Finance Officer

Advert

Finance Officer
School of Medicine
College of Biomedical and Life Sciences 

The School of Medicine is one of the top UK schools of Medicine. Our teaching is informed and supported by our research and allows students to explore the different aspects of Medicine. Our educational philosophy and research ambitions are supported by a vibrant community of academic and professional service staff.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Finance Officer to join the finance team within the school. We are looking to recruit a highly organised, proactive individual with proven financial management experience. As an experienced finance professional, you will have a good working understanding of all financial transactions, have had experience of line management and be an enthusiastic team player.

The Finance Officer will assist with the management the delivery of financial accounting and procurement activities within the school, ensuring that the school complies continuously with university financial regulations and procedures, with relevant sponsor or regulatory body requirements and with best practice in financial stewardship; as well as provide financial management information and advice to assist the Finance Manager and College Accountant and other senior staff across the school in operational planning and management activities.

As a senior member of the Finance Team, you will work closely with the Finance Manager and College Accountant and other colleagues to ensure effective and efficient support to the school’s core academic activities. 

For informal enquiries please contact Sarah Debattista, College Management Accountant on [email protected]. 

This post is full time (35 hours per week), based at Heath Park and fixed term from 18th March 2024 until 17th March 2025.
Secondment opportunity welcome - please note for Cardiff University members of staff interested in this post on a secondment basis, permission will need to be sought from your current Line Manager before applying.

The majority of roles at Cardiff University are currently operating under “blended working” arrangements, with staff having the flexibility to work partly from home and partly from the University campus depending on specific business requirements. Discussions around these arrangements can take place after the successful candidate has been appointed.

Salary: £32,332 - £34,980 per annum (Grade 5).

Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale unless in exceptional circumstances.

Cardiff University offers many excellent benefits, including 45 days annual leave (incl bank holidays), local pension scheme, a cycle to work scheme and other travel initiatives, annual increments within the pay scale, and more. It is an exciting and vibrant place to work, with many different challenges and is a proud Living Wage supporter.

Date advert posted: Friday, 2 February 2024

Closing date: Friday, 16 February 2024

Expected interview date: 27th February 2024

Please be aware that Cardiff University reserves the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Job Description

Job Purpose
Support the University within the finance function, carrying out supporting work, providing advice, guidance and support, and leading projects within this area.

Key Duties

• Provide professional advice and guidance on finance processes and procedures to internal and external customers, using judgement and creativity to suggest the most appropriate course of action where appropriate, and ensuring complex and conceptual issues are understood.

• Investigate and analysis specific issues within finance, creating recommendation reports, supported by advances within finance.

• Ensure that the provision of the finance function is delivered to the institution, proactively changing the delivery according to customer requirements.

• Collaborate with others in order to make recommendations for developments of established processes and procedures.
• Establish working relationships with key contacts, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Schools/Directorates and outside bodies as required.
• Create specific working groups from colleagues across the University to achieve the School of Medicine’s objectives.
• Supervise specific project teams on an occasional basis to accomplish key objectives.
• Develop and deliver training within finance.
• Undertake a variety of  administrative duties to support the department
• Instruct and guide other employees across the University within finance as required.
• To contribute to the development and maintenance of internal management information systems, and the ongoing development of the School’s management processes and procedures.
• To assist with the monitoring of expenditure against budget on all Research Grants and Service Accounts held in the School of Medicine.
• To oversee the process of authorising payments and orders raised on the computerised Financial System (Oracle), ensuring validity and compliance with the Financial Regulations & Procedures.
• To monitor expenditure against the School’s general non-staff budgets (Deanery, Medical Education Unit, Equipment & Consumables) and balances on academic staff Personal Development Funds, liaising with fund holders.
• Liaise with the School’s Post Graduate Research office in  co-ordinating student stipend payments/ budgets
• Financial management of the School Research Equipment Fund, SREF and other Capital Projects, assisted as appropriate by the School Finance manager or Research Office.
• Assist with the management of the internal trade process for Facility usage within the School, ensuring that the shortfall of FEC is appropriately accounted. Provide reports on the facility usage.
• To provide reports to the School Finance Manager to assist in the monitoring of research income
• Assist in the management of the post-approval process, preparing salary costings for review by the School Finance Manager, to facilitate the approval of contract extensions of staff engaged on fixed-term contracts and for applications for new posts within the School.
• Liaise with Personnel, Payroll & Accounts to ensure the correct coding of salaries, and to prepare appropriate journal corrections.
• Line manage School Finance staff, appraisals and probations.
• To carry out other duties consistent with the nature of the role as required by the School Finance Manager

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by University policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

We want to employ people with a wide variety of experiences. We welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We are particularly seeking applications from candidates who come from backgrounds that are underrepresented at the University, including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

We are looking for a team player who will work with colleagues to provide a great service to staff and students. You don’t need to have worked for a University before; this is an opportunity to show your potential and start or continue your career at Cardiff University.

This role may be an opportunity for you to build on your experience from working in a previous administrative role or environment, showing your transferable skills and potential to be successful in the role. You should be enthusiastic about developing your knowledge and skills to become a valued member of the team.

Your application will be assessed against the following essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please copy and paste this section into a new document and give clear examples of how you can evidence meeting each criteria by writing under each one. You can draw on elements from any aspect of your life (e.g. work, home, education/qualifications or community life) as long as you focus on their relevance to the role.

Please save your supporting statement in a separate document with the title [YOURNAME-18092BR -JOB TITLE] and attach it to your application in the recruitment system, available here .

Please note that these are also the criteria shortlisted applicants will be assessed against at interview and/or by other means (e.g. a skills test).

Job Category

Accountancy & Finance