Data Controller Birmingham 2023

BNP Paribas Real Estate, a specialised division of the financial services group BNP Paribas, is able to provide targeted or integrated solutions, both locally and internationally, and offers its clients a comprehensive range of commercial and residential real estate services, thanks to its 6 lines of business: Property development, Transaction, Consulting, Valuation, Property Management, Investment Management.

With a ranking amongst the leaders on the market, BNP Paribas Real Estate is present in 30 countries, counts 3400 employees and makes a turnover of €658 million.

Client Finance is a national team based in our Birmingham office serving the Property Management accounting needs of all our UK property management and corporate occupier clients. The team includes specialist client accountants and accounts assistants who act as the primary point of contact for all aspects of accounting service deliver to our investor and corporate clients, and shared service teams who provide credit control, accounts payable, treasury/cash management, and business systems administration services. In total Client Finance is comprised of c. 50 people handling rent collection of over £780 million and expenditure in excess of £1 billion per annum.

The Role

The Data Controller works within a small team responsible for administering the core systems which underpin the company’s property management and accounting operations, maintaining data, and supporting all users of these systems. The business systems team provides a critical service to the rest of Client Finance and to the wider surveying and facilities management teams who utilise the Company’s property management systems.

Key Deliverables

• Process approved change notes completely and accurately to agreed standards and timescales and in line with internal and external client objectives
• Ensure all changes to data are properly supported by appropriate authorisations, that originators are notified promptly when changes are completed for sign-off, and that other teams responsible for processes impacted by changes are notified appropriately
• Run routine business operation tasks including scheduled reporting, charge raising, adoption of interest, and regular system integrity checks
• Schedule, produce and collate centralised documentation such as demands/invoices, VAT receipts, and various reports and distribute it in a timely manner to the correct recipients
• Act as assistant administrator in all matters relating to the set-up and configuration of systems, liaise with IT to ensure issues with systems are fully documented, reported and resolved, acting as necessary as contact for IT and systems’ suppliers in the resolution of any technical issues
• Design, develop and run standard and ad-hoc reports in line with client needs and assist users in automating their reporting requirements
• Provide ad-hoc expert advice, guidance and support to all users of the property management systems to ensure correct operation of system functions and appropriate application of systems to business processes
• Maintain the chart of accounts and all standard look-up codes as directed by the Business Systems Manager to ensure consistent analysis and reporting of data
• Maintain records and access rights for approved users, ensuring authorised joiners and leavers are added and removed in a timely manner and that appropriate segregation of duties is maintained
• Ensure that the security and integrity of systems and data is preserved
• Participate in the testing of regular system updates from software suppliers and assist in the identification, selection and implementation of new systems and major upgrades
• Maintain process and procedure documentation in line with improvements in systems and business processes and ensure changes are communicated to all users

Responsibilities

Financial

• Has an awareness of wider team or department budget

Clients and Business Development

• Is proactive in building relationships with internal clients and responsive and helpful to external clients
• Functional or specialist competence with relevant understanding of business/ departmental context
• Completes own work under minimal supervision/guidance
• Can deal with novel or difficult situations within context of own function or specialism

People

• Active team player
• Shares expertise with colleagues
• Proactively communicates to colleagues and others

Systems and Process

• Manages, co-ordinates, implements and develops a range of important activities, processes, functions or relationships
• Makes some decisions within field of expertise
• Is conscious of process and takes steps to protect interests of BNP Paribas Real Estate
• May contribute to BNP Paribas Real Estate projects

Person Specification

Ideal skills

• MS office (preferably advanced)
• Property management and accounting packages for managing agents (Tramps, Horizon, Yardi, MRI etc)
• Experience in a data entry or systems administration role within a busy office environment

Essential Experience

• Experience of building end-user reports would be an advantage, particularly with an understanding of accounting techniques and/or systems
• Able to work on own initiative and manage time effectively
• Highly numerate and accurate with strong attention to detail and excellent verbal and written skills
• Aptitude to understand business processes and procedures and assimilate new systems skills
• Able to interpret and investigate problems, apply common sense to the identification of solutions, and report clearly to senior management, IT and systems suppliers
• Committed to the provision of excellent customer service and to meeting deadlines

We are proud to offer award-winning benefits to support and reward our employees:

• Heath & Leisure: Private medical cover, 25 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, 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

BNP Paribas Real Estate is committed to providing a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and equal employment opportunity without regard to race, colour, gender, age, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability (physical or mental), marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, or any other legally protected status.

BNP Paribas Real Estate is proud to be an inclusive employer, as recognised by our RICS Inclusive Employer status and membership to Stonewalls Diversity Champion Programme.