usually set me up ready for the day as I get to interact with my team, find out how their weeks are going in and outside of work. It really boosts morale and helps build team bonds.”

Favourite bits

“The people are my favourite. Everyone’s so welcoming and approachable. I feel lucky that being the APS accountant means I get two teams. I get to be part of the Leeds Federated Finance team, but also part of the APS team. It makes every day enjoyable being able to interact with everyone.”

A new sector

“The challenging part so far is getting to know the business and the housing sector Leeds Federated operates in. I previously worked for a US-owned Medical Waste Disposal company for 5 years. The two industries are very different. There’s so much to learn about, not only from a social housing perspective, but also APS, and how they interact with Leeds Federated as an internal contractor. However, despite this challenge, I’m enjoying the burst of knowledge it’s given me and the change of pace.”

Helping people make a home

“The most rewarding part of the role is knowing I’m contributing to helping our customers. Being part of APS, even from a financial perspective, knowing the good work they are doing at customer homes is rewarding.

“Getting to hear the feedback and stories from customers is also really valuable.”