Job Description
Grade UE10: £81,016 - £95,193
Corporate Services Group/Finance Department
Full-time: 35 hours per week
Fixed-term: 18 months
We are looking for a strategically focused qualified accountant with excellent people management experience. It’s important that you are team oriented, with a drive to deliver ongoing change and improvements.
The Opportunity
The Group Financial Controller is responsible for the leadership, integrity and effectiveness of the University’s financial accounting, external reporting, and control environment across the group. The postholder reports to the Chief Financial Officer and is part of the senior leadership team within the portfolio.
The role ensures full statutory compliance, high-quality financial reporting, robust internal controls, and consistent application of financial policies and regulations across all parts of the University, including subsidiaries.
The postholder will provide authoritative technical accounting advice, maintain strong audit relationships, and support the University’s strategic and operational decision-making by ensuring the reliability and timeliness of financial information.
Your Skills And Attributes For Success
* Fully Qualified CCAB accountant with experience commensurate with the seniority of the role. Desirable to have training or certification in risk management, internal controls frameworks or audit.
* Experience with large ERP systems (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Workday) and financial reporting tools.
* Evidence of continuing professional development in financial reporting, audit or financial controls.
* Strong knowledge and experience of financial accounting principles, consolidation, and group reporting.
* Proven experience of preparing annual financial statements and leading statutory reporting cycles.
* Deep understanding of internal financial controls, risk management practices, and assurance frameworks.
* Familiarity with tax compliance obligations relevant to large organisations.
* Knowledge of audit processes (internal and external) and audit standards, and experience of managing internal and external audits.
* Understanding of financial regulations, policy frameworks, and delegated authorities, and experience of implementing them.
* Ability to design and implement robust financial processes and controls.
* Process improvement and change management capability
* Highly developed analytical and technical accounting skills, with strong attention to detail.
* Ability to interpret complex financial information and communicate it clearly to non-finance professionals.
* Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including working with senior leaders within and outside UoE.
* Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, support and develop high performing teams.
* Sound judgement and decision making, particularly in complex or ambiguous situations.
* Ability to balance technical rigour with pragmatic decision-making.
* Collaborative and approachable, with a commitment to develop positive working relationships.
* Comfortable working in a dynamic, evolving financial environment with wide-ranging responsibilities.
Please submit a CV and covering letter for consideration.
Click here for a copy of the full job description.
As a valued member of our team you can expect:
* A competitive salary.
* An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
* To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
* Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, competitive pension schemes, staff discounts, and family-friendly initiatives. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).
On this occasion the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this role. International workers will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.
Key dates to note
The closing date for applications is Thursday 8th January 2026.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm GMT. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.
Interview dates to be confirmed.
About Us
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
About The Team
The Finance Department is responsible for the effective financial management, stewardship and long-term financial health of the University, which has a turnover in excess of £900m per year. It exercises control over the University’s finances, provides expert financial guidance particularly for key decision making, and provides an effective services and information for the financial conduct of the University’s business. It follows core values and behaviours to value and strengthen its team and delivery of its services – One Team; Expert; Innovation; Customer Focused; and Transparent.
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/finance/home