Purpose of Role
This role reports to the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis. The role is to assist with the delivery of various planning, budgeting, and reporting exercises required by the University. These include:
1. Monthly Management Information Reporting
2. The rolling 5-Year University Financial Plan
3. Ongoing Financial budgeting and monitoring timetable and outputs
4. Delivery of the annual TrAC,
5. Production of the annual University Financial Performance Review
These are delivered under the strategic direction of the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
FINANCIAL PLANNING
The role-holder has responsibility for assisting with the planning and management of the following key exercises:
6. The rolling 5-Year University Financial Plan
7. Ongoing Financial budgeting and monitoring timetable and outputs.
For these exercises the role-holder produces appropriate timetabling, templates and guidance and ensures that the relevant stakeholders are aware of the required inputs. The role-holder oversees and collates returns from all University areas and ensures consistency and quality of response/ final output, adding value-add commentary to the final product for onward consideration.
FINANCIAL REPORTING
The role-holder is responsible for assisting with co-ordinating inputs to, and completing various statutory and internal reporting processes, such as:
8. Delivery of the annual TrAC, reporting
9. Production of the University Annual Financial Performance review
10. Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Return
11. Ad hoc management information requests
As with planning exercises, the role-holder ensures that all relevant inputs are received in a timely manner, ensures inputs are consistent and accurate and produces the final outputs for internal Finance review (including their value-add commentary), before approval and then issue to relevant stakeholders.
The role-holder is responsible for maintaining and explaining the methodology and figures driven by TRAC (Transparent Approach to Costing) both internally and externally. TRAC is a UK wide methodology used by University Management, Funding Councils, Banks/Funders and Governments to assess financial performance, It allows institutions to operate sustainably by understanding the full economic cost of their activities. This in turn enables institutions to make more informed pricing decisions, and to access increased funding.
FINANCE PROJECT SUPPORT
The role-holder provides support for major and minor University projects as required. These can include production of financial models to support business cases and government grant requests. Examples could include new University building construction and construction of financial models for proposed new business or teaching activities. This is the primary responsibility of the Head of Projects, but the role-holder may be required to assist in this area in their absence.
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
The role-holder assists the team leader in influencing and challenging the decision-making of senior colleagues by providing persuasive financial expertise. He/she assists with the management of the complex matrix elements of the various planning and reporting exercises, by maintaining strong working relationships with stakeholders and by demonstrating technical expertise, through challenge and support.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
The role-holder is responsible for understanding the needs of internal and external customers to ensure that planning and reporting processes are fit for purpose. This involves embedding a continuous improvement ethos across the processes and stakeholders directly and indirectly controlled by the role-holder.
Essential Criteria
12. The role-holder must be educated to degree level and hold a recognised UK accounting qualification (e.g., ICAS, ICAEW, CIPFA, CIMA, ACCA)
13. Advanced excel skills
14. Knowledge of Oracle finance system preferable
15. Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above
16. Well-developed understanding of relevant legal, statutory and governance applications and turning them into good practice
17. Ability to persuade, motivate and influence
18. Demonstrable excellent customer service
19. Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation
20. Ability to research, analyse and present complex information effectively with good attention to detail
21. High level planning and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment
22. Demonstrable professional and proactive approach