About Our Client
My client is one of the top law schools in the world. Their courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level build your understanding of legal reasoning, enable you to critically analyse legal situations, and encourage you to confidently present and debate your interpretations. Their students go on to be leaders in their fields and role models for lawyers around the world.
Job Description
* Provide strategic advice to the Dean, the Planning and Resources Committee and Law Board to support the development and fulfilment of the Law Faculty's strategic aims and objectives.
* Lead Finance for the Faculty, advising and influencing senior colleagues across the Faculty, including through presentations to the Faculty Board and Committees.
* Manage projects (such as major internal financial reviews, process reviews, the development of forecasting tools, etc.)
* Develop strong networks with key contacts in the Social Sciences Division, Central Finance, other academic departments and elsewhere.
* Provide leadership and ensure the provision of support to all administrative staff in the Faculty with a finance element in their role.
* Act as the Faculty lead for all finance related matters, for all staff within the Faculty and with the Divisional Financial Controller and other Finance Division Officers, academic staff, other academic departments and external parties (e.g. suppliers, colleges).
* Oversee, review, and maintain effective and resilient financial processes and controls, which are fully compliant with University and other external requirements. With support from the Deputy Finance Manager, ensure changes to University policies and procedures are understood and effectively communicated to the key Faculty staff.
* Ensure the University's month-end, quarter-end and year-end processes are followed, deadlines are met, and that the Faculty's accounts represent a complete and accurate view of the Faculty's financial position.
* Promote the importance of cost control throughout the Faculty, advising and challenging staff to achieve best practice.
* Develop a sound understanding of financial regulations and guidelines set out by the University and funders.
* Proactively work with Faculty staff to advise them of changes and to ensure adherence to regulations and act as a first contact for general finance queries.
* Provide pro-active leadership in the support of financial planning and budgeting, which will be aligned with the strategic objectives of the Faculty.
* Set and manage the annual budget, in agreement with the Dean and Head of Administration and Finance and in consultation with budget holders.
* Contribute to the development of the Faculty's strategic plan ensuring this is reflected in the associated five-year financial plan.
* Provide costings for new and existing initiatives, and model different funding scenarios. Analyse the financial and non-financial implications of pursuing new funding opportunities. Provide recommendations to the Dean and Head of Administration and Finance using risk-based analysis.
* Develop and own the month-end, quarter-end and year-end reporting processes, ensuring the department's financial position against budget is effectively monitored and appropriate investigative or corrective action taken.
* Through regular meetings with stakeholders ensure that management information is shared, that timely, accurate data is provided and key issues are identified for consideration.
* Ensure the preparation of financial reports for donors/sponsors and other parties, as required.
The Successful Applicant
The successful Head of Finance will have:
* Qualifications: Educated to degree level, with strong accounting knowledge, evidenced by an ACA, CIMA, CIPFA, CPA or ACCA qualification. (In exceptional circumstances account may also be taken of progress to the final stages of qualification and skills gained through experience).
* Experience: Significant experience at management level in a large, complex organisation with proven management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and reporting skills in a complex, research-intensive or equivalent environment.
* Communication: proven ability to think about financial issues strategically and to contribute to policy discussions and decisions; ability to understand the information needs of others; ability to communicate complex information in an understandable way, both orally and in writing, to a diverse range of audiences.
* IT skills: experience of working with a large accounting system (e.g. Oracle, SAP) with the ability to exchange information and data between a variety of office, financial and other resource management software. Advanced spreadsheet skills.
* Responsiveness to change: adaptable; interested in learning and developing to meet changing situations. Ability to adopt a flexible approach coupled with highly-developed negotiating and interpersonal skills, and the ability to demonstrate a diplomatic and consensual approach to problem solving.
* Analysis, creativity and problem solving: ability to consider various perspectives and the overall picture to evaluate financial and business risk; ability to develop and implement plans successfully.
What's on Offer
Please inquire for full job specification.
on offer:
* Exceptional pension
* Opportunity to work in the beautiful city of Oxford.
* Being part of a respected and globally recognised institution.
* A supportive and collaborative work environment.
We welcome all interested candidates who meet the above criteria to apply for this exciting opportunity in Oxford.
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