This job description is for a Utilities Controller responsible for controlling utility costs across 700 retail shops and 125 storage units. Key responsibilities include maintaining utility data, setting up and updating service changes, validating and approving £4.5 million in annual utility invoices, resolving billing anomalies, liaising with stakeholders on utility issues, and line managing an Utilities Assistant. The ideal candidate will have experience with variance analysis, cost control, and utilities roles in retail environments. Strong Excel skills, attention to detail, problem solving, and communication abilities are required.

1. Job description
Summary of role
Control utility costs across retail estate and ensure service delivery (over 700 shops, 125
storage units)
Key responsibilities
 Maintain and record essential static data on utilities database for water, electricity, gas and
waste.
 Set up & Update service changes on the database for Waste & liaise with Supplier to action
changes
 Support/advice to Shops for Waste service issues- contacting Suppliers to resolve problems
encountered
 Corresponding with Environmental Officers for H & S issues for Waste to avoid payment of
fines etc
 Invoice Validation and Approval of all Utility Invoices in IPOS and to check against certain
criteria for reasonableness of all utility bills - Electricity £3m, Waste £1.2m, Water £400k &
Gas £300k
 Ensure all Group invoices posted through IPOS are correctly allocated at shop level
 Journals Import of Monthly Cost allocation for Waste, Electricity, Gas and Water for Group
Invoices
 Identify and resolve consumption and billing anomalies and overcharges
 Liaise with Stakeholders regarding utility issues and tracking queries until resolved.
 Liaise with Waste Manager regarding changes in legislation and service delivery e/g recycling
and WEEE to ensure accurate records are kept.
 Answer queries from AMs /RMs and Retail Reporting of budget variances and P&L queries.
 Set up utility suppliers for new shops tracking all utilities until complete
 Complete COTS with opening and closing reads for New Shops/Close accounts for final
billing for Shops closed
 Resolving queries on Supplier invoices
Job title Utilities Controller
Department Property Costs
Reporting to Financial Accounting Manager

2.  Establishing reasons for high consumption for water and applying for leak allowances/credits
 Ensure New properties for water are metered, to correspond with Supplier and B & M
 Booking repair jobs for Utilities outside of B & M (meter jobs/Suppliers, network distributors,
Water leaks etc)
 Negotiate & review contract prices with suppliers based on benchmarked rates to deliver cost
savings.
 Maintain Annual Waste Transfer Notes for new Stores & renewals and Hazardous Waste
Licences for F & E Stores
 Manage & resolve Inenco query log.
 Assist with budget preparation
 Line Manage Utilities Assistant
Other duties as required by the PCM to include
 Analysis and reconciliation of monthly property costs.
 Posting month end accruals for property costs.
 Ensuring timely transfer of new shops onto preferred supplier contracts.
 Project manage for works required involving DNO, working with B & M for any repairs eg
faulty cabling, blown fuses, meter upgrades, health & safety jobs etc
 Assessing Gas Meters for New Shops and exsisting shops for removal of Meters to deliver
cost savings on standing charges
 Resolving any shared supply issues by corresponding with Landlords, Managing Agents and
B & M for new supplies and any that may come to light
 Set up of Consolidated billing for utilities & ensure accuracy of water billing set up under VOA
banding, meter sizes for water etc
 Set up Shops for competitive, value for money - Waste Suppliers for Tipping and monitoring
price increases, taking action to change supplier for better rates.
 Controlling F & E Waste Costs, identifying Waste variances against budget
Knowledge, training & qualifications
 Good level of general education
 IT literate and fully conversant with Microsoft Excel
 AAT Qualified
Experience
 Relevant experience of variance analysis reporting and cost control
 Experience in utilities and retail/volume exposure roles is desirable
 Knowledge and understanding of Sun Accounts is essential

3. Skills & attributes
 Good excel skills
 Good at prioritizing work.
 Good Telephone, negotiation and communication skills
 Eye for detail as role is voluminous
 Teamwork - Interaction with internal departments ( B & M & estates)
 Problem solving skills
Values
Our values ensure that everything we do as an organisation is aligned to the fight for every heartbeat.
They are a call to action for every one of us and the benchmark against which we measure ourselves
and our applicants:
Brave
It takes heroic qualities to fight heart disease
Informed
Our fight is real. We’re always armed with knowledge and seek to know more. This makes the story
behind our fight authentic.
Compassionate
We take personal interest in the hearts and minds of everyone around us.
Driven
We know the need is urgent. Our relentless determination to succeed ensures we use the knowledge
we have to make things happen.