Salary: £40k — £52k
Contract: Fixed term
Department: Finance Division
Responsible to: Head of Financial Planning and Analysis
Working pattern: Full-time (Part-time / Flexible working arrangements considered)

In response to increasing complexity and scale, and against a backdrop of continued uncertainty and change in the highly competitive global HEI sector, the University has embarked on an ambitious programme to develop its academic visions and strategic priorities that will shape its future. Finance is therefore looking to modernise its approach to academic and financial planning and to build more consistent, integrated business plans which translate visions and strategies into integrated, multi-year financial plans. This is the Enhanced Financial Transparency (EFT) Project which is highly significant and will have a University wide impact. The project forms part of an overall Finance Transformation Programme (FTP). Within this context, the Senior Finance Analyst will join an existing team to develop, deliver and explain the significance of financial information and analysis, and provide scrutiny in the management of central University finances, policy and processes. They will add valuable input to the transition to financial transparency via financial review and analysis and will contribute to the development of co-ordinated and effective new financial policies and procedures to support planning and budgeting. The role will also support senior management in planning, monitoring, financial controls and financial decision making. The role will work closely with other Finance Managers, Finance Advisers and other Finance Division staff.

Role Purpose
The role of Senior Finance Analyst will assist the University’s financial planning team in the interpretation of financial information and analysis and align this with other key performance data to aid the Academic University in executing its strategies and achieving its goals.
The role holder will:
• Provide detailed analysis and reporting for strategic input into the EFT project that will support the development of new policies and financial planning processes and will enable effective use of a new financial planning tool.
• Provide detailed analysis and reporting to support the annual legacy financial planning and
budgeting process and ensure this analysis both supports legacy planning tools and the new EFT planning and budgeting model.
• Contribute to communications that will ensure that plans for an effective transition to a new
planning and budgeting process are widely understood. This will involve interactions with and presentations to committees and groups of senior stakeholders.
• Develop, plan and contribute to the delivery of workshops that will build a wide understanding of the University’s income and cost attribution processes through the new financial planning tool.
• In collaboration with others, contribute to the business and smooth operation of the Resource Management Committee, a joint Committee of the Council and the General Board.
• Work closely with Finance Analysts who are responsible for preparing information for specific Statutory returns.
Main duties and responsibilities
• Develop, deliver and explain the significance of financial information and analysis, aligned to other key performance data with the purpose of informing the achievement of the Academic University's goals and strategies, and associated decision-making through the planning process, and throughout the year.
• Working with the Business Planning Manager, create, develop and propose financial planning solutions that would facilitate a smooth transition to a new financial planning model.
• Identify and supply relevant data and analysis to support the development of new financial planning policies and processes, including the management of research income and expenditure.
• Develop and provide internal and external financial information aligned to other performance data in order to inform understanding of and decisions on indirect costs, their drivers and attributions across University institutions.
• Take responsibility for project managing and operating the annual legacy financial planning and budgeting process and for maintaining associated legacy planning tools during the transition to a new EFT planning and budgeting model. Produce the financial elements of the annual planning guidance.
• Contribute to communications work to ensure that there are widely understood plans for an effective transition to a new planning and budgeting process. Develop, plan and contribute to the delivery of workshops to build a wide understanding of the University’s income and cost attribution processes through the EFT tool.
• Take shared responsibility for the provision of an effective Secretariat for the Resource Management Committee. Take responsibility for supporting the work of that Committee including the detailed work of resource management and reporting, and associated policies and procedures. Provide data and analysis relating to the nature and quantity of resource required to deliver academic or strategic plans, including staffing, access to space, student number capacity, facilities and equipment.
• Provide input, as required, into the work of the Finance Analysts responsible for preparing information for the University’s Statutory returns including TRAC, and responsible for supporting routine planning processes for central costs.
• Develop networks across Academic and Financial Planning & Analysis (AFPA), Finance Division and the wider Academic University including academics and professional service staff, and support good practice, including continuous review and improvement in the Financial Planning and Performance team and providing cover and support for other members of the team as and when required.
• Act as manager to Finance Analyst, and/or an additional Finance Assistant

Experience
• Significant relevant experience, ideally gained in both commercial and Higher Education/Public Sector environments .
• Experience of providing financial analysis to non-financial staff.
• Experience of leading a small finance team.

Skills
• Ability to create and interpret financial information and present to both financial and non-financial contacts.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Competence in the use of Oracle Financials or similar accounting programme.
• Knowledge of business processes & financial systems.
• Demonstrate highly specialised knowledge of Finance/accounting involving a critical understanding of relevant theory and/or principles outside of the immediate specialism.
• Actively networks with external contacts, such as colleagues from parallel financial planning teams in peer Universities.

Qualifications
• Educated to degree level/ level 7 vocational qualification.
• Chartered accountant or equivalent level of experience. (Desirable)